A 4-inch iPhone 6s — resembling an “upgraded iPhone 5s” — is on the way in the first half of 2016, says renowned Apple prognosticator, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo claims the handset will come with an A9 processor and metal casing — although customers shouldn’t expect Apple to incorporate its 3D Touch technology into the handset, as a way of differentiating it from the premium iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models.
It’s been a while since we heard any news concerning Apple’s rumored return to the 4-inch iPhone form factor. Previously, rumors claimed that the smaller device would be released two months after the launch of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus — something which clearly isn’t happening.
Prior to this, news circulated that Apple had actually abandoned work on a smaller iPhone, despite having briefly circulated it to select manufacturers in its supply chain.
Like the physical Apple TV set, a new 4-inch iPhone could become one of those rumors that’s perennially four months away, but Ming-Chi Kuo does tend to have a better record than many of his fellow analysts. If such a device does become a reality, Kuo thinks Apple will ship 20-30 million units of the handset through the end of 2016.
Kuo additionally has a few words of wisdom about the iPhone 7. In particular, he says it will sport an A10 processor (which virtually everyone could have predicted), but also that Apple will seek to differentiate the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus from the regular iPhone 7 by having 3GB RAM for the former, while sticking to the current 2GB for the latter.
Oh, and while we’re at it, Foxconn will be the exclusive supplier of the new 4-inch iPhone 6s, while TSMC will be the sole supplier of both the 4-inch’s A9 chip and the iPhone 7’s A10 chip. So much for Samsung, if that turns out to be true!
Via: MacRumors
