Apple is said to be developing a 4.7-inch iPhone, which would pit it against high-end Android handsets which usually feature 4.7- to 4.9-inch screens. In addition, a second oversized design is reportedly in the works. It packs a 5.6-inch screen, which makes it a phablet in our book, and a pretty big one.
Reuters also backed up earlier reports of a cheaper iPhone version, which should feature a plastic case and ship in five or six different colours. It should cost $99, although the unsubsidized price has been reported as $349 to $399 in earlier leaks, or rumours.
Although the report comes from a very reliable source, a bit of caution is advised. Apple is notorious for developing tons of prototypes that don’t end up in production. The decision to launch a cheaper iPhone isn’t surprising, and it’s easy to see how Apple could be tempted to launch a bigger iPhone as well.
However, launching a bigger iPhone, a phablet and a low-end iPhone in the same cycle sounds a bit farfetched.
