iPhone 5S, Budget iPhone Expected To Take The Stage Sept. 10

Apple is expected to unveil two new iPhones on Sept. 10, according to a report by AllThingsD citing sources familiar with the company.

Karl Volkman, chief technical officer of SRV Network, a Chicago, Ill.-based service provider, said in an email to CRN that he expects one of the smartphones to be an advanced version of the iPhone 5, possibly dubbed iPhone 5S. The second smartphone, Volkman said, is likely to be a budget iPhone, or the iPhone 5C.

Both smartphones will ship with iOS 7, Apple's newest operating system released to developers at the company's June developer conference. iOS 7 is in its Beta 3 round of developer testing. The new operating system contains several features geared toward enterprise use, including the ability to separate virtual spaces for business and personal use.

[Related: VARs Say Apple Is Not The Tablet Gauge ]

id
unit-1659132512259
type
Sponsored post

Volkman said he expects the iPhone 5S will be an improved version of the iPhone 5 in areas of speed, camera quality and potentially the addition of a fingerprint sensor on the home button for higher security measures. "Hopefully," Volkman said, "Apple can provide this without any technical problems like in previous years."

In regards to the budget iPhone, Volkman said he believes the product is intended to breed a new set of Apple fanatics, converting those who currently blame resistance to the company's products on high prices.

"As Apple continues to try and maintain their status as the leader in smartphones, diversifying pricing is one way to bring a new set of customers on board," Volkman said.

A 22 percent year-over-year drop in profit revealed during Apple's third-quarter earnings report at the end of July is one piece of evidence feeding Apple users and investors' concern that the company has been lacking in innovation.

A Sept. 10 launch of new smartphones loaded with a new operating system seems to be the next announcement with potential to whet the Apple enthusiasts' appetite for something new.

PUBLISHED AUG. 14, 2013