“It looks like Apple has a few tricks up its sleeve for 2016,” Chris Smith reports for BGR. “According to a new report out of the Far East, the company has plans to launch a new, completely redesigned iPhone next year.”
“According to the Economic Daily News, AUO has inked a deal with Apple to supply 4-inch displays for an upcoming ‘iPhone 7c,'” Smith reports. “The company will ship the screens starting in the first quarter of 2016, which would suggest that Apple plans to release the iPhone 7c alongside the other two iPhone 7 models later in the year.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: So, no 4-inch iPhone for two years (2014 and 2015), but it’ll reappear in 2016?
Seems weird, but as we explained last month:
Today is our fourth week with Apple Watch. Our iPhone usage is way, way down and, consequently, our iPhone battery life is way, way up (from about 40% left at the end of a typical day to over 65%). We put our Apple Watches to bed every night with about 30-35% battery remaining.
One additional thing to consider: We have iPhone 6 Plus units. 128GB. We are Day One iPhone users for every new model. We’re now using the iPhone (directly) so much less often that any Apple Watch-compatible iPhone might suffice. The next iPhone will need to offer something(s) might attractive to get those who’d normally jump to the latest and greatest iPhone, but now find a lot of their attention has shifted from iPhone to Apple Watch, to make the leap.
Of course, we’ll get the next flagship iPhone as usual, but it’s not a stretch to think that Apple Watch might impact serial iPhone upgraders. At this point with Apple Watch, a smaller model iPhone already looks much more attractive to us. So, we’re (again) seeing a raison d’être for SMALLER iPhones: You can just squirrel it away. Apple Watch use will very likely affect iPhone buying decisions for many going forward.
In a nutshell: Before Apple Watch, we used our iPhones all the time and wanted the largest display and longest battery life possible. After Apple Watch, we use our iPhones less and size/weight (easy to carry) have become much more important to us; a smaller iPhone battery wouldn’t hinder us now with Apple Watch.
Luckily for Apple, only some 20% of U.S. iPhone users have currently upgraded to iPhone 6/Plus (and there are millions of potential Android switchers coming off contracts every day), so there is a lot of headroom for iPhone 6s/Plus sales this fall and for a long time thereafter.
It’s rather amazing how dramatically the Apple Watch has affected our iPhone usage after just one month. Eventually, Apple Watch will likely change the dynamics of iPhone model sales.
SEE ALSO:
Apple Watch increases iPhone battery life significantly; likely to affect future iPhone purchasing decisions – May 22, 2015
AUO said to supply 4-inch ‘iPhone 7c’ displays – April 21, 2015
Analyst: No 4-inch iPhone coming – May 12, 2015
Analyst: Apple’s next-gen ‘iPhone 6s’ add rose gold option, Force Touch, 2GB RAM, 12MP camera and more – May 12, 2015