There were reports that a 4-inch “iPhone 6c†was going to be released, but according to 9to5Mac.com sources, a tech news platform, that report is fake. Instead, Apple is upgrading the existing iPhone 5s that was first released in fall 2013.
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Internally codenamed “N69,†according to the site, the device is expected to have the launch name  “iPhone 5se.†The “se†suffix has been described as a “special edition†variation of the vintage 4-inch iPhone screen size and an “enhanced†version of the iPhone 5s.
According to sources, upgrades of the 5s include:
- Curved glass like on the iPhone 6 and 6s lines
- 8 megapixel rear camera and 1.2 megapixel front camera systems
- Larger panoramas and autofocus for video recording
- Barometer for tracking elevation in the Health app
- Apple Pay NFC chip
- A8 and M8 chips from the iPhone 6
- Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi chips from the iPhone 6s
- Live photos from the iPhone 6s
- Same Silver, Space Gray, Gold, & Rose Gold color options as the 6s line
Marc Gurman writes for 9t05Mac:
“Apple is utilizing the “5se†as a way to keep up with modern technology and support future major iOS upgrades without competing with the design of the newer and larger iPhone 6s line. Apple hopes that this model could spur additional upgrades over time from those currently sticking to an iPhone 5 or earlier. The current 5s will likely be discontinued, per sources, and the “5se†will take its price point. The new device is currently in production overseas and is planned for a March introduction ahead of a late March or early April release.”
Reports also indicate that the iPhone 5se may be officially announced with the new color and band options for the Apple Watch and possibly an iPad Air 3 in March. Whether Apple will host a live event to announce new products has not been confirmed.