A new iPhone could be sold with bare bones or premium versions of iPhone OS installed, meaning you’d pay depending on what apps you’d want preloaded. Read on to find out how we know, and how this could affect you.
The Register spoke to Yair Reiner, an analyst who says he met recently with several Apple executives who told him that the company was considering “segmenting the market with different models,” with segmentation focused on “software” for a new iPhone.
The new iPhone: what we know so far
In other words, while a new iPhone would only come with one hardware set up, the software available on different versions would vary. Think what Microsoft does with every Windows OS, offering a home edition all the way up to premium.
It’s not hard to imagine a business model where a new iPhone with integrated YouTube uploading in the video recording software sells for a markup, or Apple offers a version designed for the corporate market BlackBerry has sewn up right now.
How likely is this? It goes against the grain of simplicity that’s made the iPhone the storming success it is so far. But some analysts suggest that US network AT&T will hit a wall soon with the number of people it can coax over with iPhone exclusivity, and the company is rumoured to be planning a reduced subscription with a lower data cap. Could different software packages for a new iPhone be the next step to bring more people into the iPhone fold? We’re sitting on the fence on this one, but we could find out as soon as 8 June.
Out TBC | £TBC | Apple (Via The Register) (iPhone available at Apple)
