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Could Apple make a $299 iPhone?

Rumors are circulating that Apple is preparing to launch a new version of the low-cost iPhone SE. But just how low could the price be?
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer

Apple's cheapest iPhone currently on sale is the 32GB iPhone 7, which retails for $449. While this seems like a reasonable deal -- especially when you consider that Apple's most premium iPhone tops out at a whopping $1,449 -- it's a lot of money for old hardware. What Apple needs is a budget iPhone designed from the ground-up to be cheap yet functional.

We need is an updated version of the iPhone SE, which was Apple's original answer to cries for a cheaper iPhone. And there are rumors circulating to suggest that Apple has an updated version of the petite iPhone SE in the works.

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The original iPhone SE dates back to the spring of 2016, and the hardware retailed for $399 for 16GB of storage. That was back when Apple could get away with asking for $400 for a phone with such a dismal amount of storage.

It's 2019 now, and times have changed, and that's a good thing for consumers because Apple will need to work harder to make the sale.

Also, $400 is now a lot of money for a budget smartphone, and if Apple wants to combat falling sales it would make sense to slash this starting price down to a more reasonable $299.

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Here's what I'd expect the tech spec to look like:

  • 4-inch LED display (likely the same display found on the latest 7th-generation iPod touch)
  • 32GB to 128GB of storage
  • 2GB RAM
  • Wireless charging
  • A10 Fusion chip (found on the latest 7th-generation iPod touch)
  • Touch ID (because Face ID tech would add too much to the price)
  • 12-megapixel rear-facing camera
  • 7-megapixel front-facing camera
  • Headphone jack

Essentially, a 7th-generation iPod touch, with cellular capability.

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Do you think Apple needs a cheaper iPhone? Would Apple go as low as $299? Let me know below!

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