[Galaxy S 4 General] BarryH_GEG:
Here's some interesting news that'll affect both Samsung and HTC if true...

Yet another analyst has thrown their hat into the ring, joining others who have heard from sources in Apple's supply chain that the company is gearing up to debut a low-cost iPhone in the coming months. Amit Daryanani of RBC Capital Markets issued a note to investors on Friday in which he said he's received word that

Apple plans to launch "multiple new phones" in the June-July timeframe this year.

Specifically, he expects Apple to launch a next-generation flagship handset,

a so-called "iPhone 5S," as well as a more affordable handset.

"The low-end iPhone will have the same 4-inch form factor as the iPhone 5, but will have a plastic casing and no Retina display," he said. "With a lower price point, AAPL will be able to target a growing and important part of the smartphone market (sub-$400 price band)."

Daryanani believes Apple's rumored low-end iPhone will carry lower gross margins than the iPhone 5 or an iPhone 5S. But he also expects that

such a product would contribute another $22 billion in revenue

and more than $5 in earnings per share in calendar year 2014, which he believes would add $50 of value to Apple's stock price.​

So, a couple of things. If June-July is true the leaks should start to reach a credible phase in May-June. That'll give the SGS4 and One a month or two on the market before the iFolks that may have considered Android decide to either wait or skip it completely based on what their savior (Apple) is releasing. For those thinking the One's design and materials make it the device to finally lure iPeople to Android this is especially bad news.

A cheaper plastic iPhone could have a couple of affects. If it retails for $400 as ventured it'll sell for $99 on contract. Getting an iDevice which will still have Apple's cache for 1/2 of the $199 the One, SGS4, and iP5s are priced at could siphon away sales from all three phones. Just like the non-retina iPad Mini did to the higher-priced better-spec'd full size iPad. Apple introducing plastic could have a couple of impacts. It could help HTC and hurt Samsung as in essence Apple's saying "our 'good stuff' is metal and we save plastic for our 'other stuff.’" It could also have the opposite affect and by Apple deeming plastic "good enough" for a device with their name on it people could perceive plastic as "good enough" everywhere. Ironically it'll also start the "metal vs. plastic, which is better?" debate within the iCamp which will be interesting to watch.

And in case you missed the emphasis, the iPhone-plastic is projected by the analysts to bring in $22B in revenue in a single year. It'll actually hurt Samsung most significantly because over half of Samsung's smartphone revenue is mid-tier. Apple slotting a better phone above the One and a more attainable one below it could kill HTC because their whole future depends on a single device's (the One's) success. And the iPhone-plastic will kill HTC's efforts to gain a foothold in China which is their "Plan B" to the One. Apple pushing in to lower ends of the market and forsaking their margins to do so is Samsung’s worst nightmare. With margins given, up Apple’s going to have to make it up in volume and they have the marketing money to make people think anything they want them to think. It’s also bad news for Android as most of its success has been in the low to mid-end of the market. So Samung's screwed and everyone who’s not Samsung is even more screwed.