Aluminum unibody iPhone 5, low-cost iPhone 4S seen propelling Apple's sales
Apple is expected by one Wall Street analyst to announce a completely redesigned "iPhone 5," with a new unibody aluminum design, as well as a low-end "iPhone 4S," geared toward the midrange smartphone market, in the coming weeks.
The two anticipated new iPhone models are expected by analyst Chris Whitmore with Deutsche Bank to push Apple's smartphone sales even higher. He sees the so-called "iPhone 4S" as a handset with a bill-of-material cost lower than $150, allowing Apple to sell it for between $300 and $350 without a carrier subsidy.
Whitmore sees a low-cost iPhone giving Apple even greater market penetration into the midrange smartphone market, where he estimates there are about 1 billion prepaid customers. Such a move would "drastically expand" the addressable smartphone market for Apple, he believes.
The anticipated iPhone 4S is viewed as essentially an 8GB iPod touch with an added cellular antenna. Whitmore believes such a device could achieve margins of around 50 percent, if it were to be sold for more than $300. He noted the current 8GB iPod touch, which sells for $229, has margins of about 38 percent.
In his note to investors on Monday, Whitmore also made brief mention of Apple's fifth-generation iPhone, which he expects will be a completely redesigned handset. Specifically, he said he expects the device to have an aluminum unibody construction to replace the current glass back of the iPhone 4.
In addition, Whitmore also believes that the so-called "iPhone 5" will sport a better camera and a slightly larger screen size. Various rumors have suggested the next handset will have an 8-megapixel camera along with an edge-to-edge screen.
Claims that Apple's next iPhone will sport an aluminum back first surfaced in March, when it was said that ditching glass could allow the handset to be even lighter. It was claimed again in August that Apple's iPhone 5 will sport a "metal chassis" replacing the reinforced glass on the back of the iPhone 4.
Leading up to an anticipated iPhone announcement from Apple, a number of alleged parts have leaked from the company's overseas supply chain showing a handset largely similar to the iPhone 4. Some reports have claimed that these are for Apple's new low-cost iPhone 4S, while others have said the iPhone 5 will look largely the same as the current model.
Though no components showing a drastically redesigned iPhone 5 have appeared, a number of third-party cases have shown a redesigned iPhone with curved sides leading to a flat back. In addition, The New York Times has claimed that the iPhone 5 will sport a "fairly different" look on the outside.
The two anticipated new iPhone models are expected by analyst Chris Whitmore with Deutsche Bank to push Apple's smartphone sales even higher. He sees the so-called "iPhone 4S" as a handset with a bill-of-material cost lower than $150, allowing Apple to sell it for between $300 and $350 without a carrier subsidy.
Whitmore sees a low-cost iPhone giving Apple even greater market penetration into the midrange smartphone market, where he estimates there are about 1 billion prepaid customers. Such a move would "drastically expand" the addressable smartphone market for Apple, he believes.
The anticipated iPhone 4S is viewed as essentially an 8GB iPod touch with an added cellular antenna. Whitmore believes such a device could achieve margins of around 50 percent, if it were to be sold for more than $300. He noted the current 8GB iPod touch, which sells for $229, has margins of about 38 percent.
In his note to investors on Monday, Whitmore also made brief mention of Apple's fifth-generation iPhone, which he expects will be a completely redesigned handset. Specifically, he said he expects the device to have an aluminum unibody construction to replace the current glass back of the iPhone 4.
In addition, Whitmore also believes that the so-called "iPhone 5" will sport a better camera and a slightly larger screen size. Various rumors have suggested the next handset will have an 8-megapixel camera along with an edge-to-edge screen.
Claims that Apple's next iPhone will sport an aluminum back first surfaced in March, when it was said that ditching glass could allow the handset to be even lighter. It was claimed again in August that Apple's iPhone 5 will sport a "metal chassis" replacing the reinforced glass on the back of the iPhone 4.
Leading up to an anticipated iPhone announcement from Apple, a number of alleged parts have leaked from the company's overseas supply chain showing a handset largely similar to the iPhone 4. Some reports have claimed that these are for Apple's new low-cost iPhone 4S, while others have said the iPhone 5 will look largely the same as the current model.
Though no components showing a drastically redesigned iPhone 5 have appeared, a number of third-party cases have shown a redesigned iPhone with curved sides leading to a flat back. In addition, The New York Times has claimed that the iPhone 5 will sport a "fairly different" look on the outside.
Comments
Looks like LiquidMetal cleaned up their website.
http://www.liquidmetal.com/
Used to be quite a pile.
This should be the first release of their exclusive contract with a certain CalTech Materials Science Firm.
Looks like LiquidMetal cleaned up their website.
http://www.liquidmetal.com/
Used to be quite a pile.
I have been wondering when Apple would start using this. The arguments previously raged here on AI over the strength to weight ratios of a unibody aluminum design versus liquidmetal can start over
Will all of the antennas have to be external with an aluminum unibody? 4 for wireless communication, and GPS too?
I was just reading the FAQ on the Liquidmetal web site to see about that. It is non-magnetic and a poor conductor but I have not seen any information regarding its radio frequency blocking properties. Any physicists here to answer that? It is a Zr/Ti based alloy.
Will all of the antennas have to be external with an aluminum unibody? 4 for wireless communication, and GPS too?
Hopefully, as the iPhone 4 proved this gives much better performance.
This should be the first release of their exclusive contract with a certain CalTech Materials Science Firm.
Looks like LiquidMetal cleaned up their website.
http://www.liquidmetal.com/
Used to be quite a pile.
I sure hope so. The stock has stunk in the past couple of months......
I wonder if the iPad 2 cover technology will find its way to the iPhone 5??
Excellent call!
Whitmore sees a low-cost iPhone giving Apple even greater market penetration into the midrange smartphone market, where he estimates there are about 1 billion prepaid customers. Such a move would "drastically expand" the addressable smartphone market for Apple, he believes.
The anticipated iPhone 4S is viewed as essentially an 8GB iPod touch with an added cellular antenna. That's a device. Whitmore believes could achieve margins of around 50 percent, if such a device were to be sold for more than $300. He noted the current 8GB iPod touch, which sells for $229, has margins of about 38 percent.
More than $300? And defeat its purpose of being a cheap'n'good iPhone?
I'd say $250-$300 TOPS. Apple is going to be as agressive about this as they are with the iPad. And a 35% profit margin isn't exactly small.
I was just reading the FAQ on the Liquidmetal web site to see about that. It is non-magnetic and a poor conductor but I have not seen any information regarding its radio frequency blocking properties. Any physicists here to answer that? It is a Zr/Ti based alloy.
I do not know Liquidmetal's trade secrets. But I am reasonably certain their material falls in the category of bulk metallic glass (this makes sense to me because this company's technology came out of a Caltech lab that specializes in BMG). BMG typically has more than just Zr/Ti - copper, beryllium and nickel are usually present in meaningful percentage (at least 2 of the 3). The neat thing about BMG is that you can tweak its properties by varying the composition. Some BMG alloys have high resistivity; some have low. So, the exact properties of the material that Apple is allegedly using depend on the composition.
More than $300? And defeat its purpose of being a cheap'n'good iPhone?
I'd say $250-$300 TOPS. Apple is going to be as agressive about this as they are with the iPad. And a 35% profit margin isn't exactly small.
$300 off-contract for what basically would be the current iPhone 4 with 8GB capacity would be a steal if you ask me. Some of the crappiest plastic phones I know cost more than $300 off-contract.
I wonder if the iPad 2 cover technology will find its way to the iPhone 5??
Excellent call!
That would be a rather cute smart cover. In fact, they can call it that - the Cute Cover!
For a laptop, it is quite meaningful. Look at the standard laptop and you see many panels screwed together. Sometimes, changing a basic component requires removing 25 screws. The Unibody design was therefore a significant step forward.
The standard smartphone, however, really has very few structural components. Surely, non-Apple manufacturers have covers for the battery and SIM, etc. But the parts count is quite low. In fact, I wonder if the original iPhone could already qualify as a unibody?
I have been wondering when Apple would start using this. The arguments previously raged here on AI over the strength to weight ratios of a unibody aluminum design versus liquidmetal can start over
I suspect they coat the metal surface with liquid-metal, but I can't imagine how they do it. So, only a very clever design can do
I suspect they coat the metal surface with liquid-metal, but I can't imagine how they do it. So, only a very clever design can do
Not my area of expertise but I'd have thought if they use Liquidmetal they will more likely cast the entire casing using it not coat anything. The point is to achieve a unibody design without the need to machine it as they do now with an aluminum block.
This should be the first release of their exclusive contract with a certain CalTech Materials Science Firm.
Looks like LiquidMetal cleaned up their website.
http://www.liquidmetal.com/
Used to be quite a pile.
What are you referring to exactly? a Liquid metal body for an iPhone would have very few advantages and quite a few drawbacks. Most notably the price would be astronomical and the chassis would be even less radio transparent than an aluminium one.
If they use liquid metal at all it will be in the battery contacts where it will actually do some good.