A spate of leaks regarding a new, four-inch iPhone handset – originally thought to be called the iPhone 5SE – have emerged shortly ahead of an anticipated reveal.
A research note by Ming-Chi Kuo, the established Apple leaker and analyst, has been obtained by MacRumors suggesting what kinds of hardware features we can expect on the new device, as well as a potential price.
The "well-informed" analyst touts a price point between $400 and $500 (£288 and £360), meaning a price slash is on the cards when compared to the iPhone 5S, which starts at £379. This should drive sales in the low to medium-cost smartphone market and boost the company's foothold in India and China.
TechnoBuffalo says that introducing the new phone at such a price level means the "iPhone line-up would suddenly provide compelling options for budget smartphones buyers, who will have been sticking with Android and Windows Phone until now". The 5S is expected to have its price more or less halved in response.
The research note also points out several hardware features to expect on the phone. It should get a 12-megapixel camera - lifted from the iPhone 6S -, an A9 chipset and an NFC chip for Apple Pay, 16GB and 64GB storage options and a slightly larger battery.
However, 3D touch has been ruled out – something that appears to be confirmed by a separate leak on French website NWE that supposedly shows some of the internals of the new four-inch model.
MacRumors says the images are from a source that has been reliable in the past and if they are indeed pictures of some of the iPhone SE's hardware, 3D touch components aren't present – confirming that Apple considers the feature to be one of the premium selling points of its flagship handsets.
Reports that Apple will introduce a new entry level iPhone this year have been circulating for some months and while many these rumours have remained static, the name has become a bit of a saga.
The tech press initially touted the name iPhone 7 Mini, before iPhone 6C and iPhone 7C were both thrown into the ring.
More recently, general consensus plumped for iPhone 5SE – but even that has now changed.
According to 9 to 5 Mac, it seems Apple could be keen to drop the '5' designation from the model, meaning it could simply be called the iPhone SE. By dropping the number, the company would remove the device from the yearly upgrade cycle and simplify the line-up. Introducing a new iPhone 5 derivative immediately before the iPhone 7 is unveiled could confuse customers. It is thought the "SE" could stand for "Special Edition".
The reveal date has changed slightly, too. It has been hotly tipped for some weeks that Apple's keynote event will take place on 15 March. However, according to Re/code, the company will hold an event in Cupertino on 21 March for the reveal of the iPhone SE.
It is widely believed that Apple will also use the event to introduce a new iPad. First rumours strongly suggested an iPad Air 3 would debut in March, but the latest whispers hint at the introduction of a new 9.7ins version of the iPad Pro. Some updates to the Apple Watch are also expected.
Changing the date could have unintended consequences, though. A 21 March reveal would fall a day before the company is due in court to explain its refusal to hack into phones for the US security services. It's possible that the divided headlines created by the case could trample any good publicity generated by the introduction of the new phone, argues Macworld.
Why is Apple introducing a new cheap phone?
After almost three years on sale, the iPhone 5S is not only ageing, but could be disrupting the Apple line-up – hence the decision for a change. When the iPhone 7 is revealed in September, having a phone with the '5' nomenclature in the range would emphasise just how old the company's entry level device is getting.
According to Forbes, the impending release of the iPhone SE shows that Apple is "getting aggressive".
Releasing a new entry level phone that doesn't follow the yearly update cycle of the flagship handset means the company will have a device likely to have stable sales throughout the year. It could also boost handset sales at the beginning of the year, helping to keep iPhone sales positive, and steal some of the spotlight currently being enjoyed by rival Samsung, which recently released one of the biggest threats to the iPhone in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S7. If Apple sets the right tone at launch, the iPhone SE could push any other smartphone news into second place.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
What's On Your Mind?