Trying to spur sales, Apple will reportedly launch 8GB iPhone 5c

Perhaps spurred by weak sales, Apple is reportedly getting ready to begin selling 8-gigabyte versions of the iPhone 5c that will retail for less than the 16 GB model.

The 8 GB iPhone 5c will reportedly begin selling in Germany on Tuesday, according to tech news site Caschys Blog, which cites unnamed sources and a leaked document from German wireless carrier O2.

A second report by Engadget backs up Caschys Blog. The post includes a picture of the box for an 8 GB iPhone 5c. The picture was sent to Engadget from someone who already has the device in their possession.

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The 8 GB iPhone 5c will likely have all of the same features as other versions of the iPhone 5c, but it will have less storage space than the other available models.

Apple has not confirmed the 8 GB iPhone 5c, but a cheaper version of the device would make sense for the company.

Though the Cupertino, Calif., tech giant has never confirmed that the iPhone 5c has had weak sales numbers, numerous factors point to that being the case.

Retailers began discounting the iPhone 5c before it even hit their shelves, and they have continued to do so since it launched in September. The device normally retails for $99 with a two-year contract in the U.S.

Before the device came out, many believed the iPhone 5c would help Apple increase its sales in emerging markets, particularly in China, where cheaper devices do better. But a report Monday says that only a very small portion of iPhone devices in circulation in China are 5c models.

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