Is Apple developing an entry-level 'iPhone 9 Plus' with a 5.5-inch screen?

Apple might launch a 5.5-inch, entry-level iPhone specifically designed to replace both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

9to5Mac spotted evidence within iOS 14 code that suggested Apple is working on an "iPhone 9 Plus", a larger sibling to the 4.7-inch "iPhone 9", which Apple has been rumoured to be developing for quite some time (it might pack an LCD screen and an iPhone 8-like design). Until now, there have been no reports about a "Plus" model. Both are likely run with the A13 Bionic chip, the report said.

These iPhones might also feature a "solid state Home button" with no moving parts, meaning they'll use the Taptic Engine to simulate clicks. They'll, therefore, have Touch ID for biometric authentication, rather than Face ID. The iPhone 9 and iPhone 9 Plus might also be able to scan NFC tags without requiring you to open an app, and they could come with Apple Pay’s Express Transit feature.

Reporting has indicated Apple will launch these phones at the end of March, but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we suspect that might not actually happen now. The new 4.7-inch entry-level iPhone 9 is expected to start at $399 and be available with 64GB or 128GB of storage, while the pricing and capacities for the 5.5-inch iPhone 9 Plus isn't clear. If we had to guess, it will start at $100 more. 

Keep in mind Apple's latest smartphone range is the iPhone 11 series, which follows the iPhone XS from 2018 and the iPhone X from 2017. The iPhone 9 has also been rumoured to be called the iPhone SE 2.

Confusing, right? See our rumour round-up on the device here.

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