Apple tipped to release biggest iPhone ever and two cheaper phones this year

AFTER somewhat disappointing iPhone X sales, Apple reportedly has big plans for its next version of the flagship device.

APPLE plans to release the largest iPhone ever this year, along with two additional handsets: an upgraded version of the iPhone X, and a cheaper model with the flagship’s key features.

The huge new phone, complete with a massive 6.5-inch screen (which is a tad larger than the display on Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 phablet), sounds like an iPhone X Plus.

In a new report, Bloomberg suggests Apple will trim down the handset’s overall size by retaining the borderless design of its expensive flagship handset.

The device, code named D33, will apparently tout a similar screen resolution as the iPhone X and also use an OLED display — which are pricier than the LCD screens found on most phones.

With costly components like these, the newbie could well be as expensive as the iPhone X.

The trio of new phones will also include an upgraded version of Apple’s flagship.

Apple will be keen to penetrate China and the broader Asia market where larger phones are popular.

Both the larger iPhone and the refreshed iPhone X are expected to use Apple’s next-gen A12 processors and will include stainless-steel edges.

That leaves the cheaper model, which will forego OLED for an LCD screen, and have less flashy aluminium edges and a glass back.

Apple’s decision to ditch the iPhone 8 design is viewed as an acknowledgment that the handset too closely resembles the iPhone 6, released in 2014.

It also sees the company standing by its pricey iPhone X in the face of weak demand: Apple sold 77.3 million handsets in the final three months of 2017, below expectations of more than 80 million units.

But, the increase in price, also resulted in Apple raking in 13 per cent more revenue in the quarter than the same period last year.

Analyst Daniel Ives told The Sun that Apple may also be looking to target more customers in Asia, and particularly in China, where larger phones are just as popular as their regular-sized counterparts.

“The larger iPhone screen which looks like a bigger iPhone X is being aimed at the key Chinese market, as this is a crucial region for Apple to penetrate,” said Ives, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Technology Research, at GBH Insights.

He continued: “iPhone X broke the $1500 (AUD) price barrier with moderate success, now it’s about Apple going after its upgrade opportunity at all different price points with two OLED launches and one LCD on the horizon.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was republished with permission.