Analysts say that Apple will begin production of its cheap iPhone in February.
It is part of a wider plan for Apple to gain more of the global smartphone market before the launch of its next-generation of 5G smartphones later this year.
The Cupertino, California-based firm is expected to unveil the brand new cheaper iPhone as soon as March 1st, an analyst familiar with the matter has said.
This is going to be the first of Apple’s new breed of lower-cost iPhone models, previously dubbed the iPhone SE range.
Rumours say it will look the iPhone 8 (released back in 2017) and include a 4.7-inch display. At present, the iPhone 8 remains available on the Apple Store, now selling for US$449 (whereas Apple was selling the iPhone SE for $399 when that handset started in 2016).
The new phone is anticipated to boast Touch ID built into a physical button at the bottom, effectively reusing already established Apple technologies rather than choosing an in-display fingerprint detector like most of Apple’s Android competitions.
It won’t have Apple’s Face ID biometric authentication either but will feature the exact same chip as Apple’s latest flagship device, the iPhone 11.
Apple’s cheaper iPhones have proven popular with customers. The iPhone 11 – which starts selling at US$50 than Apple’s standard iPhone last year – has been a huge success.
Apple is arranging a slew of fresh high-end iPhones for launch later in 2020, offering 5G connectivity, faster chips, and fresh cameras around the back. A cheaper iPhone released early in the year would certainly help Apple’s phone sales until then.
But Apple is not without challenges – the lower-end market is now dominated by Android phones, some of which offer similar specifications at under US$200.
We’ll know more in March.
