Rumors

Unlike the iPhone 5S, little is known about the iPhone 5C. The mysterious iPhone made its first appearance in July, when the first leaked image of its packaging appeared on the the Chinese WeiPhone forum. The rumor mill instantly assumed this was Apple's long rumored "budget iPhone," but nothing has been officially confirmed. The iPhone 5C has made numerous appearances since its initial leak, and it seems almost set in stone that Apple will unveil the new handset on Tuesday, September 10th. Here's everything we think we know about the low-cost iPhone.

Plastic Shell and Multiple Colors:

Various videos and images have revealed that the iPhone 5C will feature a plastic shell, and that it will be available in various colors. So far we have seen iPhone 5C parts in black, white, pink, yellow, blue and red.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on Tuesday, September 10th at its headquarters in Cupertino, California. The iPhone 5S is the rumored successor to the iPhone 5, and the iPhone 5C is Apple's rumored plastic low-cost device. Here's what the rumor mill is saying about the iPhone 5S.

Design:

Apple fans are preparing themselves for another "boring" iPhone S-model launch. However, Apple is expected to spice things up with the announcement of a gold iPhone model, and the company has completely redesigned its OS. The radical new design of iOS 7 will help most people forget that the new iPhone looks exactly like the iPhone 5.

More images of the iPhone 5S have leaked before Apple is expected to announce the rumored device on Tuesday. This time the alleged photos feature the iPhone 5S packaging. If you look closely at the box, you will notice the redesigned home button and new iOS icons. The iPhone 5S pictured on the package also features the same color-matched wallpapers seen in previous iPhone 5C leaks.

Both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are expected to make their official world debut on September 10. Apple sent out press invites to the event on Tuesday. The invites include the tagline: "This should brighten everyone's day," and feature pictures of colored dots that resemble the redesigned iOS 7 icons. Some tech blogs have speculated that the random grey dots on the invites also hint at the iPhone's new home button with fingerprint sensor.

The Wall Street Journal reports rumors are once again surfacing that Apple is considering plans to introduce iPhones with screens between 4.8 and 6 inches, a significant increase from the current standard of 4 inches. These “phablets” would be a cross between a phone and the larger sized tablets already on the market.

While this is not something Apple is planning to announce this coming Tuesday, insiders are saying it is being considered as the company seeks new opportunities for expansion. The size increase would be the first since the iPhone was introduced in 2007.

Apple could be shaking up the entire iPhone lineup with the release of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. A leaked screenshot from Canadian carrier Telus reveals that the mobile provider is planning to discontinue the 32GB and 64GB models of the iPhone 5 on September 28. That's only a few days after the rumored launch of next-generation iPhone and new low-cost iPhone. The 16GB iPhone 5 model will most likely replace the iPhone 4S as the $99 model in Apple's new lineup. While this is nothing new, it is the rumored iPhone 5C that is really throwing a wrench into Apple's future iPhone pricing plans.

In a typical Apple iPhone cycle, the iPhone 4S would normally slip into the Free slot of the upcoming lineup, but the iPhone 5C could be slated to take its place. If the rumors are true, this means we will be losing the iPhone 4 and 4S, instead of just the oldest model, and Apple could be planning to announce an all iPhone 5-branded lineup on September 10.