Apple will launch a low-cost iPhone next spring to retake ground in emerging markets, reports Nikkei Asian Review. The new smartphone will be the first low-cost model released by Apple since the iPhone SE.
The name and price have yet to be decided yet, but the size will be comparable to the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 from 2017. The phone will share most components with this year’s iPhones and use a cheaper LCD display to keep the cost low, according to the report.
The report doesn’t include a lot of the technical details about the device, but it does claim that the new iPhone will feature an LCD display to save costs. The report also stated that it will feature Apple’s A13 processor and a single-lens camera on the back.
Since the report doesn’t say whether the new model would have a home button or Face ID, it’s tough to predict what the phone’s design will be. It’s also been rumored that Apple is working on an in-display fingerprint sensor like Samsung’s phones as an alternative to facial recognition.
Ultimately, Apple found that the iPhone SE wasn’t nearly as popular as it might have hoped. And although it was priced at a more affordable $399 when it launched, it failed to capture the kind of international appeal the company wanted. According to the Nikkei’s own estimates, Apple sold about 40 million iPhone SE units over the more than two years it was on store shelves.
Apple’s low-cost model will not only challenge Huawei and other Chinese brands, but also target rival Samsung Electronics’ mid-to-high range models and Google’s $399 Pixel 3a model, which is rapidly gaining momentum in its home market.
