Bigger iPhone still coming -- just not this year, report says
If you're holding out for a 5-inch iPhone, you might have to wait until 2014, a new report claims.
In an about-face, Digitimes -- the purveyor of numerous Apple rumors, some of which have been true -- says not to get your hopes up for an even larger version of the iPhone. At least not this year.
The tech news site says Apple's still working on one but that it won't come in the second half of this year, as Digitimes excitedly reported earlier this month. That report made waves with the claim that Apple was working on a low-cost model with an even larger screen than the 4-inch display found on the iPhone 5.
"Previously it was said that Apple would release a lower-cost version of its iPhone with a bigger screen in 2013," Digitimes said this morning. "But the sources claimed that Apple is indeed developing an iPhone with a bigger screen, but that will not be among the models to be lancuhed [sic] this year."
The reasoning behind the time frame, the updated report offers, is that the supply of the larger displays could be creating production issues.
The report follows one from the Chinese language outlet Commercial Times yesterday, which said Apple has a low-cost, 4.8-inch iPhone model in the hopper, dubbed the "iPhone Math." Jefferies analyst Peter Misek, who watches Apple's supply chain closely, put out a note to investors this morning agreeing with that possibility.
"Our checks agree three different models are scheduled for launch in 2013 but disagree on the details," Misek said. "We believe a lower-cost 4.3" iPhone and multicolor 4" iPhone 5S will launch in June/July. Additionally, we believe a 4.8" iPhone model is scheduled for the end of October. We do not know what this phone will be called and think 'Math' might be a mistranslation or a code name."
Apple currently sells three different models of the iPhone but has only ever introduced one model at a time, choosing to sell the older model at a lower price.There were numerous rumors ahead of the iPhone 4S in 2011 that Apple planned to change that with the simultaneous release of a 4S and the 5, something that proved to be wrong.