New A9-Based 4-Inch iPhone Expected to Launch Early 2016 With Apple Pay and Colorful Metal Casing

[rdlink]

Gotta do something with those left over A9 chips. lol

I hope they finally try to attack the android market on price point just a little. I would like to see increased market penetration.

It's a delicate balance. Market penetration has to be tempered to avoid brand dilution. In spite of what many on these forums' viewpoints are regarding the iPhone the larger market sees it as a "BMW" of phones. If it becomes apparent to the buying public that Apple is aggressively marketing a cheap iPhone they will have brand damage, and the race to the bottom will have begun.

 

[cableguy84]

I will cringe if they call it iphone mini

 

[LordQ]

So an iPhone 5S with the A9 and Apple Pay...

 

[Jax44]

Somebody looking to depress the stock price. Still blows my mind that Apple's PE is 9 while Microsoft's is 37 and Google's is 24. For whatever reason W$ thinks Apple is in perpetual doom. No matter what they report someone's always predicting the next quarter is going to be bad.

Yep, brokers looking to get end of year fees from their clients, or should I say victims?.

 

[Maschil]

It may very well be that Apple plans to split a bit the lineup of iPhones. 3 sizes, 4, 4.7, 5.5. It would make sense to leave for now the iPhone 5S updated, and with higher price tag than currently, and for iPhone 7 bring 3 new formats.

Then they would have 3 sizes with 3 price points and performance.

4 inch:
5S - A7
6C - A9
7C - A10
4.7 inch:
6 - A8
6S - A9
7 - A10
5.5 Inch:
6+ - A8
6S+ - A9
7+ - A10

And the end result is: more money for Apple.

i dont see they this woulld be a bad idea they could start the 4 inch at 100 contract and go up from there, just hope they erase the 16gb models from their lineup

 

[newdeal]

To me, Apple stock is a big sell right now. So many people own iPhones, and the iPhone is so good, that there in my opinion may be slowing sales coming up in the next couple of years as people push upgrades further into the future. Also carrier subsidy models changing will likely affect that as well. Since its doubtful that Apple will be able to create another huge blockbuster in the next year or two like the iPhone has been I see shares starting to fall at some point within a year or two time frame. The one thing propping them up right now is China which is a few years behind in smartphone saturation compared to other markets but I honestly think that the Chinese may be less likely to upgrade as frequently because of the high cost compared to income of Apple products in the country. To me a 4 inch phone makes sense as long as it doesn't cannibalize the sales of larger devices. If they can get penetration of the watch into the mainstream market then smaller phones may become in demand again as people are more able to use their watch a primary device for simple tasks...thats a pretty big IF at this point though

 

[deconstruct60]

... The research note said the new 4-inch iPhone could be priced at between $400 and $500 in the U.S., which would be $149 to $249 cheaper than the 16GB iPhone 6s. ....

It would be very surprising if the price point dropped close to $400. I highly doubt Apple is trying to kill off the iPhone 6 sales (this year's "last year's iPhone) completely. Apple is selling "Last year's" at $549. Something like $499 seems more likely. Maybe under $500, but just barely. The two generations back kneecapped iPhone 5s is being sold at $450. I think this estimate of "between 400 & 500" is price anchoring on the current 5s price point. I don't think Apple is going to introduce a 'new' phone to replace the two year old phone spot in the line up.

It wouldn't be surprising at all to see it at $549 exactly. That still would shrink iPhone 6 sales a bit and make it more so a "I need more/less screen space" decision. That would leave the 4" version still in the "expensive" range; just only slightly less expensive than the 6s.

 

[Thunderhawks]

What about Kuo's track record?

"For a while I thought I didn't need or want a bigger phone but since having my 6s, I don't think I could go back to 4". (Insert size joke here)"

Bought a 6S Plus a few days ago even though upon initial evaluation in the store I thought it was too big, especially if one puts on a case (Which klutzy me needs)

It's been GREAT and coming from a 4S it's "magical".

 

[doelcm82]

I said updating...which would include internals.

Internals, externals, and features... About the only thing staying the same is the position as an entry-level iPhone.

 

[quackers82]

If its at least equal to my iPhone 6 is spec i will sell my 6 and get this. I have big hands, but the iPhone 5 i had before was so much more comfortable to hold. I had a hold of my friends iPhone 5c just a few weeks ago, and i forgot how comfortable the 4" is. I don't need the screen size of the 6.

 

[179202]

Put this with 16GB of memory and add touch ID and I'm certain it'll do very well. I would downgrade from my 6S for it.

 

[wood1208]

It is about time Apple come out and have 4" version iphone with updated technology. People who like portability, handleing etc than they will migrate to this and believe me there are millions of such iphone users. Simple example is 4 iphone users out of 5 in my own home still on iphone 4s(2),5(1),5s(1) and refuse, will not move up bigger iphone but they will move to new iphone 4" replacement.

 

[StoneJack]

The new line for iPhone is finally ready.
Same as iPads, (iPad mini, Air and Pro) we gonna have iPhone 6C, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S+.
Interestingly, there are also 3 sizes for Macbooks: Air, Macbook, Pro.
There are also 21, 24 and 27 inch iMacs.
As owner of first three large iPads and 2 minis, the wider choice is welcome!
Once the line is complete, maybe we can ask for three Macs?
There are now only Mac mini and Pro, but not the mid-tower. I want mid-tower with graphic card expansion bay!

 

[Sykora171]

So basically Apple updating the 5C to the 6C (or whatever they call it) and a metal case instead of plastic.

That's good enough for me haha. I love my 5s, had a 6 for few months when they first came out and had to go back. I just like small phones, but i DID NOT want a "C" type iPhone thats made of plastic. I want as close to what the 5s looks like but with modern internals, as my 5s is starting to show its age.

 

[WWPD]

I have small hands and seriously i use a 6s plus with no problems at all

You must have really long ET fingers if you are using it with one hand.

 

[Jsameds]

I'd prefer a 4.7" display in a body not too dissimilar to the 5S. There's space, the front is 39% bezel, 61% screen.

 

[cableguy84]

So why arent all the 4 inch people demanding a 3.5 inch phone, maybe that will be the next thing they will start crying about

I want a LED notification light but it aint gonna happen lol

 

[dmeier1231]

One thing that bothers me is the promotion of Ming-Chi Kuo. While I understand that the main goal is to drive traffic to the site for ad revenue and exposure, I just can't fathom the ruthless promotion of this analyst who is far from "most accurate.

In evidence of this, I submit to you a couple of brilliant articles written by Chris Rawson, former writer for TUAW. In his articles, he looked at the accuracy of various Apple rumors throughout the year. His findings demonstrated that Ming-Chi Kuo has one of the lowest accuracy rates. Even Time Magazine agreed after reading Chris' brilliant rumor roundup for the year.

"Here at TIME Tech, we like to occasionally remind you that Apple rumors can be purenonsense, and treat most of them with skepticism. But we’re not infallible. For instance, I was too lenient on KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo because of his accurate track record in 2012. Rawson rightly shreds Kuo to pieces for a year full of crazy predictions. Kuo’s no longer looking much better than Peter Misek and Gene Munster, both of whom continue to get press despite a long history of being wrong."

Here are the links to the articles I am referencing:
http://techland.time.com/2014/01/03/last-years-apple-rumors-mostly-bogus/
http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/30/2013-rumor-retrospective-all-the-leaks-were/
http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/11/rumor-roundup-iphone-6-and-iwatch-retrospective/

Personally, if I were going to label someone as "most accurate", I would name John Gruber. He seems to have some good inside sources, though he has been wrong also, but not at the level of Ming-Chi Kuo.

 

[skiltrip]

I love the plastic build on the 5c. I don't know why they wouldn't stick with it.

Definitely stays in the hand better than aluminum does.

I see a lot of 5c's out in the wild still. It was/is a pretty popular phone.

 

[satchmo]

It wouldn't be surprising at all to see it at $549 exactly. That still would shrink iPhone 6 sales a bit and make it more so a "I need more/less screen space" decision. That would leave the 4" version still in the "expensive" range; just only slightly less expensive than the 6s.

I think $549 is too steep for the market...especially if they're targeting budget conscious buyers. The differentiation in size will negate any loss of iPhone 6 sales. My guess would be $500 although $450 wouldn't be out of the realm.

 

[MacRazySwe]

I can't see it getting an A9 chip.

I actually used a 5S just yesterday, taking photos, and l I don't think I would be able to go back to the smaller size screen. Especially for photos and media, the 4" model is just too small [for me]. 4.7" is perfect, even more so if they trim some of those bezels. I'll wait for the iPhone 7.

 

[Jsameds]

So why arent all the 4 inch people demanding a 3.5 inch phone, maybe that will be the next thing they will start crying about

I want a LED notification light but it aint gonna happen lol

There is an optimal size to a hand held device, and the iPhone 5 managed to fit a 4" screen in a body that was the same width as the 3.5" 4S, which is why there are very few 3.5" proponents still around.

Where as the 4.7" iPhone 6 was almost a centimeter wider than the 5S, making it too wide (and also too tall) for some.

 

[Rogifan]

It's a delicate balance. Market penetration has to be tempered to avoid brand dilution. In spite of what many on these forums viewpoints are regarding the iPhone the larger market sees it as a "BMW" of phones. If it becomes apparent to the buying public that Apple is aggressively marketing a cheap iPhone they will have brand damage, and the race to the bottom will have begun.

This. I actually liked the concept behind the 5C but Apple blew it by presenting it as just like the iPhone 5. This should be a phone that stands on its own.

I'd prefer a 4.7" display in a body not too dissimilar to the 5S. There's space, the front is 39% bezel, 61% screen.

Where does the home button go? That's not a trivial matter.

 

[Inksworth]

I'm in the middle of a contract with a 6s+, but if there's a 6c that's worth a damn at a smaller form factor? I'd seriously consider it. I miss being able to one-hand the phone totally. I have reasonably sized hands, but even the 6 isn't completely comfortable in that way. I really want to be able to text at a reasonable rate with one hand.

If I could get it in a neat color and feel less compelled to get a case? Yeah, I'd at least think about the cheaper 6c. I've got an iPad for big-screen viewing and I don't play games on my phone anywhere as much as I used to.

Color me interested in the concept at least.

 

[LordQ]

So why arent all the 4 inch people demanding a 3.5 inch phone, maybe that will be the next thing they will start crying about

I want a LED notification light but it aint gonna happen lol

You can use the rear flash for that. But a front-facing one would be nice.