Apple's iPhone 7 is expected to launch in 2016, bringing a new design and new features. (Photo : Facebook)
Apple plans to release three new iPhones in 2016, according to rumors. Aside from the anticipated iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, as tech enthusiasts call them, a 4-inch iPhone is allegedly slated for release as well.
Apple, according to tradition, is expected to release successors to iPhone 6S and 6 Plus September next year. But rumors of a smaller iPhone, dubbed iPhone 6C, are circulating in the tech community.
According to Tech Insider, Apple might be releasing a 4-inch iPhone, the size of the two-year old iPhone 5S, to accommodate users who still prefer smaller smartphones. However, this model is unlikely to come with 3D Touch, which is found in 6S and 6 Plus and is expected to be featured in their successors.
In addition, tech enthusiasts predict that Foxconn will manufacture the 4-inch iPhone, with more than 20 million handsets until the end of 2016.
The 4-inch iPhone is initially predicted to be released at the end of 2015, according to IHS Technology researcher Kevin Wang. But as the year comes to an end without an announcement from Apple, Wang amended his prediction to mid 2016, Mac Rumors reported.
Furthermore, Wang said the release might be ahead of Apple's annual September event. Tech enthusiasts speculate that the reason for this is that Apple is focused on selling the bigger flagships with the latest features.
Meanwhile, tech fans anticipate that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will feature better aesthetics and more hardware. They will also be thinner but more powerful than their predecessors. As for software, the tech community is still waiting for news.
