Thailand government official claims Apple has received approval to sell 'iPhone 6'

Posted:
in iPhone edited August 2014
Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has approved two new Apple handsets -- said to be variants of the so-called "iPhone 6" -- for sale in the country, the regulator's secretary general revealed on Wendesday, suggesting that Thailand could join the list of launch countries for the next-generation devices.



The new phones sport model identifiers A1586 and A1524, according to Thai broadsheet Manager Daily. Apple is said to have submitted the applications on Aug. 5 and received approval on Aug. 8.

Such an early filing date could indicate that Apple plans to expand the scope of the initial launch of an "iPhone 6." The company did not seek approval for the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s in Thailand until Sept. 25 of last year, and the handsets eventually began shipping in the Southeast Asian nation on Oct. 25.

While Apple is widely rumored to be planning the release of two all-new iPhones next month --?one 4.7-inch model and a larger, 5.5-inch "phablet" variant -- the existence of the two disparate identifiers does not necessarily support that case. Apple ships six distinct models of the iPhone 5s, for instance, depending upon the region and network technology in use.

Apple is reportedly planning to introduce the "iPhone 6" at a media event on Sept. 9, though no formal announcement has been made. If the company follows its traditional release schedule, the handsets would then become available on Sept. 19.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 36

    Note “two identifiers” can easily mean two models of the same thing. The CDMA/GSM iPhone 4, for example.

  • Reply 2 of 36
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    -  the existence of the two disparate identifiers does not necessarily support that case. Apple ships six distinct models of the iPhone 5s, for instance, depending upon the region and network technology in use.

    Do they ship two distinct models of 5S to Thailand? 

  • Reply 3 of 36
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,258member

    Jesus El Christo... everytime somebody on the Asian continent says the word "iPhone 6", AI has to run a story about it. 

  • Reply 4 of 36
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    Do they ship two distinct models of 5S to Thailand? 


    more like 5s and 5c.  both released on the same date last year... just a month late.

     

    Or like Tallest Skil pointed out  CDMA/GSM would require different sku's.

     

    the TL;DR of this is:   Thailand is slated for early release of next version(s) of iPhone.

  • Reply 5 of 36
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member

    could be good news for the rumored 5.5" screen size.  But i would like to see more leaks about it to confirm its existance.

  • Reply 6 of 36
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member

    Another explanation for the two model numbers would be if Apple decided to stick the guts of the iPhone 5s into a plastic body; that would require a new model number (just like the iPhone 5c phones).

  • Reply 7 of 36

    "Wendesday", really? Come on guys. Spell check!

  • Reply 8 of 36
    rolyroly Posts: 74member
    mstone wrote: »
    Do they ship two distinct models of 5S to Thailand? 

    I live in a Thailand and there's just one model of 5s. Last year they were pretty hard to get hold of for weeks after the launch.
  • Reply 9 of 36
    Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff View Post

    the TL;DR of this is:   Thailand is slated for early release of next version(s) of iPhone.


     

    Well, no, they got permission to sell. That has nothing to do with selling early.

  • Reply 10 of 36
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff View Post

     

    the TL;DR of this is:   Thailand is slated for early release of next version(s) of iPhone.


     

    Thailand may be slated for first day release of the iPhone 6, but I'm betting not for the version that comes after that.  <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" /> 

  • Reply 11 of 36
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mpantone View Post

     

    Another explanation for the two model numbers would be if Apple decided to stick the guts of the iPhone 5s into a plastic body; that would require a new model number (just like the iPhone 5c phones).


    We haven't heard any leaks like that yet have we? I still haven't seen too many 5c in the wild, but it makes sense to reduce the cost if you are going to continue to sell last year's technology. Of course, that would suggest that Thailand is not selling one of the models if indeed there is a third variant, since they only registered two model numbers.

  • Reply 12 of 36
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    If I could predict the future with such authority, I wouldn't be here. I'd be traveling state to state playing tomorrow's winning lottery numbers.

  • Reply 13 of 36
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    We haven't heard any leaks like that yet have we? I still haven't seen too many 5c in the wild, but it makes sense to reduce the cost if you are going to continue to sell last year's technology. Of course, that would suggest that Thailand is not selling one of the models if indeed there is a third variant, since they only registered two model numbers.


    No, we haven't heard any rumors like that, but it would be hard to track down, plus there's probably very little interest in this as a rumor item or getting access to the prototype parts.

     

    The iPhone 5s is very similar to the iPhone 5 in terms of industrial design, so modifying the existing iPhone 5c chassis to accommodate the iPhone 5s guts would be a fairly trivial modification. Testing a prototype "plastic iPhone 5s" device in the wild would be a piece of cake since it would look almost identical to the iPhone 5c -- who would know?

     

    If there is a third handset (like a larger 5.5" model), it's possible that Apple has not yet submitted the device to the Thai government for regulatory approval. That would jibe with other rumors that the larger handset is slated for a later release.

     

    Of course, it could also indicate that there is no third 5.5" handset.

  • Reply 14 of 36
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member

    Personally, I think there is a good chance that there is no 5.5" handset waiting in the wings.

     

    Apple's natural inclination is not to proliferate many size variants. There are two screen sizes each for the iPad, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac.

     

    From a manufacturing perspective, this simplifies product design and supply chain management. It also likely improves gross margins.

     

    From the developers' perspective -- particularly on the iOS side -- limited variants makes app development more manageable, with fewer combinations of screen sizes, aspect ratios, and pixel resolution.

  • Reply 15 of 36
    mstone wrote: »
    If I could predict the future with such authority, I wouldn't be here. I'd be traveling state to state playing tomorrow's winning lottery numbers.

    Don't confuse confident with right.
  • Reply 16 of 36
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    iPhone is 50% of Apple's revenue/profit.

     

    I think they are willing to make an exception for their cash cow.

     

    3 sizes is no problem for them. 

    Hell even HTC makes 4 different sizes.


    Hell, HTC does not turn a profit.

  • Reply 17 of 36
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member

    Well, Apple has great margins (better than Samsung or anyone else in the handset industry by way), plus the limited number of screen sizes jibes with Apple's design philosophy, both from a product manufacturing perspective and how iOS developers have to program the various iOS devices.

     

    Occam's razor would suggest that there is no 5.5" iPhone.

  • Reply 18 of 36
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member

    The iPhone 5c wasn't really new. The guts were identical with the iPhone 5.

     

    It was Apple's way of differentiating value between the new handset and the previous model but there was zero change from the functionality of the iPhone 5.

  • Reply 19 of 36
    sog35 wrote: »
    More proof of the 5.5
    Its time for the deniers to capitulate
    I bet Kanye West (Sog35) becomes the very last holdout for a 5.5" iPhone.
  • Reply 20 of 36
    sog35 wrote: »
    oh boy.  Dahli Lama is back......
    btw, I'm not Black.  Don't even like hip hop music.

    So what phone are use using now?
    I hope its a $99 Android since buying luxury goods is irrational.
    Because you keep making the same association, I don't believe you understand that the Dalai Lama is one of the most respected spiritual men in the world. Sounds like "Kanye West is running away from Kanye West"... I am sure it's only temporary. I don't get involved in the smartphone wars.
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