Rumors about the newest models of iPhone have been swirling, often debunked as fast as they appear. But the latest rumor reported by 9to5Mac about Apple re-introducing an iPhone with a 4-inch display may come to fruition this spring.
The device, which is reportedly referred to internally as “N69″—in no way an update to the N64 from Nintendo—is an updated model of the iPhone 5s. At launch, which is expected to occur in March or April of this year, the phone will be called the iPhone 5se.
It’s odd for Apple to dip so far back into its inventory, pulling out the flagship device of 2013 to be remodeled three years later, but the device will sport significant upgrades over its original run.
The device is rumored to sport the 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.2 megapixel front-facing lens from the iPhone 6, along with new support for improved video recording and Live Photos. A barometer for tracking elevation will be added, as well as an NFC chip for Apple Pay. and the A8 and M8 chipsets from the iPhone 6 will be inside the device, along with Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE, and 802.11ac WiFi chips from the iPhone 6s.
Structurally, the phone will reportedly appear closer to the iPhone 6 or 6s thanks to curved glass in place of the shiny, cutaway edges of the iPhone 5s. The device will also come in the same silver, space gray, and rose gold finishes offered for the iPhone 6s. The biggest difference, though, will be the drop back down to 4 inches, a request of iPhone users since the size was done away with.
The iPhone 5se won’t feature the pressure-sensitive screen of the iPhone 6s, but will act as a way of keeping those who prefer the previous model of iPhone up-to-date on other technological advances and operating system upgrades offered by Apple. The iPhone 5s is expected to be discontinued, and the 5se will replace it at the same price point.
An announcement for the iPhone 5se is expected to happen at Apple’s event in March. That leaves Apple with over a month to come up with a better name.
H/T 9to5Mac | Photo via K?rlis Dambr?ns/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
