Apple is predicted to release three iPhones this year, with the cheapest of the lot expected to cost as little as £467.

The mid-range device is tipped to be a pared-down version of the iPhone X, complete with cost-cutting features like an LCD screen (instead of the sharper OLED display found on Apple's flagship).

According to a report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News, the handset will cost between  $649 to $749 (£467 to £539).

That's around half the price of Apple's £999 iPhone X, and even cheaper than the £799 iPhone 8 Plus.

In reality however, Brits would probably expect to pay closer to £599-£649 for a $649 Apple iPhone, due to how international pricing works.

In addition, the new handset's 6.1-inch display is mooted to be larger than the iPhone 8 Plus, and boast FaceID face-scanning tech (currently only available on the iPhone X).

But, in order to make it cheaper, Apple will supposedly forego a dual-lens camera in favour of a single-lens snapper, which means lower-quality pics.

It could also have aluminium edges, instead of stainless steel, and a glass back.

The device is expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone X2 and X2 Plus in September, according to renowned Apple boffin Ming-Chi Kuo.

Analyst Daniel Ives of GBH Insights is also convinced that Apple will release a cheaper iPhone this year, as reports suggest.

"We expect a mid-range iPhone launch as one of the three releases slated for 2018 with more palpable price points in the $700 range," he told The Sun.

He added: "We expect 2 OLED phones and 1 LCD device over the next six months, with a high-end iPhone X successor still in the $1,000 price range.

"[Apple] had modest success with the iPhone X, but they need lower price points to capture consumers that are not going to spend $1,000 for a phone.

"We would be shocked not to see lower price points on the next iPhone release."

The last time Apple released a cheaper device, the £469 iPhone 5C, it was hailed as a flop.

The unashamedly plastic phone also dumped a bunch of premium features, but cost a measly £80 less than the high-end, £549 iPhone 5S.

If the latest report is true, Apple may have learned from its mistakes, and could finally nail the mid-range category.

Source: thesun