iPhone 5 and Budget iPhone 4 to Launch in China in October?

[MacRumors]

AllThingsD summarizes a Chinese language report that originally appeared at Sohu.com.

The original report claimed that China Telecom had reached a preliminary agreement with Apple to begin selling two new versions of the iPhone before the end of October.

"According to Sohu.com, China Telecom will offer two types of iPhone that include the iPhone 5 and a 'simplified iPhone 4,'" says White. "Essentially, this potential 'simplified iPhone 4´ would be a more economical version of iPhone to target a broader customer base in developing countries such as China, allowing for an expanded market opportunity."

The report claims there will be two new iPhones: the iPhone 5 and a "simplified" iPhone 4. The simplified iPhone 4 is expected to be a cheaper version of the current iPhone to target the low-end market. While there have been multiple reports that China Telecom will be selling the iPhone later this year, this is the first that specifies the types of models that the carrier will be selling.

This isn't the first time we've heard suggestion that Apple will be launching a lower cost iPhone 4. Previous claims have included a move to cheaper components to reduce the cost of the device. Meanwhile, other claims have suggested that Apple might keep the iPhone 3GS around as a free with contract option. It's important to note that the Chinese market is quite unique from the rest of the iPhone market, and it may get its own distinct models. Apple originally sold Wi-Fi disabled iPhones in China.

Article Link: iPhone 5 and Budget iPhone 4 to Launch in China in October?

 

[Ulf1103]

We'll see about that...

 

[troop231]

Was wondering when the next iPhone 5 rumor was coming.

 

[kyjaotkb]

Available at your local Apple Stoer ?

IFone 4 Lite for everyone !

 

[color guy]

" we'll see about that..."

yes we will

 

[BBCWatcher]

Budget iPhone 4

The "budget" iPhone 4 could simply be an iPhone 4 with 8GB of flash, which is what Apple has done with the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G before. Maybe (maybe) Apple would also put the iPod touch non-IPS screen into the 8GB iPhone 4. But I wouldn't expect any more redesign than those two changes.

And you know what? An 8GB IPS-less iPhone 4 would be a damn fine smartphone.

 

[xFenixKnightx]

Was wondering when the next iPhone 5 rumor was coming.

This one is old though. We really need a drunk Apple employee at a bar right about now because I just wanna see the damn thing already. Will it really be larger in size like rumored? Will it have a larger screen? Will it have a glass back? Will it have LTE 4G since it is larger? Most importantly, will it blend? I want answers!!!

 

[troop231]

This one is old though. We really need a drunk Apple employee at a bar right about now because I just wanna see the damn thing already. Will it really be larger in size like rumored? Will it have a larger screen? Will it have a glass back? Will it have LTE 4G since it is larger? Most importantly, will it blend? I want answers!!!

Yeah I want to see it too, but it could mean we go all of August without seeing/knowing anything about the iPhone 5 so I'm not getting my hopes up. September should have plenty of info though. 27 more days of August to get through.

 

[rloechner]

You can pick up these new phones at their branch location in Kunming, today!

 

[BlindMellon]

I'd put a plastic back on that cheap iPhone 4 too.

 

[MikeELL]

"Simplified" and "cheaper" does not necessarily mean "budget". I don't think Apple has it in their blood to make a "budget" anything. Any iPhone nano will have a smaller screen - which would mean developer apps of a completely new class. My hope is that this will mean we finally get an iPod nano with phone functionality and Nuance text-voice interface. "Simplified" could refer to a new UI.

 

[toddybody]

So...China is getting the iPhone 4 econ, and iPhone 5 before Europe and North America? Yeah, sure

 

[KnightWRX]

The iPhone is already available in China, what's so surprising about this news ?

 

[benjs]

So...China is getting the iPhone 4 econ, and iPhone 5 before Europe and North America? Yeah, sure

I don't think this suggested these products would have their global launch in China, rather that the launch date within China will be in October.

 

[KamuiVII]

what i don't get is why is china going to debut the iPhone 5 before the US?? Normally the US gets first rights, then a month or to later the rest of the world.

simultaneous launch??

 

[baryon]

The 3GS is already a budget iPhone 4, isn't it? I mean, it's slower, has less RAM, less sensors and less cameras and no flash. How much more budget should it be?

 

[HeedJSU]

and it may its own distinct models. Apple originally sold Wi-Fi disabled iPhones China.

Not to be picky (ok, maybe I am) but this kinda stuff drives me crazy. C'mon guys, is someone asleep at the proofreading wheel?

 

[reverie]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; de-de) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'm not sure why the Chinese market is so unique? In all of the emerging countries an iPhone would be very welcome that is cheaper than the 3GS today, ie goes for $400 without contract. Even in Europe it would make a big difference because subsidies are not as high as in the US there and prepaid is more common. In fact the US is the unique market.

 

[nebo1ss]

Keeping the 3GS around as a free with contract phone is a joke. The iphone 4 is already free with contract in many parts of Europe.

 

[centauratlas]

The article did not say China is getting it first. Just that they were getting it in October. Which leads credence to the September launch in the US, followed elsewhere over the next month or two.

what i don't get is why is china going to debut the iPhone 5 before the US?? Normally the US gets first rights, then a month or to later the rest of the world.

simultaneous launch??

 

[newdeal]

...

there are a bunch of ways they could drop the price on the iPhone 4 and keep the experience the same. plastic back, non ips display at non retina resolution, 8gnarled storage instead of 16, cheaper taiwanese parts, the fact that the phone is a year old so economies of scale will help and year old tech is just cheaper now anyway. they could probably ditch the 3gs and make the iPhone 4 form factor free on contract which seems more likely that keeping such an old form factor around.

 

[KnightWRX]

The 3GS is already a budget iPhone 4, isn't it? I mean, it's slower, has less RAM, less sensors and less cameras and no flash. How much more budget should it be?

Everyyear, the "budget" model gets an upgrade. This year should be no different. If anything, this is what we'll see going on the last 2 iPhone refreshes :

iPhone 4 8 GB
iPhone 5 16 GB
iPhone 5 32 GB

If we're lucky, we'll get a storage upgrade to 16, 32 and 64 for the models respectively. In all likely hood, the 3GS is going away this year, just like the 3G went away last year in June.

 

[daveathall]

what i don't get is why is china going to debut the iPhone 5 before the US?? Normally the US gets first rights, then a month or to later the rest of the world.

simultaneous launch??

I missed the bit about China launching the iPhone 5 before the US? Simultaneous launch,? That happened with the iPhone 4 in the UK so should come as no surprise if China and the rest of the big buying countries are lumped in.

 

[reverie]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; de-de) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

"Simplified" and "cheaper" does not necessarily mean "budget". I don't think Apple has it in their blood to make a "budget" anything. Any iPhone nano will have a smaller screen - which would mean developer apps of a completely new class. My hope is that this will mean we finally get an iPod nano with phone functionality and Nuance text-voice interface. "Simplified" could refer to a new UI.

Yeah, but the iPhone is Apple's highest margin product in 20 years, and that's not because they think they need the money but because they couldn't keep up with demand otherwise. Even just bringing an iPhone down to Apple's usual margin could lop $150 off the retail price. That would require Apple to prepare for demand multiplying, though. They need to be ready to grow manufacturing, distribution and service by 2.5x for another year. No easy task.

 

[HeedJSU]

It's important to note that the Chinese market is quite unique from the rest of the iPhone market, and it may its own distinct models.

Alright. Got the first one fixed, but this sentence still doesn't make sense?