Apple might be working on a cheaper, 6.01-inch iPhone X with a single camera, LCD display and no 3D Touch

The rumoured 6.01-inch iPhone and two other siblings of the iPhone X are expected to be launched in 2018. The 6.01-inch iPhone X is expected to be the cheaper variant that features single-lens rear camera, TFT-LCD display and come without 3D touch.

Apple iPhone X. Image: tech2/Rehan Hooda

According to a report on MacRumors, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has speculated that the 6.01-inch smartphone will come with design compromises so as to achieve a cheaper price point. The KGI analyst also mentioned that Apple might bring an aluminium frame instead of the stainless-steel frame seen on the Apple iPhone X. It's unclear whether the company will remove the glass back, as it facilitates wireless charging on the iPhone.

Another two variants of the iPhone X expected to be launched this year include one with a 6.5-inch display and another with a 5.8-inch display. The larger one is expected to be called the iPhone X Plus. The report also suggested that the cheaper variant will pack a standard, non-stacked logic board and a rectangular battery as compared to the L-shaped battery and stacked logic board seen on the iPhone X. The design, while compact, is expensive to manufacture.

The 6.01-inch iPhone will also include iPhone X features such as FaceID. It is expected to be launched between September-October 2018, alongside the two other expected iPhone X variants.

The analyst also speculated on the price of the device, expecting it to be a mid-range unit priced at around $700 and $800 in the United States. Earlier, Ming-Chi Kuo had predicted that it would sell for around $650 to $750 in the country.

Earlier report did suggest that Apple will launch three new devices that adopt the design language set forth by the iPhone X. The report also mentioned that the devices will have a modified stainless steel casing to improve data transmission. Two of the devices were reported to come with OLED screens.

A recent report by the analyst also suggests that the company has shipped 28 million iPhone X units in the fourth quarter of 2017.