Rumors that Apple is set to release a new 4-inch iPhone, dubbed either the iPhone 6c or iPhone 5se, have been doing the rounds for some time.

Now, leaked drawings have seemingly confirmed that the new 4-inch iPhone will be called the iPhone 5se and look much the same as the iPhone 5s.

Despite it not looking like Apple’s newest iPhones, the iPhone 5se is reportedly getting a significant power and feature bump, including the new A9 chip, support for Apple Pay, health and fitness tracking capabilities, a better camera with support for Live Photos, and more.

Below we take a look at how the iPhone 5se compares to the iPhone 6s and dive a little deeper into some of the rumored specs.

iPhone 5se vs. iPhone 6s: Tech specs

Design, display and dimensions

The 4-inch iPhone 5se will likely be the same size  and shape as the iPhone 5s, right down to the aluminum case (no word on whether or not this will be the same 7000 series aluminum Apple adopted for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus). The design and shape is so close that a case maker claims the iPhone 5se will be able to use cases and other accessories designed for the iPhone 5s.

There are some subtle differences though: the iPhone 5se will have curved display edges, much like those on the iPhone 6s, only not as dramatic; and the device’s sleep/wake/power button will be on the side, just like on the iPhone 6s.

As for the display, Apple might incorporate the Retina HD display found on the iPhone 6 and later, but one feature it won’t include on the iPhone 5se is 3D Touch since it is considered to be a differentiating feature exclusive to Apple’s flagship iPhone 6s and 6s Plus devices.

Processor, memory and storage

The new 4-inch iPhone is said to be powered by Apple’s new A9 chip with its built-in M9 motion coprocessor.

First seen on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the A9 chip is said to be 70 percent faster at CPU tasks and 90 percent faster at GPU task than the A8 chip in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. This means the iPhone 5se will see a significant performance increase over the iPhone 5s it’s based on.

Fitted with the A9 chip and M9 coprocessor combo, the iPhone 5se will be able to use the always-on “Hey Siri” feature.

Thanks to the M9 motion coprocessor and a built-in barometer, the iPhone 5se will also feature health and fitness tracking functions such as running/walking pace, steps, distance, and elevation changes.

As for memory and storage, it remains to be seen if Apple ups the memory from 1GB of RAM to 2GB for the iPhone 5se, but we’ll likely only find out on post-release teardowns as Apple never specifies the amount of RAM in its devices.

Rumors suggest Apple might offer the same storage options as on the iPhone 6: 16GB and 64GB. This is likely accurate and in-line with the iPhone 5se being a low-cost, entry-level iPhone, but at least it’s a step up from the 16GB and 32GB capacities offered on the iPhone 5s.

Camera

The iPhone 5se will get the same 8-megapixel iSight camera found on the iPhone 6. Although not the new 12-megapixel unit introduced on the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 5se’s camera will be capable of taking better shots than the iPhone 5s thanks to faster autofocus and improved image stabilization.

On the upside, rumors suggest the iPhone 5se will be able to capture Live Photos, a feature Apple introduced on the iPhone 6s. 

Connectivity and Apple Pay support

Like the iPhone 6 and later, the iPhone 5se will feature the latest Bluetooth 4.2 specification, faster 802.11ac WiFi, a barometer for tracking elevation, and VoLTE (Voice over LTE) support. Additionally, it will have an NFC chip, enabling the iPhone 5se to support Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payments service, for both contactless and in-app transactions. 

Battery

The battery in the iPhone 5se might be a little bigger than the one in the iPhone 5s, with a capacity of 1,642 mAh. 

Availability and price

Rumors suggest the iPhone 5se could go on sale on as soon as March 18, following the big reveal on March 15. As for price, a 16GB iPhone 6 can be had for around $549 and a 16GB iPhone 5s for as little as $450, so the iPhone 5se should come in somewhere in the middle, or around the $500 mark.

Image credit: Kārlis Dambrāns, Flickr