Rumors about a smaller version of the iPhone 6 has started to circulate once again as the New Year comes.

Apple Inc.'s highly successful 2014 flagship phone releases, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, came with bigger dimensions compared to their predecessors. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch screen, while the much-bigger iPhone 6 Plus was released to compete with other leading phablets in the market due to its large 5.5-inch display. 

This time, reports are rife, saying that the Cupertino-based company will go back to its original smaller size once it releases the rumored iPhone 6s in 2015. Also dubbed as the iPhone 6 mini, the reported new release from Apple Inc. will come in the same size as the earlier released iPhone 5s that came with a 4-inch screen.

The rumors about the release of a smaller iPhone 6 version came from Cowen & Company Apple analyst Timothy Arcuri. Based on Arcuri's report, the alleged device will combine iPhone 6's advanced features and the newest curved-edge design with the size of the iPhone 5s.

If the rumors about the iPhone 6s mini turn out to be accurate, it could be the company's latest affordable smartphone offering that will replace the iPhone 5c.

Arcuri's reputation as a credible Apple news source is not completely solid. The analyst accurately predicted some of the key features of the iPhone 6 earlier in 2014, but he was wrong when he said that the bigger iPhone 6 Plus will have a more advanced processor compared to the iPhone 6. 

The release of the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus back in September is considered as a big gamble taken by the Cupertino tech giant. These smartphones are the first big screen releases from the company that earlier stated that they will not release large devices to beat its competitors. 

If Arcuri's reports are true, Apple consumers should expect to find the alleged iPhone 6s mini sometime in 2015.