iPhone 3GS To Be Retired After iPhone 5 Launch – Report

Apple is set to drop the iPhone 3GS as its entry-model smartphone once the iPhone 5 is released, according to a new report.

A new 8GB version of the iPhone 4 is set to take its place and will most likely be given free to those who pay around £20 a month for their contracts. It has also been suggested that an 8GB model of the more recent iPhone 4S could be made available.

The iPhone 3GS was first released in June 2009, more than three years ago, and does not have many of the features included in later iterations. This is likely to become more obvious with the introduction of iOS 6, which should be included in the iPhone 5.

iPhone 5 fever

Apple is fairly obviously going to unveil its new smartphone next week having sent out press invites to an event in San Francisco on 12 September. It is possible that as many as three versions, each with different storage capacities, will be released and that it will include a larger screen and Near Field Communication technology.

It is not known whether it will include support for 4G Long Term Evolution networks, especially any in the UK. Last month, Everything Everywhere was granted permission to launch a 4G network on its existing spectrum, ahead of the 4G auction.

A potential release date of 21 September has been touted, but users will need a new 40 percent smaller nano SIM card. The same design is being used in the Nokia Lumia 920 and 820, which were announced yesterday, and allows manufacturers more freedom with design.

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