New 4-Inch 'iPhone 5e' Could Feature A8 Chip, 1GB of RAM, Apple Pay and VoLTE Calling

[\-V-/]

No, a smaller device. In 2016, especially towards the end of the year, a 4" phone is not a "normal-sized" device. It's just not. You guys need to open your eyes to the world around you. Very few people want phones like this, and most of them hardly use their phone for anything.

Also, the whining about specs...you put top-spec guts in here, with the small battery required - you'll have disappointing battery life. Also, lower-end specs will have an easier time with the lower-resolution screen. The 5s display is much easier to push pixels on than a 6 Plus display.

The 6 really only has 30% more pixel density. This product [if true] will be using the chip in the 6, so there's no reason they couldn't put an A9 chip in it (or just make it a smaller iPhone 7). And your comments regarding battery life don't really hold any water. The 5S battery is 1560mAh while the 6 is only 1810mAh. That's only a 16% increase in battery size. Not to mention that the latest A9 chip is the most power efficient yet and iOS 9 takes advantage of that ... coupled with the resolution of the phone ... it wouldn't have terrible battery life whatsoever. It might even have better battery life pushing less pixels. So yes, there's still a lot to complain about with this phone. Also, with them possibly removing the headphone jack, who knows what they could do with the smaller form factor.

So people bought phones they didn't want because those were the ones available? That's called a terrible consumer.

People buy iPhones like they are crack because of what they are. It's become a cultural norm. Apple has spent years making their products cool to own. People buy them regardless of the size. And people in general are not as well-researched in Apple products as MacRumors forum members.

 

[clausbvc]

Incorrect, the demand is there, the profit margins aren't - the engineering is more difficult and Apple would have to charge MORE for a 4" phone with the same specs as the 6s where its much easy to put all that stuff.

Larger phones are much easier to make, which is the primary reason Samsung started getting bigger and then passed it off as "offering larger screen sizes for the customer" its just lazy engineering - but everyone is blinded by screen sizes so its irrelevant really.

Well, I am not convinced. The iPhone did not start out as a 5.5 inch device in the first place, and the specs kept increasing until 5s in a small phone form factor. So it can easily be done, and not as such question of level of difficulty.
The real problem for any smartphone now, is the present fad of thin phones, making it difficult to even integrate a small headphone plug or decent battery life.

During the time (just the last few years) of iPhone or just general processor development, chipsets have become more powerful, smaller and even less power demanding. If you take a look inside the latest Macbook series, space is not taken up by PCB´s, but batteries.

I imagine the real culprit is the bigger hardware meaning higher price syndrome. No one ever said that a top-spec-ed 4" should be cheap, but obviously, when returns are running the company, the larger phones should be even higher priced, and probably un-sellable (especially compared to the competition).

So, in short, if Apple would build a high end 4" they could, but due to price setting compared to larger phones, they won´t.

 

[\-V-/]

But I really don't see why many of my friends prefer the 6plus.

I didn't think I would like a screen that size until I bought a 6P while I still owned my 6S. After playing with my Nexus (which is .2" bigger than the Plus) for a month ... I couldn't go back to my 6S. The screen felt way too small. Was just weird. It's how I felt going from my 5S to the 6S.

 

[Tech198]

in this eco-system. you'd have thought everyone likes larger phones only.... but that's not the case, since we will buy any sized phone, as long as its not the size of a postage stamp, we'll get 'em

 

[clausbvc]

Considering switching to an iPod and facetalk until a good 4" comes by.

 

[Max(IT)]

Good luck buying those in the U.S. I don't believe the Xperia Z5 is even for sale here, let alone the compact.


4.7" iPhone 6s - 1715mAh
4.7" Xperia Z4 Compact - 3000mAh
5.0" HTC One M9 - 2840mAh
5.1" Galaxy S6 - 2550mAh

As I said, other manufacturers are perfectly capable of doing this.

As far as I know z4 compact doesn't exist.
S6 and One M9 are bigger than iPhone 6s
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And the 5.5" iPhone 6S Plus only has a 2750mAh battery. That battery in the Z4 is pretty beastly.



Linus?

Could you post any evidence the z4 compact actually EXIST ?
The z5 compact is thicker than the iPhone 6s and it doesn't have a 3000 mAh battery (it's 2700)

 

[deaglecat]

Not gonna be called Iphone 5e.

Try IPhone 6Se
Try IPhone 6Smini
Try Ipod 6 gen LTE ... only kidding !

 

[dampfnudel]

If you think an A8 processor is "gimped" then I want to have what you're smoking

Exactly, the A8 in my iPad mini 4 seems to perform flawlessly. No noticeable lag so far with any of the games I played or any other app. Now, my iPad mini 4 also has 2GB of RAM and the A8 is clocked slightly higher so it will perform a little better than a lower clocked A8/1GB RAM combo, but it's still an A8. Some people may be worried that a future iOS update like 10 or 11 will "gimp it" and that's a legit concern even for me, but not a big one. For most people the A8 will be plenty powerful for their needs, even a year or two from now. Because the A8 is so prevalent now, app developers will have to make sure their apps and games play really nice with those A8 devices for the next 3 years plus. To be honest, I think gaming/graphical performance on iOS has reached some sort of plateau and an A8 can easily handle anything game developers throw at it now and a year from now. It may be a temporary situation, but I think it will last for a while at least. Any A9/A10 "enhancements" will be negligible and considered a light gravy at most.

 

[igorsky]

People buy iPhones like they are crack because of what they are. It's become a cultural norm. Apple has spent years making their products cool to own. People buy them regardless of the size. And people in general are not as well-researched in Apple products as MacRumors forum members.

Don't really see the correlation between this and your belief that it is Apple's responsibility to please every individual user. As I've said before, the market decides what sells. If the iPhone 6 sold poorly then it's likely Apple would've put more effort into a more competitive 4" phone. As it stands, there is no incentive to do so.

You guys don't seem to understand that for every one of you on this forum who complains about a lack of a feature, there are a 100k customers for whom this isn't an issue. Sorry, that's reality.

 

[geta]

iPhone with 4 inch, A8 (a very capable processor), 8mp camera (one of best), ApplePay, etc is good deal. Its not beast, but its as fast as 6, and very compact too. Might sell well.

For the right price i will get it (also with 1GB RAM), even though I would like a 4" flagship iPhone or at least 6s specs, but iPhone with 2 years tech for $500 (im guessing in Europe it will cost €500 like the 5s) > No Thanks.

 

[Mac 128]

Try to view it from Apple's point of view, yeah? What evidence is there that "plenty of people" want smaller phones? They just sold more phones than ever before, and the models were all 4.7" and above. The market has spoken, and the market wants larger phones. Sure, there are a relatively small amount of users who prefer the smaller size, and for those users Apple has provided the iPhone 5S. Not as powerful as the current models, but plenty powerful for those who prefer that size.

All things considered, I give Apple a lot of credit for at least making an effort to appease a very vocal minority.

Wow. First of all this is a rumor that is counter to many other rumors. Second of all, this doesn't mean there won't also be a "6c".

If this is the only 4" phone and Apple prices it at $500, then they are going to lose out on the higher profit margins of a flagship phone, which many customers -- both those already using the 6/S, and up to 40% of the current installed user base -- may be holding out for. And they all aren't entry level customers. Many of those looking to downgrade to a smaller phone than the 6, or upgrade to the same size phone, will be able to afford a lot more than $500. But depending on how important the 4" form factor is to them, they may opt for see over features. If that happens, Apple leaves money on the table. And that's just dumb.

While I agree Apple likely has the data to inform this move, I would be surprised if that data shows there's no substantial market for a premium, or premium-adjacent phone, which will not only keep the more affluent customer paying more, but it will encourage the low-end customers to pay a bit more to get the size they have been holding out for. Again, this is but one single rumor making this prediction, out of many others predicting something else. If it's true, it suggests Apple is going to offer two price tiers, eventually covering 3 sizes in all price points. Offer an updated "5e", Offer a "6c", and maybe even offer a "7e", depending on how well sales go of the 4" models.

 

[dearfriendx]

But people want the flagship phone to come in the old size ... not the old phone to be available for the flagship price. This phone is not "affordable" by any means if this information is true. I don't know anyone that is hard up on cash that can just shell out 500 bucks.

The iPhone 5C was not the flagship price. This "E" phone will most likely not be flagship price either. Welcome to reality. You can't get everything you want all the time. The reality is Apple wants more marketshare for iOS. The way to do that is to reach markets which are on the cusp of not being able to afford the latest and greatest but can settle for newish features for a slash in price. They aren't worried about markets where 4.7" and 5.5" iPhones sell like hot cakes. It's blatantly obvious.
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Why e? What would the e mean?

It's a barely accounted for rumor, but for rumor's sake I would guess Economy
[doublepost=1452544375][/doublepost]

Also iPhone users in those other markets are not spoiled, entitled brats like they are in the US. In those countries, people feel fortunate to have any model that they can afford. Here in the US, everyone feels they're entitled to the model and specs that serve their own personal use cases, at a price they feel is fair. You're making great points that, unfortunately, will go over these people's heads.

Glad someone here can appreciate my forcefully unbiased points. I am an American who lives for tech and can afford what I like, but I can also understand socioeconomics in other places of the world where they just want to enjoy a new Apple product.
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Right, I do not care what OS is on my phone. I have iOS, Android, Windows Phone and even Ubuntu on my phones (WP and Ubuntu being the primary ones). So, just please show me a 4" top-of-the-line phone and I'll be happy because I'll be darned to find one!

I have had most of the mobile OS's as well and iOS is still my favorite. I appreciate your input, not having a care for the OS on the phone, just a speedy, up to date 4" phone. I respect that. I wonder if they'll ever come back down though after the incredible demand of iPhones at their current sizes.

 

[geoff5093]

As far as I know z4 compact doesn't exist.
S6 and One M9 are bigger than iPhone 6s
[doublepost=1452542706][/doublepost]
Could you post any evidence the z4 compact actually EXIST ?
The z5 compact is thicker than the iPhone 6s and it doesn't have a 3000 mAh battery (it's 2700)

You're right, it was a rumored phone. Still, the Z3 Compact had a 2600mAh batter and the Z5 Compact is 2700. Dimensions aren't much different, the S6 is actually thinner. Again, my whole point here is that in a phone relatively the same size as the 6s, can have a much larger battery than what the 6s has.

6s: 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm
z5 Compact: 127 x 65 x 8.9 mm
S6: 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm
M9: 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6 mm

 

[igorsky]

While I agree Apple likely has the data to inform this move, I would be surprised if that data shows there's no substantial market for a premium, or premium-adjacent phone, which will not only keep the more affluent customer paying more, but it will encourage the low-end customers to pay a bit more to get the size they have been holding out for.

Apple has been winning the phone game for a while now. They know how to play. If this so-called "substantial market" existed, that phone would be made.

 

[abrooks14]

I already have a 5s, so such a device is not something I would spend money on. I'll wait to see if a proper smaller 7c is released in September.

I have a 4S and trust me, this is also something I would not spend money on. Oh well, plenty of other places for my cash.

 

[GhostRaider]

They should call it the iPhone 6M or iPhone 6 Mini.

Then starting with IPhone 7,

iPhone 7 Mini (7M)
iPhone 7 (4.7)
iPhone 7 Pro (7P) (5.5)

Consistency is something Apple doesn't understand

 

[CEmajr]

Hope this is really coming out so that we can finally see the end of the crying about a small iPhone.

 

[fabulous-femme]

I like this rumour. That just means I don't need to upgrade my iPhone 5S. Apple Pay and VoLTE are the only new features ... both are of no value for me.

 

[iCloudStrife]

Looks like I'll be sticking with my 5s. These updates are not enough to make me upgrade, unfortunately. Sad....

 

[vertsix]

Hahahahahahaha! A8 with 1GB of RAM? Now that's pathetic. The 2GB A8 is already on other devices, why not this one?

As expected, this is going to suck.

 

[iZac]

Initially I was indignant that Apple (reputedly) consider my preffered device size only worthy of 18 month old hardware, but I've slept on it and mellowed out. My phone is already nearly 40 months old, and if I get to pay much less for it than the overpriced flagship they offer, all the better. I can live without 3D Touch for another few years.

My insistence that Apple was still going to make a 4" device was based on the fact that that bothered to update the iPod at all. So it makes sense if they re-appropriate the new iPod touch hardware into a new iPhone too. Why waste the R&D?

 

[Vanilla35]

The fact that a customer is oblivious about six or seven different versions of a product before paying $700 is the customer's fault, not Apple's. It's three blocks of a product: block 6, block 6s, block 7.

I never said I support stupid people. Just pointing out the obvious, people will be stupid.

 

[oldmacs]

Well this is an absolute crap excuse for a phone. Apple you had one job... Build a 4 inch phone with an A9 processor and 2GB of ram.

 

[Lynxpoint]

For me, no matter what they release, it will be a step up from my iPhone 4. I have stuck with the 4 because it is the right screen size for me if I am to actually take the phone with me and use it where I most wish to - running.

I have several times thought about getting an iPod Touch, but no GPS. Last year I decided to get a Garmin Fenix 3 for running and it works well for that need. If I want music with me, I take my iPod shuffle.

The end result is that I can accomplish what I need with less physical hardware than an iPhone, which is great.

So... even though anything Apple releases will be better than my 4, I may still not get one, and this is because of my use case.

One thing I find interesting about the phones and the bigger and bigger screens is the push for the device to be a generalist device. For me however, it can't do it. Even a 6+, which is so large it would get carried around as much as my iPad (which is to never leave the house), the screen is too small to do anything functional on it that cannot be done on the 3.5 inch screen. As such, the phone is a specialized device - good for a short list of mobile functions, in my view.

So as it stands, while Apple may finally release something I could consider replacing my aging iPhone with, I most likely won't because the period where these devices made sense to me has passed. Smaller, more specialized devices make more sense to me now, for my needs, and I am quite happy leaving the iPhone and its 'smartphone' relatives in the history bin.

 

[furi0usbee]

No. What Apple is saying is that for many, those who want a smartphone but don't have a lot of music and photos/vids etc., 16GB will work fine and people can pay less money. For those that have greater storage needs, simply pay for that option. Don't assume your needs are like everyone else's.

You probably do not understand that automobile manufacturers, such as BMW, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Mercedes, and all others, sell a base model automobile at a base advertised price. For those that need more features beyond what the base model offers, manufacturers have options available to meet those needs for more money.

Simple.

Enough with the automobile analogy already please. Doesn't Apple "think different?" Ditch the 16 GB Cupertino.