Apple Plans to Release Biggest High-End & Low-Priced iPhone this Year

Apple Inc. is planning to release three new smartphones later this year, including the biggest iPhone ever, a device that may have a bigger display than arch-rival Samsung's flagship phone.

The trio also includes an upgraded handset the same size as the current iPhone X and a less expensive model with some of the X's key features.

With the new lineup, Apple wants to attract the growing number of consumers who long for the multitasking attributes of so-called phablets while also fussing over those looking for a more affordable version of the iPhone X, according to people familiar with the products.

Apple, which is already running production tests with suppliers, is expected to announce the new phones this fall. The plans could still change, though, said by people who requested privacy to discuss internal planning.

The new phones could bring around the screen size wars of years past at a time when smartphone makers are straining to come up with new features to lure buyers in a flooded market.

Global smartphone sales were down 0.1 percent last year, with Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. expanding shipments only 1.9 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively.

Despite months of breathless excitement, the iPhone X hasn’t sold as well as expected since its debut last year. Apple sold 77.3 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2017, which is below analysts’ projections of 80.2 million units.

Some consumers were turned off by the iPhone X’s $1,000 price despite liking the design even as they wanted something more cutting-edge than the cheaper iPhone 8. With its next lineup, Apple is seeking to revive sales by offering a model for everyone.

Bigger screen

The biggest iPhone could sport a screen close to 6.5 inches (16.5 cm), larger than the 6.2-inch (15.75 cm) Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus announced on Monday, and larger than the current Samsung Note 8's 6.3-inch screen.

Samsung traditionally announces new Note series devices in the fall, so it is possible it might launch a larger screen around the same time Apple's new models hit the market.

With a screen close to 6.5 inches, Apple’s big new handset will be one of the largest mainstream smartphones on the market. While the body of the phone will be about the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus, the screen will be about an inch larger thanks to the edge-to-edge design used in the iPhone X.

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