Apple will reportedly host a big event in March to introduce some new products, but the next-generation Apple Watch will not be included. At the event, the company will unveil the next-generation iPad Air and the new four-inch iPhone 5se, says a report from 9to5Mac by Mark Gurman.
To curtail iPad sales decline
Gurman writes that Apple has been testing versions of the iPad Air 3 that are compatible with its Pencil stylus, but it is not known if the company plans to make a new version of the Pencil just for the 9.7-inch iPad. This update to the iPad would mark the first update to the middle-sized iPad since October 2014.
Apple informed investors earlier this week that iPad sales have seen a significant decline year over year. The lack of updates to the most popular iPad model, the Air line, likely contributed to this drop. The iPhone firm aims to increase iPad sales this year, and making a notable update to the 9.7-inch iPad is part of it.
Apple also seeks to sell more iPads to schools around the world and is testing a new version of iOS with a Classroom application. The upcoming iOS 9.3 update will have a preview of the software. The iPhone firm plans to release a pair of iOS software updates soon after the event, most likely, and it will complement the aforementioned hardware updates, the report says.
More Apple Watch models and a new iPhone
Also Apple will likely unveil the rumored iPhone 5se at the event. This iPhone is expected to run on a faster A9 processor and have an M9 chip that offers support for always-on Siri activation, which enables users to activate the personal assistant with their voices. It is expected that the phone will feature an NFC sensor as well, making it possible for users to access Apple Pay. Gurman says that the company will also unveil new Apple Watch models at the event, but they will be just iterations of the original models and not second-generation devices.
“We are told that the [Apple Watch] update will include multiple new colors for the rubber Sport Bands, additional colors for the line of Hermes bands, a black version of the Milanese Loop, and an additional band line made out of a new material,” Gurman writes.
