If the rumor mill is to be believed, Apple Inc. is likely to unveil its upcoming flagship smartphone iPhone 7 together with iPhone 6s some time later this year.

According to Christian Today, the Cupertino-based tech titan has made it a practice to unveil one or two handsets once a year, and given that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have already become very popular, rumors and speculations regarding the next Apple handset have started surfacing.

Now that Apple Inc. has already launched the much-anticipated Apple Watch and even released a refurbished 12-inch Macbook, tech experts and enthusiasts alike are asking whether the company now plans to release the purported iPhone 6s, or directly move on to its next flagship, dubbed as the iPhone 7. On the other hand, there are reports that suggest that Apple plans to reduce its smartphone update cycle by half this year. In other words, the company may launch two new phones in 2015.

Citing rumors, PC Pro speculates that Apple plans to launch not two, but three handsets in September. Recalling the days of the 5s and 5c, the report suggests that Apple may possibly come up with an additional 4-inch version, which might be called the iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 mini.

Moreover, the new iPhone, or the purported iPhone 7, is also likely to incorporate Force Touch, an inventive new feature. Force Touch, which was originally unveiled for the Apple Watch and the company's new Macbook Retina's track pad, detects finger movement and the difference in pressure between a hard and soft tap. The extent of pressure will have related menus pop up, subject to the touch.

As far as the operating system of the new iPhone is concerned, Apple is likely to incorporate its latest software, the iOS 9, which is expected to release soon. The iOS 9 feature refurbished Maps as well as a several bug fixes and improvements. The new operating system is likely to be unveiled at Apple's WWDC Conference in June, making it a well-timed addition to the new handset, which is expected in September.