Apple’s ‘tick-tock’ smartphone release cycle, which involves releasing all-new devices intermittently and dropping a refreshed, aesthetically identical model in-between, has worked wonders for the company hitherto. Following the successful release of the iPhone 5 last Fall, it’s largely expected Apple will follow it up with an iPhone 5S this summer, continuing the familiar pattern of the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S by offering a modest spec bump. According to the latest report, the new device could be coming a lot sooner than many may otherwise have anticipated, with the report touting a June 20th launch followed by shipments beginning in July.
Apparently, the next-gen iPhone be announced on Thursday, June 20th, and considering we’re still in March, that’s a pretty specific date. The report also sheds further light on the on-off talk of a supposed low-cost iPhone, which is said to be the Cupertino outfit’s not-so-secret weapon for an assault on developing markets in Asian nations like India and China. With over one third of the world’s population residing in those two countries alone, Apple has long since been aware of the potential growth it could enjoy by expanding its business in those parts. The premium price point has been a major stumbling block so far, but with the cheaper device said to, among other features, pack a Retina display, it would seem these markets will still be getting a decent handset.
Many have suggested Apple would break from recent tradition and release its next smartphone device in the middle of the year, around the time of WWDC. The fruit company has basked in the trappings of the holiday boom in recent years with the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, but with report after report pointing at an early Q3 release, it may well be that Apple has decided to revert to its old battle-plan.
With Apple having released two generations of iPad within seven months last year, tracking the movements of the company is becoming increasingly difficult, so we’ll have to wait and see whether these aspersions of a June / July release bracket bear any fruit.
Still, it’s plausible, and with the HTC One and Galaxy S4 hitting stores during the April / May changeover, a new iPhone would certainly be disruptive to the big Android flagships.
(via Macotakara)
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