Not i but ii: Apple to ship two new iPhones this year.The iPhones will be for the high and low end of the market, reports Wall Street Journal, citing sources in Hon Hai, or Foxconn – Apple’s contract manufacturer in Asia.
The high end iPhone ‘5S’ – will have a metal casing, apparently.
Yesterday, rumours were afloat that the new iPhone will have gold body (“think champagne, not ingot” say sources) , believed to appeal to India and Chinese markets.
Other tipped specs include: change to ‘Home’ button which may have fingerprint sensors (limiting usage by others) , and “a sweeping redesign of iOS,” report 9to5 Mac.
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Cupertino is said to be planning a phone launch in September 10.
Apple has lost marketshare to unstoppable rival Samsung, who releases an army of (mainly Android) phones for all ends of the market, which is key to its massive success, say analysts.
Recent IDC figures show Apple share of smartphone market stands at 13% compared to Samsung 30% the second quarter of 2013.
Androids now account for 80% of the market, with Chinese vendors including Huawei, Lenovo as well as LG coming up the left side.
Even though Apple claimed its last quarter was a ‘record’ for iPhone shipments – it wasn’t.
IDC analyst Ramon Llamas, blamed Apple’s losses on no “product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago.
“But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share.”
