Apple is said to be making a 4-inch iPhone that will be powered by an A9 processor, but will not have the 3D Touch feature. It is slated for release in 2016 alongside the new iPhone 7.
A 4-inch Apple iPhone could be released by Apple according to Ming-Chi Kuo, a KGI Securities analyst known to make accurate predictions on Apple's products. Kuo expects that Apple will add a 4-inch iPhone to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus family, which will be dubbed as iPhone 6c. The 4-inch iPhone 6c will be a replacement to the current iPhone 5s, reported ExtremeTech.
The 4-inch iPhone will sport a higher-end metal casing unlike the iPhone 5c's plastic case. The metallic body of the 4-inch iPhone "resembles an upgraded iPhone 5s."
Apple's upcoming 4-inch iPhone is said to house an A9 processor similar to that of the iPhone 6s. It will also have a Retina display.
"As there is still demand for a 4-inch iPhone, we believe Apple will upgrade this product line. Because the iPhone 5s is more popular than the iPhone 5c, we think Apple is likely to launch an upgraded iPhone 5s," Kuo noted. "We predict Apple will mass-produce this new 4-inch iPhone in 1H16 with metal casings. In order to make the current iOS 9 or next-generation iOS 10 run smoothly, Apple may adopt an A9 chip for this new phone."
Venture Capital Post earlier reported that the 4-inch Apple iPhone will likely not have 3D Touch feature. The reason is that Apple typically reserves the 3D Touch feature for its premium models. Kuo said that not having 3D Touch will differentiate the 4-inch iPhone from the other iPhones.
The 4-inch Apple iPhone is likely to be launched in the first half of 2016. It could accompany the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus which are expected to come in September 2016.
International Business Times reported that Apple is working on a new design for the iPhone 7. Apple is said to be working with a new material to replace aluminum. There are also rumors that the new iPhones will be dustproof and waterproof.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will come in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes respectively. The last 4-inch iPhone made by Apple was the iPhone 5c which has already been discontinued.
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