Apple’s iPhone 6c, set to be the first iPhone ever released in the Spring, has got the die-hard 4-inch iPhone fans excited for a return to the smaller form factor smartphone. From what we’ve heard, the iPhone 6c may have new colors that resemble an iPod Touch as much as it’s said to resemble the current crop of iPhones in terms of the physical design. This mockup imagines what the iPhone 6c would look like with iPod and iPhone colors, rounded edges and iPhone 6/s design.
A recent report from KGI anticipates an A9 processor, 16GB of storage, NFC, Touch ID, and 2GB of RAM internally, which will make it extremely fast, especially with the fewer amount of pixels to push compared to Apple’s larger iPhones. Many, including China Times, expected the iPhone 6C to be released last year, but KGI also was the first to suggest a H1 2016 launch.
A series of Chinese reports noted that a larger 1,642mAh battery is in the cards for the 6C– an upgrade from the battery in the 5s– but support for 3D Touch is likely not. That’s a feature Apple will likely want to reserve as a highlight feature of its flagship handsets for some time. And the reports again suggested that the 6c will get Touch ID and an NFC chip to support Apple Pay.
Our Mark Gurman exclusively reported that Apple would be having a March 2015 event where Apple Watch 2 would be revealed and an iPhone 6c would be a likely second billing.
We don’t expect the iPhone 6c to have an OLED display, though it seems like Apple is moving in that direction on its flagships.
(Head below for the full gallery put together built by our friend Ferry Passchier)
The iPhone 6c would obviously replace the iPhone 5s as Apple’s entry level device, which is currently available for $450 and up and for free with a 2-year commitment. That device is getting old and Apple needs something new to offer die-hard 4-inch fans as the 5c’s aging specs become more and more obsolete. We expect the price of the iPhone 6c to be similar. Also, the 5s is available in 16GB and 32GB configurations with a $50 premium on the higher end model.
There has been some speculation that the name of the device might instead be the iPhone 7c, since it could eventually accompany the upcoming iPhone 7 in the lineup. However with the usual fall launch still expected for the iPhone 7, this feels unlikely.
But what’s more interesting here is that Apple’s iPhone 6c will start to resemble its iPod touch lineup more than ever before, to the point that perhaps there will soon be no need for a separate iPod line at all. We noted in our review of Apple’s refreshed iPod touch in July that an iPhone 5s and 5c models could be had for around the same amount as a new iPod touch. It remains to be seen exactly how Apple prices the new 6c, or what happens to the iPod line, but the 6c will certainly be the most attractive option to those that would otherwise opt for a 4-inch iPod touch or previous generation 4-inch iPhone.
While the new iPhone 6c may spike the low end of Apple’s market, IDC doesn’t expect the release to change the Android-led smartphone landscape drastically.
