According to 9to5Mac Apple are upgrading the existing iPhone 5s that was first released in fall 2013, instead of releasing a smaller version of the iPhone 6s.
According to sources close to 9to5Mac, the new device is internally codenamed “N69,” but the launch name will likely be the “iPhone 5se.” The “se” suffix has been described in two ways by Apple employees: as a “special edition” variation of the vintage 4-inch iPhone screen size and as an “enhanced” version of the iPhone 5s; it really oughta be named the 5see. Indeed, the upcoming “5se” features a design similar to 2013’s flagship but upgraded internals, software, and hardware features that blend the old design with modern technologies from the past two iPhone upgrades.
The iPhone 5se will have an upgraded camera (8MP rear camera and 1.2 MP front facing camera) borrowed from the iPhone 6. The 5se will be encased with curved glass similar to the iPhone 6 and 6s.
The following upgrades will also be available:
- Support for larger panoramas and autofocus for video recording
- Barometer for tracking elevation in the Health app
- An NFC chip for Apple Pay
- The A8 and M8 chips from the iPhone 6
- Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE, and 802.11ac WiFi chips from the iPhone 6s
- Live Photos from the iPhone 6s
The new device is currently in production overseas and is planned for a March introduction ahead of a late March or early April release.
Source: 9to5Mac
