Apple Rumor Mill: Disposable Smartphones

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Apple is reportedly planning to introduce a new disposable smartphone, the Apple-a-Day, according to news leaked on April 1 by reliable third-party sources who asked not to be identified for fear of losing their lucrative contracts with the tech behemoth. Apple executives have declined comment on the rumors.

The Apple-a-Day, originally codenamed SnowWhite by the Cupertino giant, looks to shake up a disposable smartphone market that is mostly dominated by cheap flip phones and last-gen Android phones for people on a budget. The company is planning to leave one of these phones in a San Francisco Bay Area bar so it can be "discovered" within the next three months, according to our sources. An official launch extravaganza is planned in San Francisco for early fall, but don't expect an invitation.

After the Apple-a-Day news was leaked on April 1, excited Apple fans were already getting ready for the new phones. Our sources said that Apple expects lines around the block at its retail outlets for the new phones. The company is putting a system in place to allow people to camp long term in front of its stores, so that they don't need to re-queue every night to get the newest disposable phone each morning.

Many fans have already purchased new tents in anticipation of the long lines. "This is no joke," said Marvin Charming, an eager Apple fan. "I won't be able to afford rent and the new daily phones. I might as well sleep here."

It makes sense for Apple to bring a new contender to this market, as nearly a third of new smartphones bought are disposable. This is a market that Apple smartphone rivals, Samsung and LG, have been allowed to dominate without much competition for some time.

Sources tell us that the Apple-a-Day features iPhone styling and capabilities minus the contracts required of other smartphones. The phones will retail for around $300 each, which is expensive for disposable phones (though cheap by Apple standards). There will be Apple-a-Day smartphones available in 18K white, yellow and rose gold, which will retail for $900 each.

Our sources assured us that the ability to get a disposable iPhone will be worth the expense. "You can't get this kind of stylish look, ease of use, and top-of-the line features from a normal disposable smartphone," said one source. "And you'll get access to the latest innovations faster than anyone else."

That's because, unlike traditional disposable phones that are merely prepaid and have no ties to a contract, the Apple-a-Day is actually disposable. The phone is so "inexpensive" because some traditional features of the iPhone have been left out. Rather than two cameras, facing front and rear, the Apple-a-Day has just one camera. Most importantly, there is no way to charge the phone's battery. When it dies, typically after two- to 12-hours of use, you literally throw the phone away and buy a new one.

In conjunction with the Apple-a-Day smartphones, Apple will launch a recycling program. When a phone is ready to be disposed of, you simply fold it in half, and put it in a special green bin in the Apple store. Sources tell us that the company will melt the phones down for their rare earth and precious metals, and profit from those sales as well. When contacted for an official comment, an Apple spokesperson would only acknowledge that "Recycling is good for the environment."

What happens to your data on the phone when you recycle it? According to one source, it will live in the cloud, "in the same servers celebrities have trusted with their private pictures for years."

In fact, one insider told InformationWeek "It is the most secure phone Apple has ever made. By the time anyone has compromised your phone, you've moved on to a new one. The best part is that you'll never feel the shame of having an old Apple phone again. Remember how you felt when you had a 4S and everyone else was showing off their new iPhone 5? There's even a new system to help everyone know you've got the right phone."

The new system will color code phones by days of the week. White phones for Sunday. Blue for Monday. Yellow for Tuesday, Green for Wednesday, Orange for Thursday. "And of course, Apple saved black and red for the weekends, so you will look your best in all the latest hotspots," said one well-placed source. "And you know, they'll probably mess with that pattern to keep everything on trend." Our sources also tell us matching Apple Watches will be launched in the near future.

[ Want to know what Apple should have made instead of a watch? Read Apple Watch Alternatives: 10 Gadgets The Company Should Have Made. ]

But does an Apple-a-Day keep the doctor away? "Oh yes," said our source, "We're quite certain only 1% of customers can afford to both these phones and pay for medical insurance."

What do you think? Would you like to see a disposable Apple phone? Are you a fan of April Fool's Day jokes? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.

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