Kevin Bostic
A new image has emerged claiming to show Apple's low-cost plastic iPhone in the wild, bearing the required legal notices from the FCC and other agencies.
The new image appeared on Chinese site Weibo (via iPhone5skopen) on Friday, and it shows a back view of the supposed "iPhone Lite" in the hand of the photographer. The object seen in the image bears what look like notices and markings from the FCC and assorted other certifications.
Previous views of the supposed Apple device have shown the casing only with the word iPhone, but not with any certification markings.
Given Apple's notorious secrecy and the infrequency of its products appearing in the wild ahead of release, it is impossible to tell whether the object shown in the image is indeed an Apple product. The object does appear to conform to previous views of what is widely expected to be Apple's low-cost iPhone. It could, however, be a 3D-printed mockup or simply an empty rear casing.
Notably, the font in which "iPhone" is rendered on the back appears thicker than it has in previous appearances of the supposed low-cost case. Otherwise, the case appears to be identical to the previous "leaks."
The "iPhone Lite" is expected to feature a polycarbonate casing instead of the premium-build metal casings which have come to typify Apple's bestselling device. It would be the first polycarbonate model Apple has produced since the iPhone 3GS, and its cheaper construction could enable Apple to better market its wares to consumers in developing markets, where most smartphone market growth is occurring now.
The plastic casing may open a range of possibilities for coloration with the iPhone lite. The premium-built model may also have color options, but the "iPhone 5S" could be limited to just three colors, while the iPhone lite case has been shown in at least five.
Should the low-cost iPhone actually debut alongside the iPhone 5's successor this fall, the latest rumor has Apple abandoning the iPhone 5 in order to offer simply the "5S" and "lite." This would mark a departure from standard procedure for the Cupertino company, which typically keeps the last two models of iPhone in circulation in order to offer low-cost alternatives.
Last week, leaked documents emerged that claimed that the iPhone lite was already in the engineering verification testing stages prior to release. The documents also contained some specifications on the device, claiming that it would have 1 gigabyte of DDR RAM.
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98 Comments
Look at those connector ends. And decide for yourself if you think they are legit.
Seems a plastic iPhone will be coming. Sigh. I hope Apple shocks everyone and prices it cheaper than expected. If Cook has decided they need to go down market, then go all the way.
No way they've let this many cases go missing.
I DONT WANT ALL THESE APPLE PRODUCT LEAKS
I kind of like the white. I have an orig. intel 20" iMac. I think its close to 7 years old now. I updated it with the BT newest Apple keyboard and BT Magic Pad (no mouse) and it is working great! And still has a certain amount of charm sitting on my desk in my den with no wires except the power cord. I love the elegance and simplicity of it.
However, I do feel a little left behind because I can only run SL on it. And I haven't figured out how to best sync the iMac with my iPhone 4s with iCloud. Email, Notes work, but the new Podcast app, Safari links, Contacts are confusing.
I also used to have the white MB, again the orig. intel and loved it. But once I got the original iPhone, I stopped carrying it around. Sold and got an iPad.
I would consider the new less expensive white iPhone and a white iPad Mini, ATV and I'm good to go.
Sell my iP4s for $200 and basically be $150 out of pocket for my Mini in Oct. Good deal!
Thanks Apple.