iPhone 12’s starting price will apparently be even less than $649

Up until this point, most reports had said the iPhone 12 will come in four variants: an entry-level 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch versions, and a 6.7-inch model. The base 5.4-inch model will likely go for $649, making it more affordable than last year’s iPhone 11 that starts at $699. Per rumors, the standard iPhone 12 will have the A14 Bionic inside, will be 5G-ready, and come with an OLED display.

While it’s great that the phone’s price is apparently getting reduced despite significant upgrades, it would still obviously be deemed expensive by a lot of consumers. More specifically, people in countries where 5G networks have not gone live yet might not want to pay a premium for the next generation of cellular connectivity. And that seemingly is the reason why Apple also has a fifth model in the pipeline.

Per Ives, the fifth model will only offer 4G connectivity. It will enable Apple to target an audience that doesn’t want a 5G phone yet. And if that’s true, the 4G variant will end up being the base iPhone 12 model and by that logic, the series would start at an even lower price.

As for how the 4G iPhone 12 would differ from the entry-level 5G model remains to be seen. Theoretically, not including 5G alone should be enough to make the 4G iPhone 12 more affordable than the base 5G model. 

Otherwise, if Apple cut corners, it would be veering into the SE category. On that note, it’s also possible that this new 4G model is actually the rumored iPhone SE Plus.

Of course, at this point, these are mere speculations, and until more information is revealed, it’s hard to say much about this rumored 4G model.