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Apple’s low-cost plastic iPhone will reportedly launch in limited supply

Published May 3rd, 2013 6:20PM EDT
Low-cost iPhone Release Details

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Apple’s upcoming low-cost iPhone will reportedly launch later this year alongside the new iPhone 5S, and it may be in short supply when it does. According to unnamed supply chain sources speaking with Digitmes, Apple is prepping a new plastic iPhone model that will target emerging markets. The handset will seemingly feature a 4-inch display and an Apple A6 processor, and it will be manufactured by Foxconn and Pegatron.

According to the report, the handset will be in short supply at launch, with quarterly shipments totaling just 2.5 million to 3 million units as Apple tests the market’s response. This wouldn’t be the first new Apple device that launched in short supply, though Digitimes’ logic seems curious at best; previous supply shortages have been the result of high demand and manufacturing difficulties.

A purported photo of the plastic outer shell from Apple’s new low-cost iPhone leaked last month, and the handset is expected to cost less than $350 before taxes and subsidies when it launches later this year.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.