Apple could be planning to release a new 4-inch iPhone early next year, according to one prominent analyst.
There have been rumours concerning a new smaller iPhone for some time now. Just a couple of weeks ago, one analyst made a new claim that an iPhone 6C was in the works for mid-2016.
Now a new report has brought that date forward to early next year.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who seems to be well connected to Apple’s supply line, has issued a research note confirming that a new 4-inch iPhone is indeed in the works. Kuo believes that the new iPhone will resemble an upgraded iPhone 5S, which was the last 4-inch iPhone Apple released back in 2013.
As relayed by MacRumours, the new compact iPhone will be powered by the same A9 CPU that powers the iPhone 6S. It’ll also have a similar 2.5D curved glass display to the iPhone 6S, as well as NFC for Apple Pay compatibility.
For those looking for another plastic iPhone to follow on from the iPhone 5C, you’re in for a disappointment. Kuo claims that the new iPhone will have an all-metal body, which will come with two or three colour options.
The camera specs appear to be more iPhone 6 than iPhone 6S at 8-megapixels for the rear and 1.2-megapixels for the front.
Related: iPhone 7 features
Perhaps the best news is that this smaller iPhone will come in at a lower price of $400-500, “with the aim of penetrating emerging markets and consumers on smaller budgets.”
To provide some context, last year’s iPhone 6 currently starts from $549, or £459. The new 4-inch iPhone, then, could retail for between £300 and 400.
Check out our iOS 9 features video guide below:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
