New Render Shows Off Apple's 6.1-inch Phone

A leaked render could give us a glimpse at what Apple is planning for at least one of its new phones this fall. And the answer is a slightly larger version of the iPhone X's current look.

Credit: BGR

(Image credit: BGR)

That's one of the takeaways from the render posted at BGR, which claims to have gotten the image from a source that's leaked reliably accurate smartphone renders in the past. It reportedly shows the 6.1-inch iPhone that's widely expected to be one of the three models Apple releases later this year.

For context, the 6.1-inch iPhone is expected to be the entry-level model for this year's releases. The most commonly accepted rumor has that phone joining two other Apple devices this fall — a 5.8-inch model that basically replaces this year's iPhone X and a massive 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus.

So what does this render tell us about what Apple could have in mind for the 6.1-inch iPhone? Some of the clues are obscured by the fact the phone is housed in a protective case that prevents us from getting a sense of the phone's edges and form factor. However, it does look like this 6.1-inch phone would mimic the current iPhone X's extended screen, right down to the notch at the top that would presumably house the sensors needed to support Apple's Face ID unlocking feature.

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With the screen extending to the bottom of the phone, that means this new model would also follow the iPhone X's lead by ditching the home button.

The render of the back of the phone has a clue about the future iPhone's features, too. There's just space for a single camera instead of the twin lenses that currently appear on the back of the iPhone X. That would be in-line with the rumor that Apple intends to make this 6.1-inch phone a lower-cost model aimed at users who don't want to pay up for the iPhone X.

Other rumors have the 6.1-inch iPhone using an LCD panel instead of the OLED screens favored by the iPhone X. So a lone camera on the back of the phone would be another way Apple can keep costs down.

It's unknown just how much this year's iPhones will cost when they debut in the fall. But many analysts expect Apple won't exceed the $999 price of the current iPhone X on its new models. In an analysis of potential impacts on the iPhone's average selling price released today (June 22), Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty assumed a low-end LCD-based iPhone would cost between $699 and $769.

Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.