Rumor: Apple to expand supply chain, add Wistron as manufacturer for new 4" iPhone
Both longtime Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn and newcomer Wistron are expected to handle assembly of the company's forthcoming 4-inch iPhone revamp, according to a new supply chain report.
The diversification will allow Apple to "avoid risks," according to DigiTimes. It was said that Wistron will receive just a "small portion" of the 4-inch iPhone orders, while the bulk will still be handled by Foxconn.
Supply chain sources reportedly indicated that Apple is "looking to nurture Wistron to become an iPhone assembly house."
The partnership could set the stage for Wistron to handle some assembly of Apple's anticipated 5.5-inch "iPhone 7 Plus," again splitting share with Foxconn. Both Foxconn and Pegatron are expected to handle duties for the 4.7-inch "iPhone 7."
DigiTimes has a mixed track record in predicting Apple's future product plans, but its supply chain sources have supplied advance information on key partnerships in the past.
Apple is expected to hold an event on March 15 to unveil its new 4-inch iPhone, rumored to be called either the "iPhone 5se" or "iPhone 6c." It's rumored to launch just three days later, going on sale to the public on March 18.
The device is said to boast a metal-backed, curved-edge design similar to the current iPhone 6s with refreshed internals like an A8 or A9 processor and NFC support for Apple Pay.
Apple is also rumored to launch a new "iPad Air 3" in March with many of the features found in the iPad Pro, including the Smart Connector magnetic port and a four-speaker array. Leaked schematics also suggest the rear camera will gain an LED flash.
The diversification will allow Apple to "avoid risks," according to DigiTimes. It was said that Wistron will receive just a "small portion" of the 4-inch iPhone orders, while the bulk will still be handled by Foxconn.
Supply chain sources reportedly indicated that Apple is "looking to nurture Wistron to become an iPhone assembly house."
The partnership could set the stage for Wistron to handle some assembly of Apple's anticipated 5.5-inch "iPhone 7 Plus," again splitting share with Foxconn. Both Foxconn and Pegatron are expected to handle duties for the 4.7-inch "iPhone 7."
DigiTimes has a mixed track record in predicting Apple's future product plans, but its supply chain sources have supplied advance information on key partnerships in the past.
Apple is expected to hold an event on March 15 to unveil its new 4-inch iPhone, rumored to be called either the "iPhone 5se" or "iPhone 6c." It's rumored to launch just three days later, going on sale to the public on March 18.
The device is said to boast a metal-backed, curved-edge design similar to the current iPhone 6s with refreshed internals like an A8 or A9 processor and NFC support for Apple Pay.
Apple is also rumored to launch a new "iPad Air 3" in March with many of the features found in the iPad Pro, including the Smart Connector magnetic port and a four-speaker array. Leaked schematics also suggest the rear camera will gain an LED flash.
Comments
Has anyone considered there may be two new 4" iPhones? We may be at a crossroads moment for iPhones. The bigger models have been popular but there are a great deal of us who are hanging on to smaller models because we just don't want bigger phones. If we look at the billion or so iPhones in circulation and then look at average annual sales of approximately 250 million, the average replacement cycle is 4 years. I am not sure how accurate this is so if anyone has more reliable figures please correct me.
Why two 4" phones? Some users love to replace every year or two, implying others keep thier iPhones more than 4 years. Some have been talking about the need for a cheaper iPhone for places like Indian and China. Other users like myself would love to upgrade but only if it is worthwhile e.g. A slight improvement of a 4" phone with specifications well below 6 models is not likely to get me to change. So if Apple want to cover both bases perhaps two new 4" phones. That might explain why there are two model numbers circulating.
Apple will have all the information. I think they have realised that to continue growth there are a lot of iPhone owners who are not upgrading that they need to reach out to and that there are markets that can't afford the premium models. March's announcements could be a very interesting pointer of how Cook & co are planning for the future.
The problem with that is, I can afford to pay more, and would willingly pay more for a better equipped phone. And that's likely the case for many who prefer a 4" phone. So the biggest reason for Apple to release two models is that they are otherwise potentially leaving lots of money on the table by offering a budget model only. There are plenty of reasons to offer a budget model, but only one reason to offer a premium model.
In fact I'd go so far as to say if the 4" sells well enough we'd see three models, with a new 4" 7S coming out next year, giving Apple 3 sizes at each price point. We'll have a better idea of that when the 7 comes out to see if the 6 Plus makes it all the way down to the entry level phone.
Then that leaves the 4inch minus free to be the smartphone for people who have multiple devices and want portablity more than screen size.