At this point, with so many rumors floating about, it'll be a major letdown if Apple doesn't release the rumored "iPhone 6C" with a 4-inch screen.
A pair of reports originating from China suggest the next "small" iPhone could be more than simply an updated iPhone 5C with faster specs and a metal body.
Chinese tech blog MyDrivers (via 9to5Mac) reports the iPhone 6C will have a 4-inch display with the same size and resolution as the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 6S's A9 processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The iPhone will reportedly also come with a Touch ID sensor and a larger 1,642mAh battery (the iPhone 5C has a 1,507mAh battery and the iPhone 5S has a 1,570mAh battery).
The 16GB storage would be a real disappointment. Come on, Apple, it's time for the 16GB iPhone to die. Of course, the puny storage could be a means to keep pricing low.
Additionally, as relayed by DigiTimes, the Chinese publication Commercial Times claims the next iPhones could be waterproof and "use new compound materials to hide the antenna." The report doesn't specify if the improvements will apply to the new small iPhone or the next "iPhone 7," so take the news with a grain of salt.
Still, if the rumors turn out to be true, Apple fans will be elated. The iPhone is one of the few smartphones that isn't water-resistant or waterproof and the exposed antenna bands on the back of the iPhone 6/6S have attracted great criticism for being "un-Apple-like."
An earlier report from Ming-Chi Kuo, a KGI Securities analyst with solid track record reporting on Apple rumors, claims the 4-inch iPhone will sport a metal design, a glass front that curves slightly at the edges like on the iPhone 6S, and an 8-megapixel rear camera as well as a 2-megapixel front camera.
The 4-inch iPhone could be announced as soon as March and share stage time with the Apple Watch 2 announcement, if 9to5Mac's report earlier this month is correct.
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