Apple send out a colourful invitation on Tuesday to a September 10 launch event at which it is widely expected to announce a new version of its iPhone.
The invitation, which featured a palette of brightly coloured dots above the tag line “this should brighten everyone’s day,” followed numerous media reports that the company would be introducing a line of low-cost iPhones in a variety of playful colours, while the company’s premium models would feature a gold-coloured phone in addition to the usual black and white offerings.
Apple is facing ever-more intense competition from Samsung and a variety of manufacturers who rely on Google’s rival Android operating system, with a number of companies now offering models that handily beat the iPhone in terms of specifications, screen size and features.
The company last week launched a trade-in program for older models which will allow owners to take their used iPhones into stores and receive up to $ 280 towards the cost of a new model.