It’s been a while since we’ve heard any talk regarding the rumored budget iPhone. Speculation involving Apple’s secret iWatch project, and next-gen iPad models have all but taken over the rumor mill in recent weeks.
But that changes today, with a new report from Japanese blog Macotakara. The site, which has proven to have accurate sources, says that the cheaper iPhone exists, has a polycarbonate body, and will arrive in 2014…
According to the blog (via AppleInsider), Apple’s plans for its budget handset have been pushed back a year, as it continues to iron out its design. But it still offers up a few interesting details about the device.
It appears that the iPhone is going to feature a polycarbonate body—similar to what it used on its discontinued white plastic MacBook models—and it’s going to have an unsubsidized price tag (or full retail) of just $330.
The lower-cost phone is also said to include a 4.5-inch display, which is significantly larger than the iPhone 5’s display, but still smaller than the rumored 4.8-inch display that was made popular by “iPhone Plus” reports.
And as for its design, Macotakara says that the budget iPhone will measure somewhat thicker than the current models, given the thicker material being used on its body. But it will otherwise look very similar to the iPhone 5.
Additionally, the site adds that the iPhone 5S, which is widely expected to drop in June of this year, will adapt a dual-flash camera system and an enhanced iSight sensor—something we’ve heard in previous reports.
It’ll be interesting to follow these rumors throughout the year, and see which ones materialize. There’s been a lot of talk about both cheaper and larger iPhone models, so it seems like there might be something to them.