iPhone 6S Rumors: 4-Inch '6C' May Be One Of Apple Inc.'s Next Smartphones

If the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both are too big for your hands, there could be another option emerging this year. The company is preparing to launch not two but three new iPhone models in the second half of 2015, according to DigiTimes in Taiwan.

Possibly called the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, Apple’s first and second new models probably will correspond in shape and size with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 Plus. But the company’s third new model, possibly named the iPhone 6C, could have a 4-inch display, comparable with those of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, DigiTimes reported.

Japan Display, LG Display and Sharp will provide the display panels for one or more of the three models, while all the panels will feature Corning Gorilla Glass, industry sources told DigiTimes.

As a cost-control measure, Apple most likely will use plastic casing for the so-called iPhone 6C. As was the case with the iPhone 5C, the handset is expected to appeal to the growing low-price and mid-price smartphone segments in emerging markets.

While details about Apple’s next generation of handsets are comparatively few and far between at this point, the company may extend its Force Touch sensing capability -- first introduced in the Apple Watch -- to its planned smartphones. The Force Touch technology enables a touch screen or trackpad to detect the difference between a light tap and a hard press. The firm is also experimenting with waterproofing its iPhones, according to patent filings. But, as with many of Apple’s patents, it’s unknown if or when the company plans to implement them in its devices.