Apple Is Working On A Cheaper iPhone, Says The WSJ

Here's how it would save money to make the phone profitable:

The cheaper phone could resemble the standard iPhone, with a different, less-expensive body, one of the people said. One possibility Apple has considered is lowering the cost of the device by using a different shell made of polycarbonate plastic. Many other parts could remain the same or be recycled from older iPhone models.

This is the second report on a less expensive iPhone today. Previously, DigiTimes said Apple was developing an inexpensive iPhone for emerging markets.

The market for an expensive iPhone is close to saturated at this point. If Apple is going to grow its iPhone unit sales, it needs to figure out how to sell a phone in emerging markets like China and India at an affordable price.

The Journal says the cheaper iPhone is coming at the end of the year. A cheap iPhone has been rumored for years and never materialized. It might really happen this year.