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New reports claim to share details of upcoming iPhones, 4-inch specs, waterproofing & more

60-iPhone-AP

Two new reports today from publications with mixed track records claim to share details of Apple’s upcoming iPhone lineup including the much rumored 4-inch iPhone “6c” and plans for the company to bring waterproofing and other new hardware features to future iPhone models. 

The first report comes from Chinese blog MyDrivers and claims to have more specs for an upcoming 4-inch iPhone 6c courtesy of what they call reliable supply chain sources. Specifically, the report claims the new device will have a 1642mAh battery, which is notably larger than Apple’s latest 4-inch iPhone, the iPhone 5c. In addition, the site backs up other recent reports noting an A9 processor, 16GB of storage, Touch ID, and 2GB of RAM as other specs reportedly planned for the device.

If Apple is to introduce the new 4-inch iPhone 6c (or whatever they decide to call it), it’s possible it could arrive at the company’s next press event that we reported earlier this month that is currently scheduled for March.

In a separate report today, this one from Chinese publication Commercial Times (via Digitimes), Apple is reportedly planning waterproofing features for upcoming iPhones. The detail is mentioned in a report on Apple supplier Catcher Technology, which going into next year will “remain as the largest chassis supplier for Apple’s upcoming new iPhone products.” 

It doesn’t specify which new models if not all would receive the waterproofing, but adds that upcoming iPhones will also receive a “new compound materials to hide the antenna”, which has been unsightly on recent iPhone designs.

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Comments

  1. Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS feed me more. I needs it. I wants it. Make it cool and new and different. Even fixing the antenna lines would make people jealous knowing they’ll have to wait another 6 months to get a new big phone that isn’t ugly on the back. The only thing that can possibly disappoint me about this device is if it didn’t have 3d touch. But even then I’ll get it.

    If it got waterproofing, calling it the “iPhone sport” would be kinda cool. A smaller, portable, waterproof phone would be really appealing for active people. Or “iphone mini” or the not likely but would be awesome thing is to call it “iphone” since it will be closer to the original size. Then call the big junk “iphone pro”.

    Spring, come to me. Heed my call. Give me 4″ phone and watch 2.

    • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

      You know the 4″ probably won’t be waterproof right? The first thing you’ll hear from Apple about waterproofing will be at the iPhone 7 keynote. That’s a feature they will talk about for the iPhone 7, not the upgraded 4″ phone. Clearly what they’re going to be doing is releasing a 4″ with essentially iPhone 6S specs, in March/April, then the iPhone 7 will come and then a new 4″ in March/April 2017 and so on, which only makes since if they think they can’t have the component supply enough for 3 separate screen sizes at the same time. So if you like a 4″ screen, be prepared to have about 6 month older tech, although, it will be equal to the previous September models.

      • taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

        If the c models go to an annual cycle what happens with the the 6s when the 7 comes out or 7c(6c) when the *c(7c) comes out? Apple could have 6 to 7 models if include the plus models. Apple already has enough sky’s with its product lines.I still don’t see who the market for the next c model will be when the bezels get reduced and home button removed or built into another spot of the phone. You can get a 4.7″ model with a similar footprint of the 5s.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        @taoprophet420 I will eat a plate of steal if this thing is a “c” model. it’s a new damn line. Just like the ipad mini and ipad pro and ipad air are all separate lines that have old versions of themselves still on sale.

        There will be a iphone mini and old iphone mini on sale. A iphone and old iphone on sale, and a iphone pro and old iphone pro on sale.

        The 7 replaces the 6s and the 6s replaces the 6. The iphone mini goes on sale and the 5s drops in price (or gets dropped).

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        smoothies, I’m not sure why you have so little faith in it. It doesn’t sound like just an upgraded 4″ – it’s an opportunity for a new product. Like how the ipad mini was a new product and had a completely redesigned and attractive new body that later the ipad air copied. Water proofing might only happen if they drop the headphone jack. Dropping it from a small phone first makes sense. More room for battery – smaller market for small phone so they can start the transition – show people why this is interesting and better.

        It may recycle parts internally but no one needs to know that. They just need to see an attractive new product offering from apple. Something that stands out on it’s own aside from just being smaller. Why does this device deserve to be a form factor that sticks around? what makes this size better or different as a product that we can use to strengthening it’s marketing message? Just being smaller with old internals doesn’t cut it. we need macbook level design change. Something that showcases what bigger phones simply can’t be.

        They had a hard time marketing the c. It was a decent product but saying. “it comes in pretty colors” is a tough sell. That’s why they needed so many more commercials for it. This is cool because it’s fun and fits your style (not because it’s cheaper). This won’t be a 6c, That product line is dead.

      • @Greg Kaplan

        “what makes this size better or different as a product that we can use to strengthening it’s marketing message?”

        A9, 2GB RAM, TouchID, Apple Pay – for people who want a smaller iPhone 6S: That’s the marketing message.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        @Greg it’s for people that want a smaller phone, that’s all. There are plenty enough people that want a smaller phone for Apple to go ahead and sell one. It will be extremely thin, light, and small. I think this phone will be the really thin phone, not the iPhone 7. It will have the iPhone 6/6s rounded beveled edges, and it will be like 6mm thick.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        for people who want a smaller iPhone 6s: That’s the marketing message.

        Shameer, I guess the problem is that if it doesn’t have 3d touch than it’s not a smaller iphone 6. It either needs to equal the big devices in features or it needs to do something better than a big phone. Being smaller but less capable isn’t great – even the ipad mini at least threw in a new design to spruce it up. If it were a smaller 6s I would be satisfied.

        smoothies, If it is really thin – like so much so that it’s noticeably more appealing than I guess that’s fine. Like if basically looked like the ipod touch with smoothed glass edge. I’m just not sure how they will achieve decent battery life in a product like that with cellular.

        anyway, I’m just overly excited for this thing.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        @Greg They will achieve decent battery life because of improvements made since the iPhone 5S. It’s going to have the same size and resolution display as the iPhone 5S, but with iPhone 6S internals, which means it will be insanely more efficient than the iPhone 5S, and instead of powering the larger screen and resolution, it will be powering the same as the iPhone 5S. Also with the rumored larger battery, it should have great battery life.

  2. CANUCK 787 (@canuck_787) - 8 years ago

    The FACT is that if Apple made a 3 inch 4 GB iphone there will be a demand for it just so these insecure and low income folks can be part of the “in” crowd. Society is more and more about owning a designer or brand name label. While this new smaller model will not be Apple’s bread and butter, it will enough to attract and satisfy those who normally could not afford an iPhone or those people who prefer a smaller size. Of course, these people are in the minority and in no way will play a big role in Apple’s profits, but Apple will gouge them enough that Apple will still make enough to produce a low-end Walmart type model

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.