2024-10-02 01:56:43
Bloomberg — Apple Inc. (AAPL), newly launched the iPhone 16, is preparing to announce a new low-end phone early next year along with updated iPads.
The company is set to produce a refreshed iPhone SE, codenamed V59, which will become its new base model, according to sources familiar with the process.
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Additionally, Apple plans to manufacture new models of the iPad Air and keyboards for release around the same time, according to these sources who requested to remain anonymous as the plans are not publicly known.
Its launch will mark the first update to the iPhone SE since 2022, when Apple incorporated 5G capability into the device. With this latest model, the company will move away from the old design with a home button and opt for a border-to-border display.
The revision of the SE will help Apple compete in the low-end smartphone market, where it faces fierce competition from Android devices, particularly in China.
The current model costs $429, hundreds less than the standard iPhone, though more expensive than many of its competitors. Modernizing the SE to make it more similar to its high-end siblings could help attract consumers on a tighter budget and likely regain market share lost to brands like Huawei and Xiaomi.
The new SE phone is expected to be compatible with Apple Intelligence, a forthcoming set of artificial intelligence tools that will also work with the iPhone 16 and the high-end versions of last year’s iPhone 15. The new model will resemble the iPhone 14, including the notch cutout at the top. The current SE looks more like the iPhone 8, the last standard version that included a home button.
A spokesperson for Apple, based in Cupertino, California, declined to comment.
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The new iPad Air models, codenamed J607 and J637, will focus on internal improvements. Apple is also preparing an updated version of its Magic Keyboard, codenamed R307 and R308, for both the 11-inch and 13-inch versions of the new Air. These versions will incorporate some of the features from the iPad Pro’s keyboard.
Earlier this year, Apple updated the Air line with an M2 chip and added the 13-inch screen option. A new iPad mini is also coming, codenamed J410, possibly by the end of 2024.
At the same time that this year’s iPad Air was launched, an updated version of the iPad Pro was released, but that high-end device includes an M4 processor that has yet to come to other models. This means an update is less urgent since the chip is already a generation ahead.
In addition to the new iPhone SE and iPads, Apple is also refreshing its line of Mac computers. This year’s updated models will include a refreshed Mac mini, as well as updated MacBook Pros and iMacs. They will feature the M4 processor and highlight the features of Apple Intelligence. The M4 chip will come to MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro during 2025.
Read more at Bloomberg.com