As rumors about Apple’s next-gen iPhone continue to buzz like a busy beehive, The Wall Street Journal has issued a new report stating that Apple will begin production for their next iPhone during the current quarter, and that the device could launch as early as this summer. The report also backs up rumors that Apple will be launching a less expensive version of the iPhone, which will also launch this year.
Apple Inc. plans to begin production of a refreshed iPhone similar in size and shape to its current one in the second quarter of the year, according to people familiar with the device’s production, teeing up a possible summer launch for the next version of its flagship device.
At the same time, Apple continues to work with its manufacturing partners in Asia on a less expensive iPhone that could be launched as soon as the second half of this year, these people said. The four-inch device will likely use a different casing from the higher-end iPhone. Apple has been working on different color shells for the phone but its plans remain unclear.
The next-gen iPhone will reportedly be similar in size and share to the current iPhone 5, as expected due to Apple’s tendency to launch major new designs only every other update. The budget iPhone will also reportedly feature a four-inch screen, although it will use a different casing than the higher-end iPhone. It also may come in multiple colors.
While The Wall Street Journal’s latest report doesn’t provide any new information about Apple’s next-gen iPhone, it does back up many previous reports claiming a mid-2013 release for the next iPhone, as well as backing up claims that Apple is considering multiple color options for their budget-level iPhone.
A June or July release for Apple’s latest iPhone hardware is looking more and more likely…
