Analysts Predicting Two New iPhones This Year

[Phillip Swanson]

The iPhone 4, despite the love and admiration I have for the powerful little phone, is in need of an update. But, two updates? That's what Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore is suggesting Apple has in store for customers by years end.

I'm not one to take investment bankers' predictions seriously when it comes to technology, and a culture they have no clue about, but they do know the business side of things (sometimes). Whitmore is predicting Apple will indeed release an honest-to-goodness next-generation device, but that would be accompanied by a cheaper iPhone 4 S model that would retail for around $349. The phone would also be available to customers who use prepaid cell phone plans, a market Apple has yet to tap.

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. - Whitemore

If Apple does in fact release a cheaper version of the iPhone alongside a new next-generation device, what then becomes of the iPhone 4? Will it be replaced by the new lower priced model or live on like the 3GS? The bigger question though, is how other smartphone manufacturers will react to a lower priced, fully featured touch-based phone?

Source: Could we have two new iPhones this year? | Apple Talk - CNET News

[Peligro0]

Yeah that's not happening by the end of the year.

[feidhlim1986]

Every year analysts predict a lower priced "budget" iPhone. Every year they have been wrong.

[Wolftamer]

OK, the fake phone in the picture is bloody freaking awesome though.....

[smuggler]

we still have people saying first in our forums? wow, sadly immature. but i think this makes a lot of sense. they should have like a iphone 4s lite or something. just something with a little less performance just so they can tackle that mid-range market. you know, the people who aren't crazy enough to spend $700 on a simple little cell phone. something that used to cost $50 to $100. the 3gs is old.

then again there is a part of me that says they'll just do with the 4 what they did with the 3gs and turn it into a $50 phone with contract.

[Doran]

Didn't a prediction of two different iPhones come out last year too? "The iPhone NANO along side the iPhone 4G" that got a lot of attention. I will believe it when I see or hear it from Apple.

[TheGrandFinale2001]

The only problem I have with the iPhone is the screen size. I would like a bigger screen. iOS always gets better and the jailbreak community always fills in the blanks that Apple refuses to. And the hardware seems to improve each year, the only thing that hasn't changed is the screen size. So let's hope this year is the year.

[dlcdcb]

The only problem I have with the iPhone is the screen size. I would like a bigger screen. iOS always gets better and the jailbreak community always fills in the blanks that Apple refuses to. And the hardware seems to improve each year, the only thing that hasn't changed is the screen size. So let's hope this year is the year.

The Hardware is not improving. My friends and I all are dropping our iPhones (about 15 iPhone 4's) and moving to the HTC Evo 3D due to much better hardware. Android OS is improving faster every day...

[TheGrandFinale2001]

The Hardware is not improving. My friends and I all are dropping our iPhones (about 15 iPhone 4's) and moving to the HTC Evo 3D due to much better hardware. Android OS is improving faster every day...

Um, it is improving. Maybe not to your, I'm guessing, high standards but it is improving. Have fun with your 3D.

[g12007]

BS on this one

[TheDirtyDiddler]

Ugh. The last gen models always become the cheaper option when new models are released. They're not going to put time and resources into producing an incredibly similar iPhone 4 when they can't meet demand as it is. Do any of these morons making predictions actually pay attention?

Right now, the 3GS (their last gen model) is 49 freaking dollars. That's not cheap enough? There is no need to produce another phone.

[ventodivino]

The Hardware is not improving. My friends and I all are dropping our iPhones (about 15 iPhone 4's) and moving to the HTC Evo 3D due to much better hardware. Android OS is improving faster every day...

can i buy one off one of you (or one of them)?

[PatrickGSR94]

Ugh. The last gen models always become the cheaper option when new models are released. They're not going to put time and resources into producing an incredibly similar iPhone 4 when they can't meet demand as it is. Do any of these morons making predictions actually pay attention?

Right now, the 3GS (their last gen model) is 49 freaking dollars. That's not cheap enough? There is no need to produce another phone.

Yeah and they'll likely phase out the 3GS completely when iP5 comes out, and do some sort of lower-priced iPhone 4.

I can see the marketing commercial now... "Now, you can own the phone that changed everything again, with retina graphics, Facetime, and groundbreaking design qualities, for just $99/$79/$49/whatever". Mark my words, we'll be seeing commercials just like that by the end of the year.

[CZroe]

Ugh. The last gen models always become the cheaper option when new models are released. They're not going to put time and resources into producing an incredibly similar iPhone 4 when they can't meet demand as it is. Do any of these morons making predictions actually pay attention?

Right now, the 3GS (their last gen model) is 49 freaking dollars. That's not cheap enough? There is no need to produce another phone.

Yeah, you totally missed the point. The $49 3GS is for new 2-year contracts and doesn't help at all if someone under contract needs to replace a lost or destroyed phone. They want it to be a premium price heat affordable, like an iPod touch and unlike an unsubsidized unlocked iPhone 4 ($$$).

[TheDirtyDiddler]

They don't need to manufacture a new phone to make that deal happen. That's the point.

[Darksecrets]

OK, the fake phone in the picture is bloody freaking awesome though.....

I've seen a phone like this in Korea. But, it was just a phone. It cost PrettyPenny too. So the technology is there.

[mmaboi21]

highly doubtful, still sticking to my guns... release is in september.
BTW that pic is horrid.

[Mes]

""" I'm not one to take investment bankers' predictions seriously when it comes to technology,"""" Be careful about taking any investment bankers advice

[trentmorris]

Nope. Will not happen. This has no grounding whatsoever, and we need to stop fueling these absurd overly-optimistic rumors.

[domenicp]

""" i'm not one to take investment bankers' predictions seriously when it comes to technology,"""" be careful about taking any investment bankers advice

lol