The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus marked Apple’s first foray into the world of larger screened iPhones, a strategy that has worked out exceedingly well for the Cupertino-based company. During the company’s 2014 holiday quarter, for example, Apple sold nearly 75 million iPhones.
With Apple now embracing the world of bigger smartphones, a road admittedly paved by Android many years back, many have wondered if Apple was going to ditch the 4-inch iPhone form factor altogether.
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Thankfully, those with smaller hands, or those who simply aren’t into bigger screens, are in luck. A recent report in Digitimes claims that Apple later this year has plans to release three new iPhone models — an iPhone 6s, an iPhone 6s Plus, and to round out the product lineup, a 4-inch iPhone 6c.
The report further claims that the 6S models will ship with new A9 chips while the 6C model will feature the A8 processor that currently powers the 6 and 6 Plus. And lest anyone think that the 6C will be a poor man’s version of the iPhone, the report relays that the device will come with NFC functionality and Touch ID.
While Digitimes has a notoriously hit-or-miss record when it comes to Apple rumors, their most recent report is extremely plausible, if not downright predictable.
The very reason Apple came out with bigger iPhones was to appeal to a broader user base. That being the case, it’s only in Apple’s best interest to keep the 4-inch form factor alive and well as not every one finds larger screened iPhones all that easy to use. And while the iPhone 5S will likely be free come next September, the 5S lacks Apple Pay functionality that the rumored iPhone 6C will house.
What’s more, this first report we’ve seen of an iPhone 6C model in the works lends more credence to a previous report from The Wall Street Journal which claimed that a pink iPhone model is in the works.
As for other iPhone rumors we’ve seen recently, it’s been reported that Apple’s new iPhone models will sport the same “force touch” feature Apple already showed off on the Apple Watch and the recently unveiled 12-inch Retina MacBook. Indeed, “force touch” may very well be a compelling feature that will further distinguish the iPhone 6C from its more expensive relatives.
Earlier in the month, we also reported that Apple’s next-gen iPhone 6 models may finally ship with 2GB of RAM, an upgrade which should improve overall performance and allow developers to really take apps to new heights.
