An image, purportedly showing the outer plastic casing of the mythical cheaper Apple iPhone, has appeared online.
The mobile giant currently furnishes the current iPhone with an aluminium casing, but this curved offering looks like the offspring of an iPhone 3GS and current generation Nokia Lumia handset.
The leaked casing has all the hallmarks of an iPhone handset, with printed logos and lettering, as well as a microphone hole between the camera lens and flash.
If genuine, the snap, leaked to mobile case maker Tactus (of all places), would be the first we've seen of the lower cost device, which has been rumoured for years now.
Recent reports have suggested that the device would come in a range of colours, which would be easily facilitated by a plastic (polycarbonate to the precise) shell.
The cheaper iPhone, according to recent speculation, would be targeted more at increasing Apple's share of the smartphone pie in places like China and India.
In China especially, networks prefer not to offer subsidised handsets with their contract, so the full price iPhone is more difficult to afford for some users.
Traditionally, Apple has resisted the clamour for outing a cheaper version of its industry-changing signature device, citing its premium design ethos.
Instead the company has relied on making its previous generation devices available for less, while offering the latest version of iOS each year to keep the older devices feeling fresh.
One final word on whether this leaked snap is the real deal? For our money it looks a little thick and perhaps too cheap, but we'll have to wait and see.
Via CNET
