Shailesh Shrivastava email: s.shrivastava@mobilenapps.com
Rumors related to the smaller sibling of all the iPhones have been rife in the first two week of this year. So far, because of some conflicting media reports, the talk about a cheaper and smaller phone was limited to inception of the device.
However, a recent casual estimation by a mobile industry analyst has revealed the cost on which the Cupertino-based tech company would like to sell its smaller iPhone, or let's say iPhone Mini.
According to Sameer Singh, "Apple currently makes a gross margin of 68% on the iPhone 5, which means that it would expect a gross margin hovering around 60% from the iPhone Mini. This would put the price of the iPhone Mini in the $299-$349 range, i.e. in the same ballpark as the iPad Mini."
Singh estimated the production cost of the phone at $144.03 by keeping some points related to the phone's processor, display, battery, camera, and other aspects in mind.
He kept the storage of the phone at 8GB and the RAM, just like the iPhone 4 and 4S, at 512 MB. The estimate of the processor and the camera costs were made keeping the iPad mini's components. iPad mini sports a 5 megapixel camera and is powered by Apple's SOC A5 processor.
As far as the display of the phone is concerned, Singh said, "Since the screen size of most competing low-mid range smartphones is in the 3.5-4 inch range, we can't expect Apple to go smaller. Since Apple has chosen a 4 inch screen size for the high-end iPhone 5 model (for now), I've assumed that the iPhone Mini would have a 3.5 inch screen."
He also estimates that keeping the retail price at $299-$349 Apple will manage to earn profit of 52-63 percent.
Singh, just like an earlier DigiTimes report, predicted that the iPhone Mini will basically be release keeping emerging markets like China and India.
"Some sources claimed that they have seen the sample of the low-cost iPhone, which will come with a larger display, meeting the prevailing trend for the adoption of 5-inch displays for high-end models. They added that the low-priced iPhone will also have a brand new exterior design, the DigiTimes report had stated.
most read
more stories from Mobile
Check out the latest from Glance! They're piloting their Android Lockscreen Platform in the US. Don't miss it!
ernest hamiltonExciting news! X plans to launch a Smart TV app for an immersive entertainment experience. Stay tuned!
ernest hamiltonT-Mobile unveils new 5G internet plans, promising enhanced home and travel connectivity for customers seeking high-speed internet on the go.
ernest hamiltonHuawei sets sights on global expansion with HarmonyOS, aiming to rival Android and iOS in the competitive mobile operating system market.
ernest hamiltonStay ahead with the latest updates! Apple rolls out third betas for iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5, bringing exciting app ecosystem changes and new features.
ernest hamiltonMoondrop, known for audiophile gear, teases its inaugural smartphone, the MIAD 01, promising a unique blend of audio excellence and mobile technology.
ernest hamiltonAndroid 15 aims to streamline notification channels by hiding unused ones, enhancing user experience and decluttering notification settings.
ernest hamiltonDolphiniOS developers shed light on why the GameCube and Wii emulator won't be available in the App Store.
ernest hamilton