What Features Show Up in Apple iPhone 6S, 6C Handsets in 2015

By Don Reisinger

Apple’s iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will come with the same screen sizes of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus—4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, respectively—according to reports. Apple CEO Tim Cook reported that the iPhone 6 and its larger screen sizes helped Apple convert more Android owners than ever before. That makes it seem unlikely that Apple would ever change the screen size on its main smartphones.

Interestingly, Apple might also find some value in reducing its screen size. According to reports, Apple could unveil an iPhone 6C that would feature a 4-inch screen, like the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. The 4-inch iPhone 6C would be cheaper than the larger alternatives and appeal to a segment of the population that wants a lower-cost device without a large screen.

Apple typically makes major hardware design changes every other year. Last year, the company unveiled a major design change in the iPhone 6, which means this will be an off year on design. Expect the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus to look nearly identical to their 2014 counterparts.

Force Touch, the feature that made its debut at Apple’s March 9 media briefing, is expected to make a showing in the next-generation iPhone 6. Force Touch automatically determines touch pressure and reacts accordingly. It also has more points of recognizance, allowing it to be more accurate. The latter feature would help with TouchID, and the former could improve the experience of using Apple’s software.

Apple’s A9 processor seems like the obvious choice for the processor built into the iPhone 6S line. The A9 would be the next generation in Apple’s iPhone chip line and would provide the requisite power and handling of resources that developers would want to tap into. Ironically, rumors suggest that Samsung, one of Apple’s top competitors in the smartphone market, will build the A9.

One of the complaints about the iPhone 6 has been its camera. With the iPhone 6S, however, Apple expects to change that by offering a lens that could match the quality customers would otherwise find in digital single-lens-reflex (D-SLR) cameras. Such a move would put pressure on companies like Samsung and HTC that have made a fuss over megapixels and would give Apple an important advantage in a world where more and more people are turning to their mobile devices to snap photos.

Each year at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple unveils a new version of its mobile operating system, and this year is expected to be no different. This time around, Apple is slated to announce iOS 9. The rumors suggest that, as in previous years, the operating system will launch in time to come bundled with its latest line of iPhones. Apple has become fairly predictable in its iOS and handset introductions.

Apple’s iOS is too big at this point for the company to justify offering a 16GB data storage option. In fact, Apple caught some flak last year from customers who bought the 16GB option and found that about 11GB to 12GB were available for personal storage after iOS was installed. Look for Apple to finally ditch the 16GB iPhone and go with a starting point of 32GB this time around.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that Apple has no intention of changing the price on its iPhone line. That’s why the iPhone 6S will likely start at the same $199 on a two-year contract, while the iPhone 6S Plus will go for $299 to start. Apple reduces its component costs by acquiring boatloads of quantity and maximizing its margins in the process. That control over its supply chain allows Apple to keep prices the same and still make serious cash.

According to the latest rumors, Apple will unveil its new iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus in September at a special press event. It’s possible that the company will also show off the long-awaited iPad Pro at that event. The iPhone 6S will then launch within a couple of weeks of the announcement, helping the company boost its fourth-quarter earnings.