Apple’s iPhone 12 release plans were already complicated, with four new models arriving in two stages. But now the release of a compelling fifth iPhone 12 model has been revealed.
According to a new report seen by Business Insider, Apple plans to release a cheaper, 4G-only version of the iPhone 12 in addition to its 5G line-up. In addition, the report comes from Wedbush Securities, an analyst firm with a perfectly recent track record.
“Price points will be aggressive as Apple moves toward its broader customer base,” Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives told Business Insider. “Especially in a recession, in a COVID-19 background, they need to make sure they beat all price ranges.”
$ 800 is the price point that Ives says Apple is looking for with its 4G iPhone 12, probably a variant of the iPhone 12 Pro, given the iPhone 12 and (recently renamed) iPhone 12 Plus will already include retail at $ 699 and $ 799 respectively Although far from cheap, $ 800 would represent a $ 200 saving on the 5G edition of the iPhone 12 Pro, and, with 5G coverage still limited worldwide, it would certainly have many buyers if they pose as a Pro phone at a Plus price.
That said, Apple knows how not to cannibalize its own sales and Wedbush says that this 4G iPhone 12 will not go on sale until “early 2021”, a time frame by which the company could capitalize during the Christmas period. This is crucial, as not only is this Apple’s biggest sales period of the year, but it will also be slightly shorter than normal for the 5G iPhone 12 lineup, after Apple CFO Luca Maestri confirmed that its release will be delayed.
Customers opting for a 4G iPhone 12 will also test their resolution through the 5G models, which will first be debuted with new designs, radical camera tech and a multi-generational potential leap. That said, given concerns about its smaller battery capacity, waiting for its cheaper, long-lasting, 4G stable mate, it might just be the smart move.
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