This is the second in a multi-part series of posts looking back on the iPhone rumors from last year. I am doing this review to put this year's rumors into perspective. With the wisdom of hindsight, maybe we can look back on how last year's rumors shook out and see if that colors our view of the rumor season we're in now. At the very least this will be a fun trip down Apple rumor memory lane.

• January post
• February post
• March post
• April post
• May post
• June post
• July post
• August post
• September post

February 2016

Overall Score: 5.5/8

Feb 2 - First Details on iPhone 7 Design: Flush Rear Camera, No Antenna Bands Across the Back

Verdict: Partially correct. That picture has the antenna lines nailed, but the flush camera is exactly the opposite of what really happened.

Feb 5 - iPhone 5se May Come in Silver, Space Gray, and Bright Pink

Apple's rumored iPhone 5se may come in Silver, Space Gray, and a pink shade that's different than the Rose Gold of the iPhone 6s, reports Japanese site Mac Otakara, citing information obtained from a third-party vendor.

Verdict: Wrong! The iPhone SE comes in all the same colors as the iPhone 6s that was also out at the time. They also got the name wrong again.

Feb 12 - iPhone 7 Predicted to Adopt Lightning Headphones Without Noise-Canceling Capabilities

Rumors surrounding the exclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack in the iPhone 7 began earlier in the year, although it was unclear whether the accessory would ship in the box or be sold as a separate purchase under the Beats by Dre brand. According to the analysts in today's report, the 3.5mm headphone jack will be replaced by another speaker thanks to an additional amp also provided by Cirrus Logic.

Verdict: Correct!

Feb 18 - iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 to Use A9 and A9X Processors

Early iPhone 5se rumors were offered conflicting information on the processor that would be used, with some pointing towards the A9 and others pointing towards the previous-generation A8. Later rumors have solidified around the A9, and now we've got confirmation from a reliable source.

Verdict: Correct, although this was something the rumor mill got wrong earlier, as they were basically confirming A8 chips for the SE just a few weeks earlier.

Feb 26 - New 4" iPhone With 12MP Camera Said to Cost $400-$500, iPhone 5s to Receive 50% Price Cut

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a research note to investors, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, in which he claims Apple's next-generation 4-inch iPhone will feature a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, as opposed to an 8-megapixel sensor as previously rumored.

Verdict: Correct, although this is another walk-back on the fact that we "knew" the SE would have an 8MP sensor a few weeks before this.

Feb 26 - Apple's Upcoming 4-Inch Smartphone May Be Called 'iPhone SE'

Verdict: Correct, they finally got the name right!

Feb 27 - Photos of 'iPhone SE' Screen Display Confirm No 3D Touch

Verdict: Correct.

Feb 29 - iPhone 7 May Feature Flush Camera, Stereo Speakers and Thinner Lightning Port

The site reports that the new phone will not have antenna bands across the rear and will have a flush rear camera, corroborating a MacRumors report in early February. The site notes that it's likely the iPhone 7 will also come with stereo speakers

Mac Otakara also reiterated its earlier reports that the iPhone 7 would not include a headphone jack, instead using an all-in-one Lightning port. The site claims that the Lightning port enclosure may be thinner than it currently is, but that it will still be fully compatible with current Lightning cables.

A source on Chinese social media site Weibo claimed that the iPhone 7 would be waterproofed and use new composite materials for its shell last September. However, Mac Otakara says the iPhone 7 will include neither, instead using the same aluminum material and will be as water resistant as the iPhone 6s.

Verdict: There's a lot to unpack here, but I'm going to say this was just wrong. They reiterated the no headphone jack and antenna line change that had already been reported long before this, but then they got everything else wrong. The Lightning plug is the same, and Mac Otakara fought against the idea of a new material and waterproofing, we all know the iPhone 7 is indeed water resistant, and has one model with a new material.

Feb 29 - High-End iPhone 7 Plus With Dual Cameras Could Be Called 'iPhone Pro'

The rumored high-end iPhone 7 Plus with dual cameras could be named the "iPhone Pro," according to questionable information shared by Chinese website MyDrivers [Google Translate]. Apple is reportedly considering the name to distinguish the device from the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, said to include standard single-lens cameras.

Verdict: Wrong, wrong, wrong.