iPhone 5c With Touch ID on Apple's Website Fuels Unlikely Refresh Rumors

A collection of iPhones are modeled alongside the brand new Apple-branded Lightning Dock, revealed Tuesday, on the dock's official store page. An iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 5s are shown placed on the new dock's lightning charger port, but a mysterious pink-and-black outlier, which appears to be an iPhone 5c at first glance, upon closer inspection can be seen including a Touch ID sensor instead of a traditional home button.

Rumors of a cheaper, 4-inch "iPhone 6c" model of the next generation of iPhones began late last year, backed by a few sources out of the Asian supply chain who manufacture the smartphones. More recently, however, reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed these rumors as false, noting that Apple will stick with 4.7- and 5.5-inch models this year.

While the iPhone on Apple's website in question today could in fact be the accidental unveiling of a new iPhone 6c, it's highly unlikely the company made such a slip-up in revealing an entirely new iPhone. It's more likely a curiously egregious Photoshopping error having to do with one of Apple's website designers, and will no doubt be taken down in due time.

Update 10:05 AM Pacific: Apple has removed Touch ID from the iPhone 5c render as expected.