Analysts believe that Apple Inc. has not abandoned smaller phones in the wake of their latest release of two big-screen phones, with some speculating that the company would introduce a 4-inch iPhone later this year.
According to the IB Times, the multi-million-dollar company would be releasing a smaller version of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
Though the device's official name is yet to be announced, the new addition to Apple's sophisticated line of smartphones is currently being dubbed as the "iPhone 6 Mini" while some say it's the "iPhone 6S".
Because of many iPhone patrons' preference for smaller phones, the U.S. investment firm Zacks Equity Research, as reported in BGR, says the company is being "forced" into creating a 4-inch phone which would allegedly be launched this year.
"We believe that the launch will cash in on the market buzz created by strong sales of the new iPhones. Since the Sep 2014 release, the iPhones created record demand far exceeding that of the previous versions of iPhone," Zacks Equity Research stated, adding that the company's intention to sell their new phones in about 115 countries would be the fastest roll-out in mobile history.
An analyst blog posted in NASDAQ says that Apple would pursue the release of the smaller iPhone 6 provided that the product guarantees sales of at least 10 million phones per year.
In addition, the brand new iPhone 6 Mini is expected to be sporting a slimmer design similar to that of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 phone, The Register UK reported.
Experts are also predicting that the smaller iPhone would be significantly less expensive than the two regular iPhone 6 models -- being a midrange phone -- allowing those who were not able to purchase the more expensive phones to experience the same features at a more affordable price.
BGR, however, believes that Apple is still not ready to expand its market share through the introduction of entry-level smartphones as the firm has yet to prove true several rumors of a super cheap iPhone after the iPhone 5c encountered difficulties in competing with low-priced Android phones.
This was supported by another report from The Register which cited Flurry's analysis that small-screened phones comprise only two percent of new devices activated during the Christmas week.
The report also noted how the release of the small iPhone model could shift the paradigm for Apple's sales strategies.
As of recent reports, the company is yet to release an official statement to confirm or disprove the rumors.
