Apple 'leaks iPhone 6c' on own site

Apple has appeared to leak a picture of what could be the iPhone 6c on its own website, ahead of next month's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).

The image of a plastic-backed iPhone in the vein of the iPhone 5c sports a Touch ID sensor on its home button, which the 5c does not ship with, and was used to advertise the company's new lightning connector charging dock.

However, as the shot has since been replaced with one of a standard iPhone 5c, it's possible the original was merely poorly-rendered.

It's generally believed Apple will wait until September to announce its next iPhone, given the product release cycles of recent years. Variations on the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are more probable announcements, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.

A research note by the analyst claims the next phone will sport a 12MP camera and 2GB of RAM.

Should an incremental update to the iPhone 5c be showcased, it would be likely to be alongside a larger more powerful model - as the iPhone 5c was originally released alongside the 5s back in September 2013.

^{The colourful iPhone 5c's home button features a white square motif and does not support Touch ID}

The Touch ID sensor allows users to unlock their iPhone without inputting a password, and is also used for identity verification. The technology debuted in the iPhone 5s, and is also part of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, as well as the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.

Other recent iPhone rumours include that the next high-end model will be available in a rose gold hue, in addition to the silver, space grey and gold versions.