4-inch iPhone 6S may not be in the works after all

iPhone 6
It's still unclear whether we'll see a smaller iPhone this year

Just last month we heard from supply chain sources that there might be a 4-inch iPhone 6S 'mini', but it seems there's some disagreement, as now it's being reported that there is no indication that Apple plans to make a return to smaller phones.

Initially spotted by G4Games, the Wei Feng Network, citing supply chain sources, reported that Apple had not made any orders for a 4-inch model. Their sources speculate that as the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 has proven so successful Apple wouldn't want to release a smaller phone, as it may receive a comparatively muted response, like the iPhone 5C.

That would make some sense, but it doesn't change the fact that the device is rumoured and those rumours also come from supply chain sources, so it's hard to know which is right.

There's still hope

Even if a 4-inch iPhone 6S 'mini' isn't in production yet that doesn't necessarily mean Apple won't build one, but it does now seem less likely than it once did.

If we do get a new 4-inch model recent rumours suggest it will have a similar form factor to the iPhone 5S, but with "curved screen edges" like the iPhone 6.

There's clearly still a market for smaller phones, but with most people now getting used to bigger screens that market might be shrinking, so it's anyone's guess right now as to whether Apple will continue to cater to it.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.