SAN FRANCISCO - Randall Stephenson, chief executive officer of AT&T has revealed that a new model of Apple's popular iPhone, which will ensure faster browsing speeds, is due out next year. The new model will operate on the 3G wireless spectrum and is sure to provide speedy access to the Internet.
Speaking at the Churchill Club in Santa Clara, California, Stephenson said that a speedier iPhone would be a reality next year. But he offered no details on the pricing model. The iPhone currently costs $399.
Meanwhile analysts said the news of a new release of the iPhone was ill-timed and could affect the sales of the current models in the upcoming Christmas season. The news of a faster phone operating on 3G was likely to discourage people from buying the models currently available on the market. The present models operate on 2.5G networks.
However Michael Gartenberg at Jupiter Research felt the news would not have that much of an impact on holiday sales, "If he'd have said 'next year as in next January' I think it would have had a bigger impact. In the absence of details, I don't think it's going to matter that much to consumers," he added.
The Apple iPhone was released in the United States on June 29 and has acquired iconic status there. It is a three-in-one device, which is also capable of playing music and allowing surfing online besides functioning as a normal cell phone.
Apple launched the phone in Europe this month and the response there has not been up to expectations mainly because of the pricing. Apple plans to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of next year.
