Kevin Bostic
In what would be a marked departure from its usual iPhone introduction protocol, Apple is said to be preparing to discontinue production of the iPhone 5 when it debuts the handset's successor later this year, opting instead to produce only the "iPhone 5S" and an unannounced lower-priced counterpart.
The latest rumor forecasting the demise of the iPhone 5 came on Wednesday, courtesy of ETNews. The rumor would mark a significant departure from Apple's routine, as the Cupertino company typically keeps the last two generations of its bestselling smartphone in production in order to market them to lower-income earners and markets.
That system has led to Apple's current situation, which sees the iPhone 5 at the high-end, followed by the iPhone 4S at a medium price range, and the iPhone 4 often given away alongside a contract in the United States and some other territories. Apple CEO Tim Cook said this week that the iPhone 5 is the company's most popular iPhone "by far," with recent data suggesting that the device makes up half of Apple's iPhone sales.
ETNews' report focuses on the in-cell technology at work in the iPhone 5's touchscreen, claiming that that technology is "not suitable for low-volume production." Apple, according to the report, will abandon production of the iPhone 5, focusing on the high-end successor — generally assumed to be named "iPhone 5S" — and a rumored less-expensive, plastic-backed model dubbed the "iPhone lite."
Observers note, though, that leaks believed to show the iPhone 5S have all so far portrayed the device as having a display and touch array very similar to that of the iPhone 5. Production is believed to have already started on the current iPhone's successor, and some believe it will see release in September of this year.
Stephen Silver
Christine McKee
Charles Martin
Amber Neely
117 Comments
This is such a load of nonsnense becauase Apple would put itself in the situation of having millions of unsold iPhone5's in the pipeline and on shelves which they would not be able to sell! Again the moron that thought this one up is a total dochebag and cannot see past his 80 IQ
Sounds believable. Crap, but believable.
After almost three years (a bit less), 20% of sold iphones are iphone 4! Why on earth would apple want to stop production of 5?!
[quote name="Paul94544" url="/t/158682/rumor-apple-to-drop-iphone-5-in-favor-of-iphone-5s-and-iphone-lite#post_2367211"]This is such a load of nonsnense becauase Apple would put itself in the situation of having millions of unsold iPhone5's in the pipeline and on shelves which they would not be able to sell! Again the moron that thought this one up is a total dochebag and cannot see past his 80 IQ[/quote] Perhaps he has a single-digit IQ¿
I don't know...Apple prides itself in being a billion dollar company with basically ~9 products. They seem to want to keep this simple.
I think Apple is always looking to move fwd, unlike any other company I can think of. Never to rest on it's laurels because complacency is not in their DNA.
I know everyone cites competition is good (Google, MS, etc.). But Apple, for many years had no iPod competition and yet re-designed/improved the best selling iPods almost yearly.
Same with the iPhone, iPad and Macs. And it's iOS and OSX.
P.S. I must admit I was a little surprised to see just how much the iPhone contributes to Apple's business and also, how little the iPod is now contributing.