Despite rumors that Apple plans to hold a mid-March event to introduce several new products, it may not make sense to include a 4-inch iPhone among them, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
Apple has reportedly begun mass production of its new 4-inch handset, with the device slated for release this spring in a bid to kickstart sales in important emerging markets.
Being among the first to offer cases for a new iPhone is a multi-million dollar business opportunity that leaves manufacturers racing to prepare updated models based on rumors and hearsay — a move that can easily backfire.
A picture of a device said to be Apple's latest rendition of an iPhone with a 4-inch display hit the internet this weekend, this time placed next to an iPhone 5 for comparison.
According to connected KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is preparing two major iOS device introductions for the first half of 2016 in the much-rumored 4-inch iPhone and a refreshed 9.7-inch iPad Air 3.
Apple's new, smaller iPhone model expected to launch in the coming months will be a "special edition" version of the iPhone 5s, and will accordingly be named the "iPhone 5se," a new rumor claims.
A video posted to YouTube this week contains footage of what is purportedly a new 4-inch iPhone, boasting the same industrial design as the current iPhone 6 series.
Supply chain scuttlebutt over a new 4-inch iPhone continues to accumulate, with the latest rumors suggesting Apple will name its revamped handset the "iPhone 5e," with the letter 'e' potentially signifying that it is an 'enhanced' version of the iPhone 5s.
Even though Apple's first major hardware launches for 2016 are probably still months away, rumors of the company's roadmap are already widespread, including some potential shakeups for products like the iPhone.
Though Apple's new 4-inch iPhone will sport the same screen size as the iPhone 5s, it will feature a number of internal improvements, including more RAM, a faster A9 processor, and a larger battery, according to a new report.
China Mobile is apparently planning for an April 2016 launch of a new 4-inch iPhone, a product launch calendar from Apple's carrier partner has revealed.
Even with the Christmas break rapidly approaching, news actually picked up this week thanks to new releases, a possible Apple Watch event in March, and the company giving up on launching a streaming TV service — at least for the time being.
For the second year in a row, Apple may hold a media presentation in March to share details on a new Apple Watch launch, as well as the potential debut of a new 4-inch "iPhone 6c" in the spring.
A new survey of U.S. smartphone users has revealed that 20 percent of consumers prefer a smaller handset in the 4-inch range, potentially signaling the market size for a refreshed entry-level iPhone from Apple.
A revamped 4-inch iPhone from Apple will boast not only the same A9 processor as the latest iPhone 6s series, but also a NFC radio to enable Apple Pay transactions, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple shares took a small hit on Tuesday after a report claimed the company decreased iPhone parts orders for the coming two quarters, a move that suggests weaker than expected iPhone 6s sales.
Apple has an improved 4-inch iPhone 5s model ready to go at any time, a new rumor claims, featuring many of the same components found in the 2015 iPod touch upgrade, including the A8 processor that powers the iPhone 6 series, rather than the latest A9 CPU.
Yet another report claims that Apple is planning to refresh its 4-inch iPhone model with revamped hardware next year, and with an earlier than usual timeframe.
Next year could mark Apple's return to the popular 4-inch iPhone form factor, as one well-connected insider believes the company is preparing to mass produce an iPhone 5s upgrade boasting a powerful A9 system-on-chip, metal casing and next-generation software.
Apple stock should bounce back to $130 by the end of the year, helped by solid iPhone sales and high profit margins, a Brean Capital research memo argued on Monday.
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Roger Fingas
AppleInsider Staff
Mikey Campbell
Neil Hughes
