Despite the fact that Apple just launched the iPhone 5 in September of last year, talk of the next iteration of the handset has already started to accumulate. It seems like we hear rumors regarding the next-gen iPhone on a weekly basis.
The latest report claims that Apple is actually planning on unveiling three new handsets this year. It says that the first two, the iPhone 5S and the ‘iPhone Math,’ will launch in June, and a third, unknown model, just before Christmas…
China Times, which has been translated by BrightWire, reports:
“Apple will announce three new iPhone models in 2013, and two of them, the 4-inch iPhone 5S and 4.8-inch iPhone Math (both featuring 8-mega-pixel cameras), will hit markets before the end of June, China Times reported citing Taiwan-based Commercial Times.
Citing Apple’s suppliers, the report added that the third model, which has not been exposed, will be launched before Christmas. The model will feature a 12-mega-pixel camera.”
We’ve heard several reports in the past few months alleging that Apple has two separate iPhones in the works — a successor for the iPhone 5 and a so-called ‘budget’ model — but this is the first time we’ve heard anything about a third one.
This is also the first time we’ve heard anything about an ‘iPhone Math.’ But it’s worth noting that the 4.8-inch display part does mesh with a report we saw last December that was based on an investor note by Jefferies analyst Peter Misek:
“Several iPhone 6 prototypes appear to be floating around. The model with a 4.8″ screen is the most interesting. It has a Retina+ IGZO screen, a new A7 quad-core processor variant, and a new form factor with no home button. Full gesture control is also possibly included.“
It wouldn’t surprise me if Apple had several iPhone prototypes floating around. For one, to evaluate them and see which models are more efficient to manufacture. And two, to keep analysts and such guessing—which seems to be working.
But if I were a betting man, I’d put my money on the iPhone 5S, and possibly a budget handset. There’s nothing in Apple’s history that suggests it would name a product ‘the iPhone Math,’ and a 4.8-inch display seems almost just as unlikely.
As far as the launch though, I’m starting to think there might actually be something to this June timeframe. Going back through all of the previous next-gen iPhone reports, I noticed that roughly 90% of them all called for a June/July release.
What do you make of all of this?