“Apple will be launching a rumored successor to its now discontinued, unapologetically plastic iPhone 5c in February of next year,” Christian Zibreg reports for iDownloadBlog. “Citing supply chain sources familiar with the matter, Chinese publication TechWeb said that the device will feature a metallic enclosure treated with a wide range of colors.”
Zibreg reports, “Unnamed insiders from Foxconn, a contract fabricator that assembles many Apple gadgets, reportedly told TechWeb that the so-called iPhone 6c will be formally unveiled in January 2016 before hitting store shelves one month later in February 2016.”
“Sources speculated that the device might be outfitted with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner,” Zibreg reports, “but not 3D Touch as Apple wants to keep the off-contract price between $400 and $500 in the United States.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Rumors of specs for a new 4-inch iPhone, and even of a new 4-inch iPhone itself, are all over the map, so take all of this with many grains of salt.
There is definitely a market for a 4-inch iPhone – made the right way. In March, we ran the following poll and found:
Would the lack of an Apple A9 be a deal-breaker for you?
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s forthcoming 4-inch iPhone to be powered by Apple A8 SoC, sources say – November 17, 2015
KGI: Apple to release new 4-inch iPhone in early 2016; A9-powered, but no 3D Touch – November 4, 2015
Why Apple might launch a new 4-inch iPhone in early 2016 – October 15, 2015
No 4-inch ‘iPhone 6c’ at Apple’s September 9 event, iPhone 5c to be discontinued – August 27, 2015
Should Apple make a state-of-the-art 4-inch iPhone? – July 31, 2015
Analyst: Apple has scrapped plans for a 4-inch iPhone 6c – July 27, 2015
Analyst: No 4-inch iPhone coming – May 12, 2015
If Apple makes a next-gen 4-inch iPhone, they should do it right, not make it a second class device – March 26, 2015
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Gee, what sort of rumor should we start to try to stop Christmas iPhone buyers?
EXACTLY. This stinks of, yet again, either:
Ignorance
Or
M A N I P U L A T I O N
I don’t need the 3-D touch but I’d love to have my touch ID my six is just too large for me and I’d love to have the old 4 inch back
4″, Touch ID, big ass battery, metal case that isn’t the colour of a kids pencil case.
No. Same specs as the full size phone or no sale.
If 3D touch is intended to be a significant aspect of the user interface, then it needs to be a standard feature on all new models once it has been released.
Since we’re speculating, it would definitely need to have ApplePay support (NFC).
The C model iPhones are all about colours, not so much about which tech would be included. Colour is a buying point too often pooh-poohed by knowledgeable industry commenters who see consumer tech as no different from patio tables and can openers. Commodities do not have identical consumer draw; clothing, jewelry, and art for instance sell on features considered “superficial” by tech-minded cynics. Automobiles sell on aesthetics as much as anything on the tech sheet. And everything sells on brandedness.
My 6 Plus is too big for me. I want a phone that fits in my shirt pocket, like my old 4. So I may downgrade if a new small iPhone appears.
A 4″ with finger print sensor and powered by the A9 and I’ll retire my 4s.
rumors rumors …
I doubt apple will introduce a new form factor before the iphone 7 line up ….