Updated: Apple's photos of the Lightning dock hint at new iPhone 5c with Touch ID
Updated: The image has been updated on Apple’s Web page to remove the Touch ID Home button. To me, this is almost a confirmation in and of itself that Apple does have a new iPhone “c” model close on the horizon, whether they call it the 6c or something entirely different.
In a recent article, we reported on the new Lightning dock that Apple has begun offering for sale. Looking more closely at the promotional photos for the dock, an AppleInsider reader noticed what appears to be the hint of a refresh of the iPhone 5c bringing Touch ID to the lowest priced iOS device.
The photo is the last in the promotional set, and it depicts a pink iPhone 5c docked in the accessory. What’s different about this iPhone, though, is that the Home button is completely blank, matching the Touch ID button found on the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. The current generation of the iPhone 5c has the old-style Home button with the printed outline of an app icon in the center of it.
This does not appear to be a new addition to the iPhone 6 family, because the configuration of the device matches the layout on the iPhone 5c, other than the Touch ID home button. The FaceTime camera remains above the earpiece, the lock button is still on the top right of the phone, and distinct, pill-shaped buttons control the volume.
A possibly refreshed iPhone 5c, with a Touch ID sensor (circled)
It is possible, of course, that the pictured iPhone is the result of a photo composition error. This seems unlikely, though, because Apple is known to disdain computer-generated graphics for its promotional pictures, favoring actual photography. This wouldn’t be the first time that Apple inadvertently revealed new products earlier than intended. In March 2015, Cupertino posted a photo of what appeared to be a refreshed wireless keyboard, which was later replaced with a photo of the current model.
If this new iPhone 5c is the real deal, Apple might announce it at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Cupertino is planning to hold its annual keynote address, when quite a few new products are expected to be announced, on June 8.
