The iPhone 5 was released last September so it is not unusual to see reports and rumors surfacing about the next generation model. The latest reports say that the iPhone 5S will hit assembly lines in March and the device itself will launch in June or July of this year. Peter Misek of Jefferies has stated that two iPhone prototypes are currently being tested by Apple.
Speaking more on the two alleged prototypes, one is thought to be the iPhone 5S whilst the other is thought to be a low cost iPhone. This is not the first time we have heard this rumor and you may recall that it has already been quashed by Phil Schiller but doesn't look to be going away.
It is worth noting that Apple has gone back on its word a number of times so we really don't know whether or not they will decide to launch a cheaper iPhone. They have alreadey brought out a cheaper iPad in the form of the iPad mini but this has disappointed a lot of people because it was missing key features such as the retina display and it was still considered to be a lot more expensive than similar spec tablets that are currently on the market.
The introduction of a low cost iPhone is said to be a pawn in Apple's plan to woo emerging markets such as China. Misek believes that this device will be similar to the iPad mini and it will be a low cost iPhone with a polycarbonate case and a 4 inch non retina display with no LTE. The iPhone 5S on the other hand will have all the Apple upgrades which will include a faster processor, improved general performance and a couple of Siri level implementations to keep users happy until the iPhone 6 arrives.
The report does state that the two devices could be set for release in June or July but as with all rumors and reports nothing can be fully believed until Apple release the information themselves. I guess like everything else, we just have to wait and see.
