Apple is expected to come out with an iPhone 7 in 2016 but from the looks of it, this is not the only phone coming out in the open.

In fact, there could be a budget-friendly phone on the horizon, something likened to the iPhone 5c only that it will come with a metal casing rather than the old plastic-based shell.

The said handset will allegedly tote a four-inch screen that justifies why such will be called a "mini" device. It will reportedly come in practically the same dimension of the iPhone 5s, except that it will come with perhaps the new and refreshed features that current iPhones carry.

Additionally, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo anticipates that the budget-friendly device could come out in the open armed with the same A9 processor that the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus run on. But while that prediction seems comforting, one feature likely to be taken out is the 3D touch feature.

Then again, all of this remains up for confirmation. Seeing the device debut could somehow appease Apple users who have been longing for a budget-friendly iPhone, something that many last experienced with the iPhone 5c.

As we speak, there are many who are still hoping to see a possible successor to the old iPhone 5c. There have been different concepts and renders tied up to it, mostly using the iPhone 6 and changing the outer shell with a colored plastic design that the iPhone 5c was made famous for.

Going back to the said iPhone four-inch device, there is a chance that the said variant could come out ahead of the highly anticipated iPhone 7 if there is indeed something in the works over at the Cupertino-based company.

It may eventually be lined up along with the current iPhone 6 line and launch earlier than September, the usual month when Apple unveils its new roster of iPhones to customers.