It’s to be expected that Apple will release an iPhone 6S and an iPhone 6S Plus at its annual September event, but sources indicate we might also see a third new model this season: the iPhone 6C.
A report claims that alongside the larger iPhones (boasting 4.7 and 5.5 inch screens) the new iPhone 6C would offer a smaller, cheaper alternative with a 4-inch screen – the same size as the iPhone 5. This is good news for those who aren’t fans of big phones, but it comes at a performance cost compared to the larger handsets.
Details are far from concerned, but it’s expected that the iPhone 6C would likely use the A8 processing chip found in the current generation of models, and will include NFC (near field communication) and fingerprint scanning. This would be a big increase on power and features compared to the last ‘budget’ model Apple released, 2013’s iPhone 5C.
The current generation – iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – are expected to be updated to their ‘S’ versions with the new A9 chip and a welcome upgrade to 2GB of RAM, which would make multitasking a much easier prospect for the handset. They will likely include the new Force Touch technology seen in the Apple Watch and the latest MacBook Pro trackpads, allowing for new types of gestures and subtle force feedback. Some reports also mention the possibility of a dual-lens camera with optical zoom.
It remains to be seen exactly how the iPhone 6C will be marketed – as a cheap way into the current generation of features, or simply as an upgrade for those with an iPhone 5 who don’t want a bigger screen size. Either way it looks like customers will have more choice come September.