Following the unveiling of iOS 7 at Apple's WWDC earlier this week, the focus now turns to hardware - as in, what's next for the iPhone? Well if you believe the latest scuttlebutt on the block, Cupertino is exploring the possibility of launching iPhones with larger screens over the course of the next year. The key word here, of course, is "possibility." Oh, and that rumor of a cheaper plastic iPhone is still hanging around, too.
Critics have bashed the iPhone for some time now for hanging on to the idea of a smaller screen while the competition is touting larger displays. To that end, sources in the supply chain recently told Reuters they have been approached with plans to build a 4.7-inch and a 5.7-inch iPhone although nothing is set in stone as of yet.
As one source put it, Apple changes product specifications almost up to the last moment so you are not really sure whether what you are seeing is a final prototype.
I have little doubt that Apple is exploring different screen sizes for the next (or the next) iPhone but that doesn't mean it'll make it to market, or at least not anytime soon. Just look at the rumored Apple television set - a device that has been "in the pipeline" to the best of our knowledge for at least four years now. It's still not out.
Unlike Samsung that is content to flood the market with a bevy of devices and play the "see what sticks" game, Apple is different. They will invest years into a single product until they get it exactly how they want it.
And to touch on rumors of a cheaper iPhone - does that really even make sense? Apple already has cheaper iPhones - the iPhone 4 for $0 and the iPhone 4S for $99 (both on contract). Why cannibalize this strategy with a cheaper "new" device when they get purged and refreshed with every flagship release anyway?