08/14 Update below. This post was originally published on August 11th
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.
iPhone 12 concept for retail packaging render
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. Moreover, the report comes from Wedbush Securities, an analyst firm with a perfectly recent track record.
08/13 Update: Apple’s iPhone 12 release plans have taken another twist. iPhone camera lens maker has GSEO contradictory claims by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last week that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Plus models would be further delayed due to quality control issues with their lenses. Kuo claimed that the protective coatings used by GSEO were not humidity and temperature tests, but in a statement to Digitimes GSEO said “production is still running smoothly, and demand from its customer handset customers remains normal.” Apple has already confirmed the iPhone 12 range have a delayed release, but GSEO’s news suggests we should not expect any further hold-ups.
14/14 Update: Bloomberg has revealed that the launch of the iPhone 12 is set to bring a surprise with it in the name of ‘Apple One’. Bloomberg’s Apple sleuth Mark Gurman reveals that Apple is envious of competing more aggressively with Amazon’s Prime service and will offer a range of bundled services at discounted prices. These include a basic tier (Apple Music + Apple TV +), midrange packages (Music, TV + and Apple Arcade gaming), as well as expensive options that add Apple News + and / or additional iCloud storage. A variant central to fitness is also planned. While Apple is expected to make the announcement with the launch of the iPhone 12, Gurman says that Apple One will roll out as part of iOS 14, which means that devices as old as the iPhone 6S (2015) will have access. With services increasingly boosting Apple’s growth, the launch of Apple One is a no brainer.
“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 have 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.
iPhone 12 line-up with proportional size
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 possible multi-generational leap. That said, given concerns about its smaller battery capacity, waiting for its cheaper, long-lasting, 4G stable mate, maybe just the smart move.
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