Sometimes it’s the cell phone carriers that give away what’s coming down the road.
Wireless carrier China Mobile has apparently laid out its product roadmap for 2016, the roadmap itself mentioning a new Apple product. In April of 2016, China Mobile is expecting to launch the ‘iPhone 7c’. This seems to be the 4-inch iPhone device that has been rumored for several months, although the rumor mill moniker has generally settled on it being called the iPhone 6c. It’s also been reported that Apple might dub the handset the “iPhone 7c”.
The validity of the roadmap image itself could not be independently verified, but it points to a 4-inch unit. The true iPhone 6s successor, dubbed the iPhone 7, is still expected at the normal launch time in September 2016.
If the timing is accurate, the iPhone 7c would be Apple’s ‘new phone’ for about six months when the flagship iPhone 7 debuts in fall 2016. Somewhat confusingly, these reports seem to be claiming that Apple will launch an ‘iPhone 7c’ before the actual ‘iPhone 7’. This is why many are backing the iPhone 6c name, as the 4 inch iPhone would essentially be an iPhone 6s with a smaller screen.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.