Swirling rumours about the upcoming iPhone 5S and its low-cost version point to a June release date of the Apple smartphone upgrades.

But as consumers scramble to know more about the iPhone 5S, get updates on its projected specs, build and price, details on its cheaper alter-ego seem to have been buried by the avalanche of information.

As almost everyone is fixated on the main event, artist and gadget designer Nickolay Lamm is paying closer attention to the finer details of the other iOS device that Apple reportedly plans to unveil a few months from now.

This week, Mr Lamm let everyone know how he envisions the budget iPhone. It's not only attractive for the price-conscious buyers but it also exudes an appeal that merits more than a second look.

What he cooked up is a fusion of plastic and metal, with the back cover bearing a translucent material that harks back to the iMac G3 days.

Those were the days when Apple broke the convention of prevalent desktop computer build, which beige, boxy and dull. The iMac G3 ushered in sprightly alternatives that allow consumers to appreciate what's inside the guts of their machines.

The G3's transparent case allowed them that and Mr Lamm figures that bringing that personal feel to the low-cost iPhone could lure multitudes of buys not only from the emerging markets, where the handset is reportedly attuned.

His designs take is cue from a recent DigiTimes report, which says "the entry-level iPhone will adopt a chassis mixed with plastic and metal, with the internal metal parts being able to be seen from outside through special design."

There is a chance that Mr Lamm's renders will "open up our eyes as to the incredible advances in computing that have been made and make people excited about buying a phone again," said MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, which first published the budget iPhone concept.

Expect the iPhone teardowns to stop if indeed Apple will adopt Mr Lamm's on the low-cost iPhone, which highlights the hardworking little components that make the new crop of mobile phones smart enough.