Rumour mill has Apple poised to unveil new iPhone

Rumours continue to swirl about Apple's plans for a new iPhone, with the latest speculation being that it might be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins on Monday.

The keynote address at the conference is typically used to unveil new gadgets and hardware, a report on the website of Computerworld points out.

The Financial Times cites sources as saying Apple could introduce a cheaper version of the iPhone, with the current low-end price of $199 US dropping by either $50 or $100.

A consumer survey conducted by Morgan Stanley revealed that a $50 US price cut would increase demand by 50 per cent and a $100 price cut by 100 per cent, the newspaper reported. Research group Gartner says Apple sells 11 per cent of the world's smartphones, compared to Nokia's 41 per cent and Research in Motion's 20 per cent.

Photographs purporting to show the new models have popped up on several websites, but some blogs have cast doubt on their authenticity.

Apple declined to comment on the rumours.

Some bloggers have also speculated that the new iPhone might be unveiled at the conference by Apple's CEO and founder Steve Jobs, who has been suffering from complications following previous pancreatic surgery.

Others doubt that he's well enough to make an appearance, and a spokesman for Apple is quoted as saying: "We look forward to Steve returning to Apple at the end of June."