Apple has officially sent out invites for an event next week at the company’s Cupertino headquarters in California where it is expected to introduce quite a few devices along with some updates too. But just as always, the star of the event is the upcoming rumoured 4-inch iPhone, which is currently rumoured to be called the iPhone SE. Eager fans as well as curious critics want to know as to what Apple will offer in its first launch event of the year.
Let’s take a closer look at the rumoured specifications of the upcoming iPhone SE.
The Apple iPhone 5 on the left and iPhone SE on the right.
Image: Steve Hemmerstoffer, Twitter
Image: Steve Hemmerstoffer, Twitter
First things first, the device will be called SE and not iPhone 5se. The company has decided to drop ‘5’ from the name. This means, the iPhone SE will be the second iPhone after the original 1st generation model without a number in its name. In addition, it is believed that the change in the name is to simplify the iPhone lineup as bringing back an iPhone 5 variant during iPhone 6 life-cycle may confuse customers. The iPhone SE will reportedly replace the iPhone 5s and could sell at a similar price point as well.
Design and Specifications
In terms of design, the device is said to be similar to the iPhone 6 models. It is reportedly said to sport a power button on the side. It was only with the iPhone 6 models, that the company started opting for side power button due to the length of the device. Hence, the upcoming smartphone will be almost the same as the iPhone 6, but only fitted into a 4-inch form factor.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known to make accurate predictions about Apple products, states that the iPhone SE is likely to be similar to the iPhone 5s but with a slightly more curved 2.5D glass. For the rest of the specifications, the device is likely to get a 12MP rear snapper, instead of the previously rumoured 8MP rear camera. Powering it all will be an Apple A8 chipset with the M8 co-processor that will also come from the currently available iPhone 6 models.
It is expected to offer 16GB and 64GB storage capacities, and a 1642mAh battery. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2, Live Photos support and more. The device won’t get 3D Touch, which will remain exclusive to the iPhone 6s.
Expected Price
Kuo has also mentioned about the cost of the device, which he predicts could be somewhere between $400 and $500 in the US. Needless to say, the lower price point is aimed at mid to low segment and could help Apple drive sales in emerging countries like China and also India. Lastly, it is also beleived that the 4-inch iPhone shipments will grow by 131 percent year-over-year to 37 million units by 2016. The research forecasts a lower shipment of 12 million units from 18-20 million units as it believes customers who favor a small-size iPhone may purchase the cheaper iPhone 5s.