$99 iPhone Rumor Resurfaces
So what exactly did he say? Well, according to his note, perhaps:
- a lower-resolution camera (what, isn't 2 megapixels bad enough?)
- no 3G (wait, wasn't that the original version?)
- no GPS
- a cheaper data plan with a cap (how that lowers the phone price, I don't know)
Here's the way he thinks the two versions will spec out:
Basically the $99 version would have the same form factor, but be missing a lot of the features of the iPhone 3G, while the iPhone 3G would get maybe a bump in screen resolution, a bump in storage, and also video recording capabilities.
I don't know, most are expected a new iPhone this June, but based on the addition in the firmtware of the string "iPhone 2,1" vs. the "iPhone 1,1" of the original iPhone and "iPhone 1,2" of the iPhone 3G, most are expecting a much more significant revision to the iPhone. Plus, there's no string for a "lesser" model.
Additionally, let's not forget what Tim Cook said during Apple's Fiscal Q1 2009 conference call:
Our objective is not to be the unit share leader in the cell phone industry. It's to build the world's best phones.