4-inch Apple iPhone 5se and Apple iPad Air 3 to go on sale March 18th?

According to a report published this afternoon, there will be no pre-order period for both the 4-inch Apple iPhone 5se and the Apple iPad Air 3. The new report states that both devices will be unveiled on March 15th and will launch just three days later on March 18th. The Apple iPhone 5se will kill two birds with one phone.

It will be a cheaper handset that will still include many of the features found on the Apple iPhone 6s and Apple 6s Plus, which means that it will offer the powerful A9 SoC and the M9 motion co-processor. It will also come with always-on Siri, and features an NFC chip to support Apple Pay. Apple is hoping to expand the use of its mobile payment service into emerging markets where consumers might be more open to the lower pricing of the iPhone 5se. The phone will also snap Live Photos, although without a 3D Touch display it will most likely require a long-press to activate. The iPhone 5se will be available in Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, and Space Gray.

The other reason to revert to a 4-inch screen is to satisfy those who want a full-powered iPhone, but don't feel comfortable with a 4.7-inch display. 60% of iPhone users are still using an iPhone with a 4-inch screen. Other specs include an 8MP rear-facing camera and a front-facing 1.2MP snapper for selfies and FaceTime.

With the Apple iPad Air 3, Apple is hoping to reverse the trend that saw it sell 24.8% fewer iPads year-over-year during its fiscal first quarter. The iPad Air 3 is rumored to have the same design as the larger 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro, but with the usual 9.7-inch display found on Apple's iPad Air tablets. Like the iPad Pro, the iPad Air 3 will support the Apple Pencil, and will have the Smart Connector. The latter is the system that uses magnets to send data between the iPad Pro and the Smart Keyboard accessory. The Smart Connector also provides power for the wireless QWERTY.

The March 15th media event is also expected to introduce a refresh version of the Apple Watch, perhaps sporting FaceTime compatibility. In addition, new Sport band colors are expected to be introduced.


source: 9to5Mac