18 
It’s a rumour that never dies: Apple is working on a cheaper, “budget” iPhone that will push for market-share in developing markets where the companies typically premium are especially expensive. But in the absence of hard evidence, we have soft evidence. Like this patent for a plastic iPhone. Maybe this is that rumoured budget iPhone? Maybe?
An astonishingly spare patent,—I mean, look at that graphic—number No. 8,364,032 here was filed for in February 2012, and was just granted in late January of this year. Essentially, it covers a device with a front-facing screen, rear-facing camera, and a body made out of plastic. You’ll also note there’s no home button.
How this patent wasn’t already snatched during the development of one of the many Android phones that seem to fit this description to a T is anyone’s guess. But if there were to be a cheaper iPhone, one in the £65 – £110 range, it makes sense that it would take a form similar to this. Then again, patents like this are just that: patents. But if a cheap iPhone really is coming, this might have something to do with it. Maybe. We’ll just have to wait and see. [Tom's Hardware]
Rumor: The iPhone 5's Killer Feature Is Amazing Voice Control
It’s a patent for a rounded rectangle inside another rounded rectangle.
Yeah, but have you ever seen such roundy round corners! Only Apple can do that.
Why would Apple do this? Surely just making the 3GS or 4 £100 would make more sense, and save on R&D?
By the way, that $100-$150 is likely to be the American subsidised price, so that would be roughly $400-$500 off-contract, so £300-£400. (although Bloomberg don’t actually say for definite.
then there is the greed tax of phone shops to add to it swell, they will probably market it as a new iphone and charge more, and people would still be stupid enough to buy it
Haha, I am platform neutral! I was implying nothing bad towards iPhone users!
neither was i
i was just pointing out that phone shops will amrket it as the second coming and price it accordingly
market
And they wonder why they’re not making as much money as they used to.
Apple can’t carry on like this. They’re the only company that’s competing in this market with a single piece of hardware. It’s quite ludicrous, they’ve done well so far but you can’t stop the march of time.
The only danger is their cheapo model might be a little too cheap. I think £350ish is as low as they should go with the ‘budget’ phone, with the iPhone proper costing a little more while offering a whole lot more.
An iPhone Pro and iPhone Air perhaps, or something along those lines. The ‘cheaper’ one shouldn’t feel like a compromise.
The patenting system is so awful it makes me want to cry.
The idea is to protect an idea that is unique now it’s just being used to spite other company’s
Surely the fact this sort of form factor is obvious it couldn’t be patented… it looks like a nokia lumina for heavens sake.
I remember a rather similar article for the patent of a smaller ‘cheaper’ iPad now known as the smaller, less advanced and expensive iPad mini.