The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is currently working on iPhones which have displays ranging from 4.8-inches to 6-inches. This, according to an anonymous source, suggests that Apple’s interested in working on a new mobile strategy as competition has become increasingly tougher this year.
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The source suggests that the same way Apple changed the iPod’s line over the years, it’s likely to alter its iPhone lineup as well. Starting in 2001 when Apple unveiled the first iPod and then the iPod Nano, it later released the iPod Mini which was followed by the Shuffle and then the Touch. All of these underwent dramatic size and price changes to target different markets. Similarly, Apple’s iPad range has also been modified. The 7.9-inch iPad Mini was (supposedly) released in order to compete with popular high-end 7-inch Nexus 7 Android tablet last year.
Samsung’s wide offering of smartphones, phablets and tablets ranges from high-end to lower-end and tries to cover every inch of the market. Samsung is currently the largest producer of devices running Android — the operating system that has overtaken iOS in total market share. Another indicator that doesn’t seem to bode well for Apple’s share is the fact that Android’s smartphone app revenues have started to gain on iOS.
It’s all but confirmed now that Apple’s planning on launching a lower-end iPhone ‘C’. WSJ’s inside sources also notes that the budget iPhone will be available in a variety of different, flashy colours and will be shipped with a new high-end iPhone 5S that may include a fingerprint sensor. These new iPhones are expected to make their ways to the stage by 10 September.
These should be seen as mere rumours. As we’ve pointed out before, Apple and many other tech companies tend to experiment with a range of prototypes of all shapes and sizes. Mass-production could be extremely far off. The Wall Street Journal reported a few months ago that iPhones are reportedly being tested with displays of 4.7-inches and 5.7-inches. It also reported that there’s a 12.9-inch iPad in the mix.
