The iPhone 4 was released in June 2010. Rumors peg Apple's next iPhone to launch in September this year. (Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com)
Should we expect to see two new iPhones in September? Although it’s an interesting possibility, it doesn’t seem very likely.
Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore claims that Apple will be releasing two iPhone models in September: a completely new model — referred to as the iPhone 5 — and an essentially souped-up iPhone 4 called the iPhone 4S.
“With Nokia and RIMM struggling, the time is right for Apple to aggressively penetrate the midrange smartphone market (i.e. $300-500 category) to dramatically expand its [total addressable market] and market share,” Whitmore says.
Whitmore believes that an unlocked iPhone 4S with a $350 price tag and a prepaid voice plan would be able to penetrate markets that previous iPhone models have been unable to. Such markets include Africa, Asia and Latin America, where prepaid voice plans far outnumber post-paid plans, which dominate here in the United States.
Image: Deutsche Bank
The rumor of an affordable, prepaid iPhone has been floating around for several months now, particularly from financial analysts — and often with little to no actual proof. The most evidence for such a phone stems from statements by Apple COO Tim Cook that Apple understands “price is a big factor in the prepaid market,” especially in China, and that it is “not ceding any market.”
Other rumors about the upcoming iPhone that carry a bit more clout include the September launch date, improved A5 chip and 8-megapixel camera sensor and stylistic changes such as curved glass and a flat metal back.
A dual iPhone-model release seems pretty unlikely for several reasons. Firstly, financial analysts typically have a pretty poor track record at predicting anything Apple-related — although they did get a few things right about the iPad before it launched. Whitmore has no proof to substantiate his claim.
And as for affordability, Apple substantially reduces the price of previous iPhone models whenever a new one becomes available. The iPhone 3GS is currently sold for $50, for example. Apple and its carriers, AT&T and Verizon, would only need to introduce a new prepaid pricing option for older iPhone models; there’s no need to create an entirely different phone model for markets that favor prepaid voice plans.
Apple also recently made its GSM model available unlocked for $650. Not cheap, but an option for those who don’t want to stick with AT&T or Verizon’s standard data plans here in the United States, or for those who want to use it internationally.
Apple just has no need to release two new iPhone models in September, or whenever the company decides to lift the curtain on its latest smartphone.
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