Apple's rumored entry-level iPhone may be a bit different than previously reported.
According to a new report from Chinese news site cnBeta, the 4-inch phone will be called the iPhone 5e, not the 6c, as we've been hearing. The phone will be an overhauled iPhone 5s, according to the report, which we found on MacRumors.
There have been rumors Apple will release a smaller, 4-inch phone, for a few months. The iPhone 6s has a 4.7-inch screen. The iPhone 6s Plus has a 5.5-inch screen. A smaller device would allow Apple to sell the iPhone experience at a cheaper price. It could also help the iPhone sell better in emerging markets where people can't necessarily afford a top-of-the-line iPhone.
cnBeta says it spoke with sources at Foxconn, Apple's Chinese iPhone manufacturer, who said the iPhone 5e will look very similar to the 5s, but it will be lighter and slimmer.
The report also includes details about rose gold and "other existing color options," including gold, space gray, and silver. That means we can expect the iPhone 5e to have a metal build instead of a plastic body like the iPhone 5c did.
cnBeta claims we'll see the iPhone 5e launched in early 2016, around February or March, with a price tag around $500. (The iPhone 6s starts at $649.)
In terms of specs, the iPhone 5e will run on the A8 chip, which is the same chip running the iPhone 6. Also like the iPhone 6, the 5e will have 1GB of RAM.
Those aren't Apple's newest or most powerful specs, but they should do the trick for pretty much any task you do on an iPhone. However, the report isn't clear if those specs would allow the 5e to run Apple's latest features from iPhone 6s, like 3D Touch and Live Photos.
The iPhone 5e will also have the same 8-megapixel camera as the iPhone 5s, according to the report. cnBeta also claimed that Apple will sell the iPhone 5e with 16 GB and 64 GB internal storage options. 16 GB isn't enough storage for a lot of people, but may be fine for those who are buying the iPhone 5e at a cheaper price.
We might also see voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) calling on the 5e, according to the report. That means you make calls over your data connection instead of traditional cellular signals, which usually results in clearer calls.
That's a big rumor-dump, and cnBeta has a pretty good track record when it comes to rumors, but no one will know for sure until we see an official announcement from Apple. Keep your eyes open starting February for a surprise Apple announcement.
