According to the latest rumor, the upcoming new iPhone from Apple won't be called the iPhone 7 as expected. Instead, according to Apfelpage, Chinese supply chain sources have indicated the phone will actually be called the iPhone 6se.
If this rumor turns out to be true, it would be a departure from Apple's standard naming scheme that sees s-suffixed models (iPhone 5s, for example) succeeded by non-s models (iPhone 6) in the following year.
The new iPhone could be named the iPhone 6se to reflect the lack of changes compared to the iPhone 6s. It has been reported that the upcoming iPhone features a similar design to the 6s, forgoing any major changes for basic upgrades to the processor and cameras. A significant design overhaul has been rumored for the 2017 iPhone.
Alleged mockups of the new iPhone
In what's likely to be a more accurate rumor, prominent leaker Evan Blass has revealed that the retail release for the new iPhone is set for Friday, September 16th. This launch date is similar to what we saw last year with the iPhone 6s, which was released on September 25th after a September 9th launch event.
If Apple is planning to release the new iPhone by September 16th, the company would be expected to hand out invites to an early-September launch event in the coming weeks. So it mightn't be too long before we get concrete information on what Apple has in store for us this year.