Apple is expected to make a few changes to its mobile lineup this year. For the iPad, it’s expected to revamp the 9.7-inch model making it thinner and lighter, with smaller bezels. On the iPhone side, it’s expected to release a new budget model.
As with all new product rumors, artists are using their skills and creativity to create mockups of what these things could possibly look like. We showed you some earlier today of the next-gen iPad, and now we have some of the rumored ‘iPhone mini.’
This concept comes from well-respected concept artist Martin Hajek (via nowhereelse.fr). He was behind the gorgeous iPad mini renders we saw last year, as well as the head-turning iPhone 5 mockups that a lot of folks (including us) thought to be real.
As you can see, Hajek’s iPhone mini concept looks a lot like the current model, albeit one noticeable difference: size. It’s both thicker and shorter than the iPhone 5, reverting back to the long-running 3.5-inch display to help reduce its price tag.
I actually don’t mind his overall vision for the handset, except for the backplate. The two-tone design works on the iPhone 5 because it’s a long, thin device. I think it makes the smaller iPhone look too squatty, and would prefer a solid color.
We’ve heard several reports recently regarding Apple making a budget smartphone. It’s expected to feature a hybrid plastic-metal design, carry a price tag half the size of current iPhones, and land sometime in the third quarter of this year.
What do you think of Hajek’s iPhone mini concept?