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iPhone 7/6c/5se: What can Apple reinvent this time around?

The new iPhone is only a few months old but that doesn't stop the endless rumors and speculation as to what the next iPhone will bring.

Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor Jan. 23, 2016 at 3:49 a.m. PT

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Officially, we know nothing about the next iPhone. For all we know Apple might have decided that the iPhone 6s is as good as it gets and decided to pull the plug on making any more (yeah, I know, that's probably the least likely thing that could happen). But there's plenty of rumors and speculation flying around. Some of it sounds sensible, and some is just plain crazy.

Here's a look at some of the more sensible rumors that are currently making the rounds.

iPhone 6c

There are a lot of rumors suggesting that Apple is planning to unveil a new iPhone as early as March, possibly at the same time the Apple Watch 2 is officially unveiled. This won't be a successor to the iPhone 6s, but instead a new model.

Called the iPhone 6c, this is expected to be a smaller (a return of the 4-inch display), cheaper version of the existing iPhone, to appeal to those with smaller pockets (both literally and metaphorically).

iPhone 5se

The very latest rumor is that the new iPhone predicted to be released in March or April will be called the iPhone 5se, rumored to be an updated iPhone 5s with a 4-inch display, A8/M8 chips, the 8/1.2 megapixel cameras from the iPhone 6, and Apple Pay.

This name feels like a clumsy mouthful to me, perhaps too close to the ill-fated iPhone 5c.

Bye-bye headphone jack

A number of rumors seem to suggest that the humble yet ubiquitous 3.5mm headphone jack is going to be reinvented out of existence by Apple in the iPhone 7. Not only would its removal free up a lot of space inside the iPhone (for more tech), but it could also allow the iPhone to be thinner. This would also mean that the wired EarPods would be replaced with a wireless version.

It would also remove one of the main ways that water and dust get into the iPhone. Which leads us on nicely to...

Waterproofing and dustproofing

Several reports have suggested that the iPhone 7 will be the first truly waterproof iPhone. The iPhone 6s already features a number of gaskets and seals that help to keep water out, but Apple still doesn't recommend you get it wet.

I think that a waterproof and dustproof iPhone would be a big hit. It's definitely been a feature that I've seen requested a lot over the years.

Wireless charging

Not only would wireless charging be handy for iPhone owners, but it would also give Apple a chance to sell more expensive accessories.

Redesigned case

Apple seems to redesign the look of the iPhone every couple of years, so this seems plausible.

No more 16GB offering

A long-standing rumor that the 16GB Phone will be made extinct, replaced instead with 32GB. This would make the budget iPhone seem like a better deal because buyers would be getting twice the storage for the same money.

The downside - for Apple - is that it would remove the biggest incentive that buyers have to spend $100 on a higher-capacity device.

OLED display

It's been rumored that Apple is planning to make a switch to OLED displays by 2018, which would allow the display assembly to the thinner and brighter.

New improved camera

Seems like a no-brainer, but some rumors point to the camera becoming a twin-camera deal that would allow, for example, wide angle and zoom images to be taken simultaneously.

Updated to include information on the rumored iPhone 5se handset.

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