Rumor: Alleged cheaper iPhone may feature U.S.-made chassis with "see-through" design

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
As rumors of an inexpensive iPhone model bound for a 2013 release gain momentum, fresh reports from upstream supply chain sources claim the purported handset's enclosure will be made of plastic by a company based in the U.S.

iPhone 3G
Apple's iPhone 3G and 3GS featured polycarbonate shell backings.


Citing people familiar with Apple's supply chain, the sometimes reliable DigiTimes reports the entry-level iPhone's chassis could be sourced from an unnamed U.S. electronic manufacturing service provider. According to these sources, the casing will use plastic instead of the current aluminum-and-glass theme seen on the iPhone 5.

The publication goes further, claiming that separate rumors point to a new design in which the internal metal sub-structure is visible through a "special design," alluding to a type of "see-through" aesthetic. While Apple has used Corning's Gorilla Glass as a backing to the iPhone 4 and 4S, the substrate has always been layered with opaque paint.

It remains unclear whether the supposed design will be adopted, but a "see-through" casing seems unlikely given the lengths to which Apple went to fight light leakage that negatively affected the iPhone 4's camera sensor.

Sources say the components required for the rumored handset are currently undergoing a validation process ahead of an expected launch date in the second half of 2013.

Monday's report elaborates on rumors from last week that proposed Apple would add an inexpensive handset to its lineup sometime this year. The rumors caused quite a stir with mainstream media outlets, which cited their own sources as saying the launch of a more affordable iPhone was imminent. In one case, Reuters withdrew a story that claimed Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller said his company is not in the business of making cheap, low-cost products after "substantial changes" were made to the original report.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 87
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member


    Introducing the iPhone Mini:


     


  • Reply 2 of 87
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member
    iMac 15-year anniversary edition!
  • Reply 3 of 87


    NOT SURE IF SERIOUS


     


    "DigiTimes reports..."


     


    HAHAHAHAH! Now I'm sure you're not.

  • Reply 4 of 87


    This is being done to death enough that I almost believe it.


     


    I don't like it at all, they certainly don't need to waste millions on crap when they can just cut the price of the actually good devices they already make, but whatever. 

  • Reply 5 of 87


    Actually, the first thing I thought of was the mid-2000s mouse.  I still use mine as a backup, here on my desk.

     

  • Reply 6 of 87
    { = if content =*DigiTimes* ;
    do Cmd-W;

    end do;}


    [I]...or something like that[/I]
  • Reply 7 of 87
    I'm fairly certain this will never happen...

    but wouldn't it be a [I]little[/I] cool if Apple jammed a cell radio and bigger battery in an ipod nano w/iOS 6?
  • Reply 8 of 87
    This is being done to death enough that I almost believe it.

    I don't like it at all, they certainly don't need to waste millions on crap when they can just cut the price of the actually good devices they already make, but whatever. 

    Next thing they'll say is that the new Mac Pro will have its case made of plastic in order to cut down on the shipping costs. Gotta stay away from these DT articles.
  • Reply 9 of 87
    I'm fairly certain this will never happen...

    but wouldn't it be a little cool if Apple jammed a cell radio and bigger battery in an ipod nano w/iOS 6?

    I don't think they'll do that; the iPhone has a radio in it but they didn't make any software for it.

    FM radio for iPhone!, FM radio for iPhone!
  • Reply 10 of 87
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post


    NOT SURE IF SERIOUS


     


    "DigiTimes reports..."


     


    HAHAHAHAH! Now I'm sure you're not.



     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    Next thing they'll say is that the new Mac Pro will have its case made of plastic in order to cut down on the shipping costs. Gotta stay away from these DT articles.


     


    What got me was this line:


     


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    ...the sometimes reliable DigiTimes reports...


     


    When has DT ever even been sometimes reliable?

  • Reply 11 of 87
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DeanSolecki View Post



    I'm fairly certain this will never happen...



    but wouldn't it be a little cool if Apple jammed a cell radio and bigger battery in an ipod nano w/iOS 6?


    I personally think the current Nano form factor should have been for an iPhone and the iPod Nano should have remained a wrist watch. 

  • Reply 12 of 87


    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post

    FM radio for iPhone!, FM radio for iPhone!


     


    ~Thirty inches, eh? I have a head-worn accessory from, oh, 199…8? that would beg to differ. I'll find it sometime tomorrow.






    Originally Posted by blackbook View Post

    When has DT ever even been sometimes reliable?



     


    Well, in the past they've stated that Apple will make new products. 


     


    … So… so they got that right.

  • Reply 13 of 87

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    I don't think they'll do that; the iPhone has a radio in it but they didn't make any software for it.



    FM radio for iPhone!, FM radio for iPhone!


    He's saying a cell radio, meaning the iPod Nano would make phone calls, text, 3g, etc.

  • Reply 14 of 87


    Originally Posted by mrrodriguez View Post

    He's saying a cell radio, meaning the iPod Nano would make phone calls, text, 3g, etc.


     


    Oh, was he thinking FM radio? Because there's already one in the iPod nano. I thought he was just offering an example of the opposite; putting cellular tech in an iPod vs activating FM in an iPhone… but now I'm not sure.

  • Reply 15 of 87

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Oh, was he thinking FM radio? Because there's already one in the iPod nano. I thought he was just offering an example of the opposite; putting cellular tech in an iPod vs activating FM in an iPhone… but now I'm not sure.



    The guy he was quoting was saying how cool it would be to put a cell radio and iOS 6 on an iPod Nano. He thought the guy meant fm radio, but I was just pointing to the fact he probably meant putting cell phone communication frequency chips to make the iPod Nano be able to make phone calls, access the web, send text messages.


     


    Basically the guy was thinking it would be cool if instead of making a cheap iPhone, they make an iPhone Nano. A tiny little device that cost as little as the Nano, but it's a portable music player, has some features of iOS, has GPS for the Nike running program, etc.


     


    It's actually not a bad thought.

  • Reply 16 of 87

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blackbook View Post


    When has DT ever even been sometimes reliable?



     


    The only thing worse than a boy who cries "wolf!" is a boy who cries "wolf!" sometimes.

  • Reply 17 of 87
    Did I dream that phill Schiller came out and said apple wouldn't make a cheap iphone. They didnt make a cheap ipad. The mini is still expensive. Why is this still a story??
  • Reply 18 of 87
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    Calling DigiTimes sometimes reliable is like calling an alcoholic sometimes sober.

  • Reply 19 of 87
    Oh, was he thinking FM radio? Because there's already one in the iPod nano. I thought he was just offering an example of the opposite; putting cellular tech in an iPod vs activating FM in an iPhone… but now I'm not sure.
    The guy he was quoting was saying how cool it would be to put a cell radio and iOS 6 on an iPod Nano. He thought the guy meant fm radio, but I was just pointing to the fact he probably meant putting cell phone communication frequency chips to make the iPod Nano be able to make phone calls, access the web, send text messages.

    Basically the guy was thinking it would be cool if instead of making a cheap iPhone, they make an iPhone Nano. A tiny little device that cost as little as the Nano, but it's a portable music player, has some features of iOS, has GPS for the Nike running program, etc.

    It's actually not a bad thought.

    I don't think Apple will go there ("we don't want to go there, so we don't" SJ on pr0n) because they create differentiating products. Yes, there's an iPod with radio, something we might never thought they would do. Then again, the 2nd FF iPod reduced it's storage size whilst hardly becoming cheaper. No one would think it would sell, yet it sold better than the 1st FF.

    A radio on in iPhone? I don't think it'll happen. I do think that people who want that think that will happen, but it needs an antenna added.

    The thought of an iPod nano with cellular options is a no-go, if history is any indication on where Apple shoots the puck to.
  • Reply 20 of 87
    DigiTimes is such a fountain of misinformation one would almost think it was run by Rob Enderle.
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