Rumor: Apple suppliers now shipping 'large number' of parts for low-cost iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple is allegedly gearing up to launch its new low-cost iPhone in the near future, with key suppliers now said to be shipping components, including 28-nanometer processors from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

image
An alleged low-cost iPhone rear shell, first revealed in April.


In addition to TSMC, Largan Precision is said to be providing an 8-megapixel camera for the device, while Foxconn is reportedly supplying the battery module and most of the inner frame, and Taiflex Scientific is responsible for the device's flexible circuit. The details come from a report this week by the Commercial Times, which was highlighted on Thursday by Macotakara.

It was said that companies are now shipping a "large number" of parts, and "intensive delivery" is currently underway. Other alleged suppliers noted by the report are Kinsus, SPIL, Texas Instruments, Renesas Electronics, and Chipbond.

Apple is said to be preparing to have a large number of handsets ready for the second half of the year, to compensate for the fact that it did not introduce any new major products in the first half of 2013. The report claimed that Apple could make the new low-end iPhone available as soon as August.

The details come on the heels of a separate report that claimed the new low-cost iPhone will adopt color saturations similar to Apple's official "Bumper" cases for the iPhone 4. Rumored colors are the established black and white, joined by pink, blue, and orange.

Market watchers have predicted that Apple could sell a new low-end iPhone model for $399 without a service contract without negatively affecting its gross margins. Such a device could appeal to customers who prefer not to sign a new two-year cellular service contract in order to subsidize the price of a new handset.

With the launch of multiple new iPhones anticipated for this fall, it's likely that Apple will begin production in the near future as it gears up for their official debuts. Last year, Apple introduced and made available the iPhone 5 in September.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 73
    I find the prospects of a low-cost iPhone interesting -- may help Apple grab more of the low cost market away from Windows and Android and win the lower-priced market kinda like they did with the MP3 market by releasing the iPod shuffle and iPod mini.

    I created a comic that mentions this low-cost iPhone and the rumored iWatch and will add more comics -- trying to make my long-time Apple interest more productive You can see it here: http://www.technewshound.com/2013/06/apple-iwatch.html
  • Reply 2 of 73
    Well...yeah. Think of this, if the trends continue, the iPhone 4 will be discontinued this summer and the 4s will be the new free on contract phone. It'll also be the only device sporting a 30-pin connector (ignoring the iPod Classic, which Apple seems fine to do) and the only iOS device with the old screen. Making a new device for the low end would reduce the number of parts and pieces being made. This probably isn't so much a new iPhone as a new iPhone 4s - not that there's anything wrong with that.
  • Reply 3 of 73


    Methinks there shall be a lot of crow eating on this site for all the people who said that there is no way that Apple would ever do this.

  • Reply 4 of 73
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    I'm still not convinced it will be plastic or as ugly as some of these mockups seem.

    But $399 for basically a rebodied 4S sounds about right.

    I'm sure a lot of the graphical elements of iOS 7 will be turned off to differentiate the new cheaper phone from the higher end 5 and 5S.
  • Reply 5 of 73
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member
    I'm wondering when Apple is going to sign up China Mobile.
  • Reply 6 of 73


    Nice ideas! Makes financial sense. (To Jesters' comment)

  • Reply 7 of 73
    rednivalrednival Posts: 331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zippy2shoes View Post


    Methinks there shall be a lot of crow eating on this site for all the people who said that there is no way that Apple would ever do this.



     


    The typical response to being wrong here is to rewrite history and twist their previous words to fit the outcome.  Eating crow or admitting being wrong rarely happens with the individuals you speak of.  Enjoy the fact that they were wrong, but don't expect any admission of it.

  • Reply 8 of 73
    rednivalrednival Posts: 331member


    This seems like a launch Apple would keep more quiet about.  I mean, you don't want to draw attention to your cheap, low powered device when announcing your next generation iPhone.  I really don't think this will get a major announcement, other than a press release.  I certainly do not see it being worked into the iPhone announcements at the end of the summer or the in the fall.  


     


    Well, I guess there could be an event held in China or India, but I don't see a major event in the states.

  • Reply 9 of 73
    carthusiacarthusia Posts: 583member


    Nothing in that post supports that the components (they say are) being shipped are necessarily for a lower-cost iPhone.

  • Reply 10 of 73
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zippy2shoes View Post


    Methinks there shall be a lot of crow eating on this site for all the people who said that there is no way that Apple would ever do this.



    Very few people said Apple would never do this.


     


    The debate was about whether they should, and if they did, what the implications would be.

  • Reply 11 of 73
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by drblank View Post



    I'm wondering when Apple is going to sign up China Mobile.


    This is the most important question for AAPL in the next few months.

  • Reply 12 of 73
    jessijessi Posts: 302member


    I think the lower end phones will be plastic, and will come in a variety of colors.  But I think those colors are going to be the highlight colors we're seeing in iOS 7. 


     


    I bet that White or Black (or both) will be reserved for the high end phone.


     


    Apple has done this before, differentiating by color.  People who see the colored iPhone will know it's the cheap model, which will signal different status for the owner. 


     


    EG: You could afford an iPhone so you're above the status of people sporting androids, but you don't have the elite black or white iPhone so you're not rich. 

  • Reply 13 of 73
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jessi View Post


    I think the lower end phones will be plastic, and will come in a variety of colors.  But I think those colors are going to be the highlight colors we're seeing in iOS 7. 


     


    I bet that White or Black (or both) will be reserved for the high end phone.


     


    Apple has done this before, differentiating by color.  People who see the colored iPhone will know it's the cheap model, which will signal different status for the owner. 


     


    EG: You could afford an iPhone so you're above the status of people sporting androids, but you don't have the elite black or white iPhone so you're not rich. 



    yes, thats the way brands work even if the cheap phone is not that much worse, in terms of functionality.

  • Reply 14 of 73
    stelligentstelligent Posts: 2,680member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zippy2shoes View Post


    Methinks there shall be a lot of crow eating on this site for all the people who said that there is no way that Apple would ever do this.



    You underestimate people here. You underestimate their ability to deny being wrong, to shape-shift their original position into new reality. Crow is simply not on the menu in this venue. Everything tastes like chicken, make that quail, to them.

  • Reply 15 of 73
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member


    And of course the iPhone 4 is going away, and the iPhone 4S. Its all about the connector. 


     


    I think the cheap iPhones may ship with games controllers. The WWDC is giving games  a lot of loving, and I reckon the new connector is needed for all this

  • Reply 16 of 73
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Where's all the logos and text beneath "iPhone"?
  • Reply 17 of 73
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member


    The iPad mini is a crap idea, it will never happen....


     


    oh


     


    Long Live The iPad mini! 

  • Reply 18 of 73
    It's good news.

    Apple are due a lower cost iPhone. It's a little over due.

    They've creamed off the premium phone profits. They can cream off the profits from the 'lower to mid' end with a plastic phone.

    It's a contracted version of their iPod strategy.

    I wish them well.

    Lemon Bon Bon.
  • Reply 19 of 73
    jman225jman225 Posts: 18member
    jessi wrote: »
    I think the lower end phones will be plastic, and will come in a variety of colors.  But I think those colors are going to be the highlight colors we're seeing in iOS 7. 

    I bet that White or Black (or both) will be reserved for the high end phone.

    Apple has done this before, differentiating by color.  People who see the colored iPhone will know it's the cheap model, which will signal different status for the owner. 

    EG: You could afford an iPhone so you're above the status of people sporting androids, but you don't have the elite black or white iPhone so you're not rich. 

    Ever hear of a case?
  • Reply 20 of 73
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jman225 View Post





    Ever hear of a case?


    I see. You think people will buy the cheap phone and buy an expensive case. Thats foiled Apple's cunning plan.


     


    Unless there are differences in size or button position in the cheap ones. Unless....

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