Apple Rumored to Debut 4.8-Inch 'iPhone Math' in June

[Steve Williams]

by Juli Clover

According to new information from the China Times translated by BrightWire, Apple is planning to release the iPhone 5S alongside a larger phone, deemed the "iPhone Math" by the report.

Because the iPhone Math name is highly unusual and does not fit in with Apple's traditional naming scheme, it is not clear if it is a code name or a potential mistranslation.

China Times says that the larger phone will come equipped with a 4.8-inch screen and an 8-megapixel camera. It is said that it will launch in June alongside an updated iPhone 5, which will also feature an 8-megapixel camera. An additional iPhone update is said to be coming during the holiday season, with a 12-megapixel camera.

Though the report contains detailed information on suppliers, manufacturers, and production times, it is difficult to believe that Apple will produce a bigger iPhone and that the company will release two iPhones in a six month time frame.
The shipments for components, including touchscreens and cameras, will start rising significantly in March, and iPhone manufacturers will begin production in late April. Hence, Apple's suppliers will see major growth in 2Q 2013.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. will undertake 90% of the manufacturing orders, and Largan has received orders for 8 million camera lenses. Fujikura, Flexium and Zhen Ding will share production orders for printed circuit boards.

Foxconn Technology and Coxon will provide molding parts for Apple's new models; Foxlink will continue to offer connectors; Hon Hai Precision's Microelectronics Technology will start designing 4G network solutions for Apple.
This is not the first rumor that has featured a larger iPhone. Jeffries analyst Peter Misek first reported in December that Apple was working on an iPhone with a 4.8-inch display, but just last week noted that he has seen no further signs of the device. Digitimes also reported in early January that Apple was working on a bigger, more affordable iPhone that was targeted towards emerging markets, and analyst Brian White suggested that Apple might be considering launching its next iPhone in multiple sizes.

While rumors from the The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg support the introduction of an additional iPhone at a lower cost, the device is said to be smaller, not larger.

As we noted the first time the 4.8-inch iPhone rumors emerged, Apple has just increased the size of the iPhone with the iPhone 5, and may be reluctant to face the same resolution and pixel density obstacles attempting to create an even larger iPhone.

 

[opus111]

Samsung must have them running scared then, in ramping up the screensize. Its clear Apple's no longer the market leader here.

 

[rblnr]

Yet the iPhone 4S was the best-selling phone ever and the 5 thusfar appears to be outselling it. And Apple gets 70 - 75% of all profits in the handset industry.

I don't believe this one at all. And while they're certainly paying attention to Samsung and concerned, I don't think they're exactly running scared.

 

[opus111]

Here's an interesting article : http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/20/open_and_shut/

 

[WLVCA]

Apple's iPhone Math screen size is 4.8"

That exactly the same size as the Samsung Galaxy 3.

Sounds like they are copying from Samsung now....Samsung, get those patent attorneys on the offensive!

 

[Keith_W]

I don't believe this one at all. And while they're certainly paying attention to Samsung and concerned, I don't think they're exactly running scared.

Like many companies, Apple pays some of its employees with stock options. Well, these stock options have crashed massively in the past few months. If you were an Apple executive and your bonus has been devalued by 30%, AND you know that your company is haemorrhaging market share despite a complete product refresh, AND you have had to cut orders for your most profitable product by 50% ... would you be concerned?

Remember - the computer segment is a cut-throat market with super-slim profit margins. I have argued in the past on this forum that Apple's business model is not sustainable. You can not charge massive margins on your hardware, and ask for a 30% cut on all software that runs on your device, and maintain market share. I have also argued that smartphones are a "platform market" (same argument made in opus111's link) - once you lose market share, the descent into irrelevance is rapid indeed.

I suspect that most of us are old enough to have lived through Apple vs. Microsoft, and witnessed how Microsoft's absolute dominance almost sent Apple into bankruptcy in the 1990's. Well, we are now going through Apple vs. Google ... and Apple is making the same mistakes it made the first time round. Proprietary platform, refusal to license OS to third parties, walled garden, overpriced hardware ... we have all seen this movie before. And we know how it ends.

If they are not scared of this outcome, they are bigger idiots than I gave them credit for.

 

[opus111]

Well put.

Apple fairly recently agreed with Walmart to discount the iPhone5. That's called in marketing speak 'whoring the brand' - when previously the margins have been protected, premium ones such a move smacks of desperation in the face of that 50% drop off in sales vs projections.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Apple neutral here and really as far as one can be from a Marketing expert. Apple stock tumble from its irrational height, the $600 Billion + valuation was to be expected. I wouldn't call going to a more rational/sustainable (maybe) but still stratospheric level (half a TRILLION US Dollars !!!! for crying out loud!!), a "massive crashing". This said Apple remains the target, the one line of product that one must surpass. That they will come with a larger screen is a reaction to the market asking for that. Nothing wrong with that. Not the sign of panic IMO. The i5 may not even have to sell as much as the 4 because there is more in the pipeline and even at that its sales numbers remain staggering.
I believe Apple has let the public now have expectation that its product cycle has gotten slightly shorter. So people wait a little while enjoying the best smartphone on the planet, yet. Well built , high performance and really the best overall, even for businesses more and more so. So there wil be a larger one for sure, not an indication of doom IMHO

 

[ack]

BREAKING NEWS: Apple's new phone will actually be called the iPhone Meth to boost sales worldwide.

 

[rblnr]

I believe Apple has let the public now have expectation that its product cycle has gotten slightly shorter

Apple hasn't said a word to create expectation of a different product cycle, it's all the press. And 90% of their advance predictions have been wrong. To wit, the iPhone Math story has already been withdrawn by its source

An alternate take on the numbers here in the US:


http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/glo...S-Maintains-Lead-Among-US-Smartphone-OS-Sales

Note too that it took Samsung 7 mos to sell 100 mil G3s and Apple 5 mos to sell the same # of i5s