Will Apple Inc. (AAPL) Make This Mistake With Next iPhone?

The news concerning the possibility of a low cost Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone is running rampant. More people than ever before are talking about this possibility, hoping to catch glimpse of this device at some point in the near future. Whether or not Apple moves forward with a cheaper iPhone is up in the air. What isn’t up in the air is the fact that Cupertino will be pushing its next generation iPhone to the market by the end of 2013.

Digtimes Research recently took a closer look at a mistake many high-end smartphone companies are making.

The study shows that a number of companies are releasing new high-end smartphones that do not offer anything new in terms of functionality.

While this has not typically been an issue for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in the past, many are wondering what the next generation iPhone will bring to the smartphone market. Will it be different enough from the current device that consumers actually get excited and are willing to upgrade?

Here is more from Digitimes Research:

“While a number of branded smartphone vendors have released their new high-end models recently, including the HTC Butterfly S from HTC, the Xperia Z Ultra from Sony Mobile Communications and the Ascend P6 from Huawei, most seem to have failed to roll out new models with brand new features, according to Digitimes Research.”

This is a problem for the smartphone makers, because consumers are not interested in upgrading to a next generation model unless there is a reason for doing so.

In fact, it appears that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s biggest competitor, Samsung, is facing this issue at the present time. Digitimes Research added the following about Samsung:

“There also comes an array of entry-level models, including HTC’s Desire 200, LG Electronics’ Optimus L4 and Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Zoom and Galaxy Active, two models of the vendor’s Galaxy 4S family.

The hardware specifications of HTC Desire 200 and the Optimus L4 are not on par with some entry-level models already available on the market, while the Galaxy Zoom has actually undermined the perceived quality of the Galaxy S4 line.”

Right now, nobody really knows what to expect from the next generation Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone. Will it be able to escape the same doom that is plaguing many other smartphone companies right now? Will the new device have features that set it apart from previous models?

Share your thoughts on this study in the comment section below. While you are at it, take the time to read this article to learn even more about the iPhone.