Rumors

A 4-inch iPhone has allegedly made its way into the wild thanks to an unnamed source at Foxconn. M.I.C. Gadget has posted a short 40-second video to YouTube featuring the rumored device. The video doesn't show much, just someone flipping the device around revealing the device's SIM card tray and its iPhone 6-like design. It is unknown if the video is real or fake, but it's the first big purported Apple leak of 2016.

The iPhone 7 won't hit shelves for another nine months, but that hasn't stopped leaks from the supply chain. As usual, DigiTimes dishes the dirt on the next generation iPhone, with two choice tidbits surfacing this week. First off according to the report, Apple chassis supplier Catcher will use new compound materials for the exterior of the iPhone 7.

As usual several reports from the supply chain and analyst sources are looking towards Apple's next generation of iPhones. First in line is new information about a metal iPhone 6c to be released early next year. The launch of this 4-inch iPhone upgrade marks a departure from Apple's annual refresh cycle. Speaking of which, the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 is expected to drop in September 2016 with a bevy of enhancements and an even thinner design. The concept above from Mesut G. Designs is loosely based on recent reports, featuring a 3D Touch home button embedded under the display itself.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a research note to investors claiming Apple will release a new 4-inch iPhone in early 2016. The note obtained by MacRumors says there is "still-existing demand for 4-inch smartphones," and that the rumored iPhone 6c will make up "8-9% of total iPhone shipments in 2016."

Apple may break tradition again and release an entry-level iPhone 6c to replace the discontinued iPhone 5c in February, according to the Chinese website TechWeb. Citing unnamed sources from Foxconn TechWeb claims Apple will announce the iPhone 6c in January then release the new device in February. The website also notes that Apple will ditch the “unapologetically plastic” casing of the iPhone 5c in favor of a metal body.