We are always making fun of Digitimes' elusive "supply chain sources" that throw all kinds of rumors at us which seem sourced around Taiwan's factory water coolers, like the one for the upcoming affordable iPhone earlier in the day, but when the Wall Street Journal chimes in confirming the speculation, one ought to listen.
The Journal just came up with a story that Apple is working on a more affordable iPhone device to debut as soon as this year, citing "people briefed with the matter."
While the earlier rumor was that this market-expanding iPhone will shoot for a larger screen, WSJ says that it will actually resemble the current iPhone, but feature different, easier to manufacture materials for the body, like the light and durablepolycarbonate that the S III and the Lumia 920 are built with, instead of the expensive glass and metal alloy chassis that wraps the iPhone 5.
This will actually represent the biggest change for the affordable iPhone version, with other current components going directly into it, while anything newer Apple comes with will be reserved for its more aristocratic and more expensive annual edition that should arrive in the summer.
Apple is no stranger to offering different versions, sizes and colors for all tastes, as it does with the iPod line, and if the speculation about a mass market iPhone this year materializes, it will be clear that Cupertino is aggressively aiming to claw back market share from archrival Android with a swift change in strategy. What do you think?
source: WSJ (subscription req'd)
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