iPhone 6c rumors: 4-inch $400 phone for small hands

iPhone 6c rumors: 4-inch $400 phone for small hands

Apple will launch an iPhone 6c next year, featuring the old- skool 4-inch display, an A9 SoC, Apple Pay, and a metal case. It will replace... 07:23

Apple will launch an iPhone 6c next year, featuring the old-
skool 4-inch display, an A9 SoC, Apple Pay, and a metal
case. It will replace the 5c as the entry-level shiny in
Apple’s smartphone lineup.
At least, that’s what the rumors say. And they’re now
bolstered by Ming-Chi Kuo piling in.
Trust Kuo to get it right? Well, his track record is pretty
good, but as ever, you should take this rumor with some
seasoning.
In IT Blogwatch, bloggers trust but verify.
Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your
entertainment.
What do we know about the next iPhone? Isn’t it about time
KGI weighed in? Here’s Ming-Chi Kuo, via Joe Rossignol—
New A9-Based 4-Inch iPhone Expected to Launch Early 2016
With Apple Pay and Colorful Metal Casing :
While new model may not generate huge sales, Apple still
has good reasons to launch. These are:
(1) still-existing demand for 4-inch smartphones. We
estimate 15-17mn 4-inch iPhones will be shipped in 2015.
We estimate the new 4-inch model will account for 8-9% of
total iPhone shipments in 2016F;
(2) expected price of US$400-500, with the aim of
penetrating emerging markets and consumers on smaller
budgets; and
(3) adoption of NFC will support Apple Pay, benefiting the
ecosystem.
…
Recently slowed iPhone 6s orders validates our prediction
six months ago that the model may not outsell iPhone 6,
potentially resulting in the supply chain returning to a
normal cycle starting 1Q16F, and with shipments declining
30-40% QoQ. While the new 4-inch iPhone may not catalyze
shipments, it should still help mitigate slow seasonality for
suppliers and a negative impact on share performance. This
would also in turn raise investor awareness of the Apple
supply chain.
Um, remind me again? Who is that? Here’s Neil “before
Zod” Hughes— http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/12/03/
apples-new-4-inch-iphone-will-have-a9-cpu-apple-pay-
launching-in-early-2016-insider-says :
The KGI Securities analyst...has a strong track record in
predicting Apple's future product plans.
…
Kuo said the new 4-inch iPhone will boast an A9 processor.
…
Though it will look largely like an iPhone 5s, Kuo said the
design...will feature "2.5D" cover glass, or slightly curved
like on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s.
…
[He] also believes that Apple will offer the iPhone 5c in two
or three casing colors.
…
As for the flagship 2016 model, Kuo believes the so-called
"iPhone 7 Plus" will feature 3 gigabytes of RAM [and an]
"A10" processor [but] that the 4.7-inch "iPhone 7" is unlikely
to see a RAM increase, and will feature the same 2
gigabytes as the iPhone 6s.
Oh boy. Triangulating, here’s Ben Lovejoy, with Latest
iPhone 6c rumor repeats metal casing claims, claims launching
in Jan, on sale in Feb :
Apple may have used the term “unapologetically plastic” to
describe the iPhone 5c, but the latest report about its 6c
successor repeats earlier rumors that Apple will be switching
to metal this time around.
…
Unsurprisingly, it’s not expected that the device will support
3D Touch – a feature Apple will likely want to reserve for its
flagship handsets for some time – but it has been
suggested that the 6c will get Touch ID and an NFC chip to
support Apple Pay.
…
The thinking goes that the 6c would replace the iPhone 5s
as the entry-level handset.
For once, a certain pseudonymous writer is talking sense.
The Macalope searches its Short-term memory :
It’s that time again!
…
[Writers for] the goblin-infested warren of ancient dwarf
mines that hides an unspeakable darkness...known as
Business Insider...are like babies. ... Also, their heads might
be soft.
…
Nobody buys big phones anymore. ... What was Apple
thinking making big phones? Who told them to do that? You
know, other than Business Insider, over and over again,
relentlessly for like years.
…
Just wait another week, there’ll be more weird and
nonsensical stuff to absorb your attention.
Didn’t Steve Jobs say something about the size of an
iPhone? I forget. But Humble Eagles reminds us:
The big phones were received so well that Apple almost
forgot they were the ones arguing that 4 inches was as big
as a phone should be. I think this is a recognition that their
earlier intuition wasn't all wrong--some people want a 4 inch
phone.
…
The other big part of this is enabling Apple Pay on all of
their phones.