Munster: Apple iPhone 5C could launch sans Siri

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has a few predictions about the low-cost Apple iPhone 5C. In a note to investors sent out late Monday, the investment house analyst expects to see the device with a plastic casing (no surprise considering the leaks of those omnipresent shells), a 4 inch screen and lower-end internal specs than what is found or will be found on the Apple iPhone 5/5S.

Munster says that some "software features" like Siri may be excluded from the low cost model. The Wall Street number cruncher forecasts that the iPhone 5C will end up retailing for $300. Apple is then expected to put the Apple iPhone 4S in mothballs and make the iPhone 5C its low end model. The analyst says that eliminating Siri on the low-cost model should be enough to differentiate the iPhone 5C from the iPhone 5S and prevent cannibalization of higher-end sales by the budget version of the phone.

As far as the new full-priced model is concerned, Munster sees a fingerprint scanner coming on the Apple iPhone 5S, but does not believe features like mobile payments will be ready for iOS 7 this year. Instead, he believes that the scanner will offer basic functions such as unlocking the phone. Securing payments using fingerprints won't occur until next year's iOS update, according to Munster.  The long-time Wall Streeter expects a large-screened Apple iPhone and the Apple iWatch to come to market in the middle of next year.

source: MacRumors via FierceMobile