According to a new report released today by Macotakara, Apple’s long-rumoured ‘iPhone 9’ may not be the only iPhone 8-esque phone that Apple will be releasing this year.

For the longest time, rumours have suggested that Apple will be launching an iPhone 9 that would use the body of an iPhone 8, but the main difference between the iPhone 9 and iPhone 8 would be that the iPhone 9 would use the A13 Bionic chip, compared to the A11 Bionic found in the iPhone 8. The iPhone 9 is rumoured to be retaining most of the design features of the iPhone 8, particularly Touch ID. All of this would keep the price to about $399.

However, Macotakara’s report today suggests that Apple are developing another iPhone alongside the iPhone 9 that utilises the design/size of the iPhone 8, but may have Face ID and other new design features.

I talked with many Apple suppliers exhibiting at the CES 2020, and Apple might be developing Face ID models besides Touch ID models as an updated version of iPhone 8 incorporating A13 Bionic chip. Source: Macotakara

Macotakara says that he spoke with many of Apple suppliers at CES 2020, and they mentioned this iPhone and a few of it’s features. According to the suppliers, this iPhone 8 will have Face ID, and the rear camera size on the back of this iPhone will be much bigger compared to that of the iPhone 8.

The rear camera is much bigger compared to iPhone 8, and the LED True Tone flash size returns to iPhone 7. Source: Macotakara

According to Macotakara, the size of this iPhone will be between the iPhone 11 and iPhone XS Series. This means that the phone will be getting an increase in size in order to make room for the Face ID sensors and housings. Macotakara says that the new dimensions of the phone will be around 5.4” diagonally. This is an interesting size for Apple to choose. The iPhone X is 5.8” diagonally, and the iPhone 11 is 6.1” diagonally. So, this would be the smallest Face ID-equipped iPhone in the iPhone lineup. The iPhone 8 is 4.7” diagonally, but if you remove the bezels, it very well could become 5.4” diagonally.

By employing TrueDepth camera, the verticle width of the active area size for the display expands and thus becomes 5.4-inch size, and the possibility of it being the model buzzed about increases. Source: Macotakara

No more information is given by Macotakara, although this report of a new iPhone coincides with a report from a few weeks ago suggesting that Apple will be launching 6 iPhone models in 2020. At the time, no news of this 5.4” iPhone had surfaced, but this report today sheds new light on what the mysterious sixth iPhone may be.

Credit to @OnLeaks for the Cover image