iPhone 5se release date, rumors: Image surfaces online; 4-inch iPhone to roll out this March?

There have been a lot of speculations on what Apple will release this coming March. Additionally, there have been rumors of an iPhone 5se (special edition) coming out soon. With this, many people believe that the new iPhone just might come out next month and that a relatively recent photo of the device that was leaked online just might be real. 

In the photo, said to have been first posted on an online forum in Dutch, there are two iPhones side by side: an iPhone 5s and what appears to be the rumored iPhone 5se. The alleged special edition iPhone has the same touch ID home button and on/off button position as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s models.

9to5mac reported that the source has credibility, stating that it happened two years ago with rumors of the iPad Air 2 display. Even so, the photo has not been confirmed nor denied to be accurate. 

Rumors about the device have already surfaced last year. With the leaked image, one can say that it is now more believable.

The upcoming iPhone is expected to be able to make Apple Pay transactions and to have the same A9 processor as that of an iPhone 6s. This will be an upgrade to the iPhone 5s, but it will reportedly have limited RAM. And like the recent iPhones, it will likely include an NFC chip and the latest iPhone features like Bluetooth 4.2, fast 802.11ac WiFi, and VoLTE.

Whether or not this leaked photo is authentic, Apple fans are expecting a 4-inch iPhone with the same features as the recent iPhone 6, only smaller. This will allow people who don't find bigger phones appealing to have an iPhone in the size of their liking. 

If the image is genuine, it is hoped to come out in March while the iPhone 7 is still expected to come out this fall.