iPhone 5c successor to use 14-16nm Samsung and TSMC chips, rumor says

Posted:
in iPhone edited August 2015
Apple is reportedly working on one or more spiritual successors to the iPhone 5c that will use 14- to 16-nanometer FinFET chips manufactured by suppliers TSMC and Samsung.




The company originally intended to use 20-nanometer TSMC chips, sources in the semiconductor industry explained toDigiTimes. Switching to smaller architecture, however, will allegedly enable upgraded components with better power consumption. The people did not offer any specifics on which processors would be used or what the phones would be called.

The sources suggested though that Apple is not planning to launch them this year, but will instead introduce them in the second quarter of 2016. DigiTimes has a questionable track record, though, and that timing is highly unlikely, as Apple has kept to fall iPhone announcements since 2011's iPhone 4s.

Some sort of 2016 release could be possible however, as multiple reports have hinted at a low-cost device coming next year.

Earlier this year rumors and even parts leaks hinted that Apple was working on an "iPhone 6c." Both appear to have largely dried up, possibly implying that Apple may have been working on such a product, but abandoned it in favor of selling a discounted iPhone 6 alongside the more strongly supported iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

Rumors about the 6c typically agreed that Apple would use a 4-inch display, but disagreed on whether Apple would use a plastic back -- as with the 5c -- or go with metal.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12

    Apple didn't 'abandon' anything. The analysts confused iPod Touch parts as being iPhone parts.

  • Reply 2 of 12
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,945member

    Might be 14nm, might be 16nm. Might be both. Might be Scammy, might be TSMC. Might be plastic, might be metal. Might be fall, might be spring. . . 

     

    :err:

  • Reply 3 of 12
    mcarlingmcarling Posts: 1,106member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    If this is true (which is highly questionable) could we see a different Apple line up this holiday quarter?

     

    6S+  $750

    6S    $650

     

    gap

     

    5S $450

    5C $350 (only in India/China)

     

    Then once all the buying frenzy of the holiday quarter and Chinese new year we see the 6C to fill the $550 price level?


     

    No, the iPhone 6 would fit that gap and the 6C would replace the 5S at the bottom.

  • Reply 4 of 12
    sog35 wrote: »
    If this is true (which is highly questionable) could we see a different Apple line up this holiday quarter?

    6S+  $750
    6S    $650

    gap

    5S $450
    5C $350 (only in India/China)

    Then once all the buying frenzy of the holiday quarter and Chinese new year we see the 6C to fill the $550 price level?

    Has Apple ever broken from its own tradition? /s
  • Reply 5 of 12
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member

    There it is. The oft-rumored "low-cost" iPhone. I don't think I've yet seen it mentioned this year.

  • Reply 6 of 12
    mcarlingmcarling Posts: 1,106member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     



    What would make sense would be a plastic 6C with a 4.7 inch screen.


     

    The glaring hole in the iPhone lineup is a 4" iPhone that supports Apple Pay. 
  • Reply 7 of 12
    mcarling wrote: »

    Maybe that is left up to the Apple Watch cover that market. Though I suppose they could add NFC to the 5S and make it the new 5C if they wanted to. That way all phones would have Touch ID, NFC and the 64 bit CPU with little effort. The A7 is still a good chip, or put an A8 in it if it is more cost effective.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    This year Apple will put its best foot forward to tempt Android users, who prefer large screens. So no new 4" iPhone or cheap plastic iPhone 6c. The line-up will be 6s/6s+, 6 at $100 discount, and 5s wrapped in 5c plastic as free w/contract.
  • Reply 9 of 12
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member

    iphone 6S and 6S Plus

    iphone 6 and 6 Plus

    iphone 6C (4" mini version of 6 inside) retire/replace 5C, 5S. Need to keep price tag lower/acceptable. No need for force touch or A9 in 4". Just squeeze iphone 6 into 6C

    Is this hard to figure out ? Just put appropriate price tag and good to go !!

  • Reply 10 of 12
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    i've said it before.... a "c" version released 6 months after the big boys would throw such a huge wrench in the droid market, manufacturers wouldn't get a break. No rest for the copycats.
  • Reply 11 of 12
    mcarlingmcarling Posts: 1,106member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wood1208 View Post

     

    iphone 6S and 6S Plus

    iphone 6 and 6 Plus

    iphone 6C (4" mini version of 6 inside) retire/replace 5C, 5S. Need to keep price tag lower/acceptable. No need for force touch or A9 in 4". Just squeeze iphone 6 into 6C

    Is this hard to figure out ? Just put appropriate price tag and good to go !!


     

    I think that's about right -- except that the 6 Plus would be discontinued when the 6S and 6S Plus are introduced.

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Not sure if they would make a plastic 5S.  At this point I think the 5S is really easy to make since they have been making the 5 generation for 3 years.  If they redesign the 5S with plastic shell it would be a 1 year cycle.  I'm not sure they would go through all that trouble to redesign the 5S and then next Sept it would be gone from the lineup.


     

    A 6C (whether plastic or metal) could not have only the features of the 5S.  A 6C would have to support Apple Pay.  It would not get Force Touch, which even the 6 does not have.  A 6C would probably have most of the features of the 6, but stuffed into a 4" frame.  It might be thicker than the 6, but thinner than the 5S.

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