Apple has reportedly finalized its plans to introduce a new four-inch entry-level iPhone in the near future. Sources claim the smartphone will officially be called the iPhone 5e and is said to be an "enhanced" version and replacement of the iPhone 5s.
When Apple's current flagship iPhone 6s and 6s Plus went on sale last September, the pair sold a very impressive 13 million units during opening weekend, shattering the company's previous record-breaking iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch, which resulted in 10 million sold during the same period. A recent report claimed that Apple has cut component orders for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus by 30 percent due to slowing demand.
One of the major reasons for slowing iPhone 6s and 6s Plus demand can be attributed to consumers holding off purchasing the smartphones while they wait for Apple to introduce a completely redesigned iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in September. Those aren't the only new iPhones expected to go on sale this year.
We recently reported that a leaked prototype for what was believed to be the iPhone 6c was spotted online and showed a device with a four-inch display and identical design to that of the iPhone 6s. Sources claimed the smartphone would feature an A9 processor and 2 GB of RAM, which would match the specs of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.
Now, a new report out of China claims the four-inch iPhone 6c will actually be called iPhone 5e. The "e" reportedly stands for "enhanced," and the sources claim it will essentially be an upgraded iPhone 5s, which was introduced in September 2013. The handset will replace the iPhone 5s and become Apple's entry-level iPhone.
The specs of the iPhone 5e are said to include a four-inch Retina display, Apple's 64-bit A8 processor and 1 GB of RAM.
A separate report from Mac Otakra refers to the device as iPhone 5s (second generation) and claims its dimensions will be 122.90 mm by 57.63 mm. The new smartphone will also reportedly include NFC, Touch ID to support Apple Pay and availability in the same color options as the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.
The iPhone 5e is rumored to be unveiled by Apple at a press event in March, where the company is also expected to introduce the Apple Watch 2.
We'll keep you posted on any additional details as they become available.
