Apple’s iPhone 5SE will be launched on March 15 and start selling three days later, on March 18, latest reports reveal.
The 4-inch smartphone that rumors have been rife about seems to be finally ready for release. However, the said event in which Apple is expected to launch the smaller iPhone is not yet confirmed by the company, nonetheless, 9to5Mac believes that this device will be available for purchase as from March 18.
Alongside the iPhone 5SE, Apple is also expected to unveil a new iPad Air 3, a successor to the iPad Air 2. While this event remains highly doubtful given that the last time Apple held an event in Q1 was somewhere in 2012. However, it seems Apple wants to take care of the needs of those who demand to have a smaller iPhone as opposed to having the slightly larger 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S or worse of, the larger iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6S Plus.
According to the latest reports, it seems Apple will not be offering users with the usual pre-orders that it has been giving out for its iOS devices. This will affect both the iPad Air 3 as well as the iPhone 5SE.
Looking at previous trends with Apple, it remains hard to believe that the iPad Air 3 will be unveiled on March 15 and go on sale three days later. Last year, Apple unveiled the iPad Pro alongside the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, however, it took up to two months before the slate was available for sale.
Countering the declining iPhone sales
Recently, Apple announced that it was experiencing a flattened growth in its iPhone user base, something it expected to happen across 2016. With the concern that people might be getting bored of the iPhone in addition to the fact that cries for a smaller iPhone have been high, it is possible for the iPhone 5SE to be out this soon.
With a smaller gadget that is priced lower than the flagships but offering superior capabilities (more of a compact version) just like their costlier counterparts, Apple might just be right to think that it can cash in on this product as soon as possible.
Word on the street has it that Apple will use last year’s A9 chipset for the iPhone 5SE, coupled with the M9 co-processor and support for Apple Pay. Other than this, also expect this device to feature always-on Siri as well as last year’s eye-catching Live Photos. There is doubt that Apple will add the 3D Touch feature on this phone.
During the same release, there is word that Cupertino might not refresh the Apple Watch. Instead, a new OS for the wrist watch will be unveiled, alongside other improvements, among them a new set of bands.