9to5mac has credited an employee of the Chinese manufacturers Foxconn as the source of this news. iPhone 5 production is scheduled to begin soon. According to this apparently reliable source, several models of the device are floating around, making it hard to ascertain which one is the real deal. The various samples differ from each other, but have a few common features.
They have 4+ inch displays, and at least one of them has been made by LG. However, none of the devices are tear-drop shaped, which the iPhone 4S, and now the iPhone 5, have been rumored to be. Also, the form factor is not similar to that of the iPhone 4S or 4, which is most certainly a good thing. Nevertheless these are all just rumors at this point. The next phone dubbed iPhone 5 for now, whatever Apple chooses to call it, is now expected to be released around Summer 2012, giving the iPhone 4S six months of uninterrupted sales. Till then, we can only speculate and know nothing for sure, till a prospective WWDC announcement anyway. The wait will definitely seem too long, but at least one iDevice is expected to hit the shelves sooner.
That would be the next generation iPad, expected around March 2012. Like we recently reported, mostly Pegatron and partly Foxconn will be responsible for production of these tablets. To allow Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn to start tablet production in the country, the Brazilian government has approved of tax reductions or exemptions. Brazil’s Inter-Ministerial Decree 34 which allows these exemptions for particular tablet computers was signed on Monday and publicly published on Wednesday, according to Portugese newspaper ‘Folha.’ Foxconn will thus be provided an exemption or reduction in IPI (Excise tax), PIS (Social Contribution Tax) and COFINS (Federal Contribution Tax). All accessories, cables, manuals and such things associated with tablets are covered by the decree. I.O 34 specifically provides tax exemption for touch-screen tablets lacking a physical keyboard and weighing less than 750 grams.
Obviously, these incentives are all especially directed at Apple’s iPad 3. Previously, the Brazilian government was not being quite as accommodating but that has obviously been worked around. Apple’s $12 billion deal to begin manufacturing in Brazil met some obstacles in 2011- one of those being high tax rates. Now that tax rates have successfully been lowered, Foxconn should start rolling out tablets in no time.
Tim Cook, current CEO of Apple, has recently said that Brazil is one of the top countries that the Cupertino giant is looking to break in. Rumours that Apple is considering building a flagship Brazilian outlet have also surfaced lately. With Brazil’s population of 200 million, stable economy and growing buying power it makes sense that Apple would be interested.
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