Lack of iPhone 6c leaks means discontinuation of "C" series iPhones?

[Andres Cantu]

The iPhone 5c leaked in April:
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/04/18/lower-cost-iphones-plastic-rear-shell-reportedly-surfaces/

It's almost August and there have been no leaks on the "C" series iPhones and even Ming Chi-Kuo has not said anything about a 4.7" iPhone 6c, apart from saying that there will be no new 4" iPhone this year.

What do you guys make of this? Do you believe there will be a "C" series iPhone, or will Apple keep the iPhone 6 in the line-up, much like they did with the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4? Perhaps they want to avoid plastic, as even if the iPhone 5c was not a failure, they haven't released any other plastic products since.

 

[Newtons Apple]

No one knows except Apple.

 

[0007776]

There were no leaks of the new iPod touch other than apple putting images into iTunes too early. If there is a 6C I'd imagine it would be using that same board with a cellular chip and touchID added, and possibly the same design as the 5C so it isn't unreasonable to assume that those things slipped under the radar much more easily than a completely new design like the 5C had.

That said no one knows except apple and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't release one. The only thing that makes me wonder is that the new iPod touch stayed at a 4" screen so they might be combining the R&D for the two as it seems like it would have been cheaper for them to just remove the cellular chips from the iPhone 6's logic board and use the same 4.7" screen size.

 

[maflynn]

Maybe, but its too early at this point. We'll find out when apple announces the next generation of iPhones this fall.

 

[cambookpro]

Whether these are real or not is anyone's guess. But we haven't really seen many leaks of anything yet - there was the one iPhone 6S Plus and one iPhone 6S shell, and that's about it. I reckon this time next month we'll know almost exactly what Apple will/won't be releasing.

 

[Zxxv]

iphone 6C made out of the same stuff as the apple watch sports strap. Bounces if you drop it.

 

[0007776]

Whether these are real or not is anyone's guess. But we haven't really seen many leaks of anything yet - there was the one iPhone 6S Plus and one iPhone 6S shell, and that's about it. I reckon this time next month we'll know almost exactly what Apple will/won't be releasing.

That would be great if they are real, and if it really looks that close to the 5C I can see why there haven't been many leaks.

 

[Andres Cantu]

I guess those pictures could be real, but I would think that Apple would offer the next "C" series iPhone in similar colors to the new iPod touch, not the same ones.

With the new iPod touch having an A8 chip, I suppose it's possible for Apple to keep the design of the iPhone 5c in an iPhone 6c but include: A8/M8 chips, the iPhone 5s's or 6's cameras, true-tone flash, Touch-ID, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and NFC for Apple Pay.

 

[profets]

Including subsidies we currently have:

$299 iPhone 6 Plus (A8)
$199 iPhone 6 (A8)
$99 iPhone 5s (A7)
$0 iPhone 5c (A6)

I'd take a guess that this fall we'll have:

$299 iPhone 6s Plus (A9)
$199 iPhone 6s (A9)
$99 iPhone 6c (A8) (possibly a 4.7" iPhone 6 in coloured plastic shells, similar to what happened to the iPhone 5 when the 5s was launched)
$0 iPhone 5s/c (A7) (4" iPhone 5c body with the 5s internals)

This would bring the whole iOS device lineup to minimum A7/64bit SoC.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Including subsidies we currently have:

$299 iPhone 6 Plus (A8)
$199 iPhone 6 (A8)
$99 iPhone 5s (A7)
$0 iPhone 5c (A6)

I'd take a guess that this fall we'll have:

$299 iPhone 6s Plus (A9)
$199 iPhone 6s (A9)
$99 iPhone 6c (A8) (possibly a 4.7" iPhone 6 in coloured plastic shells, similar to what happened to the iPhone 5 when the 5s was launched)
$0 iPhone 5s/c (A7) (4" iPhone 5c body with the 5s internals)

This would bring the whole iOS device lineup to minimum A7/64bit SoC.

That makes a lot of sense to me! I personally don't think that the iPhone 6 and 6+ will be kept in the line-up. If the iPhone 6c turns out to have a 4" screen, however, then I'm not sure if Apple would be nice enough to make that model the "free" model for two years in a row and just forget about the iPhone 5s, since it is made out of aluminum, after all.

 

[seble]

Are people really bothered by a new 6C though? Would the 5S not just equate to the 6C?

 

[Andres Cantu]

Are people really bothered by a new 6C though? Would the 5S not just equate to the 6C?

I wouldn't mind an iPhone 6c, but the iPhone 5s wouldn't equate to it because it doesn't have an A8 chip nor Apple Pay.

 

[Martin81]

There were no leaks of the new iPod touch other than apple putting images into iTunes too early.

When I read the opening post that was my exact same thought. I bet the 5C form factor still has it's fans, since not everybody wants a lager iPhone.

 

[recoil80]

It is time to add Apple Pay to the entire iPhone lineup so I guess we'll have either the 5S with Apple Pay support or a 6C with 4'' display, the internals of the 5S and Apple Pay.

 

[Andres Cantu]

It is time to add Apple Pay to the entire iPhone lineup so I guess we'll have either the 5S with Apple Pay support or a 6C with 4'' display, the internals of the 5S and Apple Pay.

Isn't it interesting how this is probably the first time that nobody knows exactly what Apple will do to their iPhone lineup?

 

[recoil80]

Isn't it interesting how this is probably the first time that nobody knows exactly what Apple will do to their iPhone lineup?

Back in 2013 we knew about the 5C but almost everyone expected the 5 to stay in their lineup.
This year we have less clues, I'm not sure whether they'll continue to sell 6 and 6+ or sell only the 3 new phones

 

[Andres Cantu]

Back in 2013 we knew about the 5C but almost everyone expected the 5 to stay in their lineup.
This year we have less clues, I'm not sure whether they'll continue to sell 6 and 6+ or sell only the 3 new phones

I wouldn't say almost everyone, as towards its release date, some were saying it would replace the iPhone 5.

But there is definitely more mystery this time around.

 

[mojolicious]

Are people really bothered by a new 6C though? Would the 5S not just equate to the 6C?

6C would have the added attraction of a lovely, lovely plastic casing.

 

[Rayy42]

Really wondering if they are going to drop the 6/Plus for the 6c similar to what they did with the iPhone 5.

 

[Tthomas612]

I believe the iPhone 6/6plus will stay in the  lineup for at east one more release cycle...

I don't believe an iPhone 6c is coming

 

[lagwagon]

Whether these are real or not is anyone's guess. But we haven't really seen many leaks of anything yet - there was the one iPhone 6S Plus and one iPhone 6S shell, and that's about it. I reckon this time next month we'll know almost exactly what Apple will/won't be releasing.

I doubt those are real. Why would the hole for the flash be way different from what's already on a 6 (6 is round and not that longer shape in the image for the 6c) Same goes for the speaker/mic at the bottom.

 

[Andres Cantu]

I doubt those are real. Why would the hole for the flash be way different from what's already on a 6 (6 is round and not that longer shape in the image for the 6c) Same goes for the speaker/mic at the bottom.

I don't know if they're real or not, but the argument was that it would be a repackaged iPhone 5s. To me, the speaker grill is what doesn't make sense (since there is only one row currently). They could use the older pill-shaped flash if it's cheaper to produce.

 

[lagwagon]

I don't know if they're real or not, but the argument was that it would be a repackaged iPhone 5s. To me, the speaker grill is what doesn't make sense (since there is only one row currently). They could use the older pill-shaped flash if it's cheaper to produce.

But even the 5c flash hole is round in those images, no reason for it to be way different (since both 5c and 6/6+ use round) for the "supposed" 6c.

As for the speaker grill, I agree. Both 5c and 6/6+ use one row, why would the "leaked" have two rows for a 6c? To me it's totally fake.

 

[cambookpro]

I doubt those are real. Why would the hole for the flash be way different from what's already on a 6 (6 is round and not that longer shape in the image for the 6c) Same goes for the speaker/mic at the bottom.

It's plausible that it's a repackaged 5s, with the elongated true-tone flash and double row of speaker grills. Unlikely, but I wouldn't be shocked to see it in September.

 

[woodekm]

It would be interesting to see a 6C. The lower cost may get a few upgraders vs the reg expensive 6.