iPhone 5S Rumors: Device to Enter Into Production in March for June or July Launch

Photo courtesy of Apple
A picture of the new iPhone 5

By Vincent Funaro , Christian Post Reporter

January 22, 2013|11:16 am

Some iPhone 5S rumors have pointed to a June or July release for the device and a new report is confirming this information.

Jeffries analyst Peter Misek released a new research report that states that Apple's iPhone 5S is still in line for a June or July launch this year with production starting in March.

"Our checks indicate that preliminary builds for the iPhone 5S will start in March for a launch in June/July," said Misek. "As word of the earlier production schedule starts to spread, we believe we could see a slight slowing of demand CQ1 in anticipation of the new product launch and Apple will likely start curtailing channel inventory."

Misek also stated that he has been seeing signs of two iPhone 5S prototypes currently in testing with one of these being the cheaper iPhone.

"Similar to the iPad Mini, we expect a concentrated low-cost iPhone rather than a 'cheap' one. Likely specs: polycarbonate case with 4-inch non-Retina display and no LTE," said Misek. "We believe a new low-cost iPhone would increase Apple's share, decrease [gross margins], but have little impact on [earnings per share]."

Misek also addresses the iPhone with a 4.8-inch display that he mentioned in an earlier report. He says that he has seen no further signs of the handset and that this form factor is probably for the iPhone 6.

Misek also speaks on Apple's recent slashed component orders for the iPhone 5. He shot down the claims which have stated that Apple did so due to a drop in demand and attributes the company's decision to an assembly bottleneck that resulted in the oversupply of components. His claim contradicts earlier reports published by Nikkei and The Wall Street Journal.