As always, to speculate as to what Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is up to with the features it will include in their new phones, when those handsets will be released, and what the iPhones will be called is a fool’s errand. With that said, I have every intention of acting the fool and new rumors are suggesting that the iPhone 7 will be unveiled on September 16th, but that it will be called the iPhone 6 SE.
More unsubstantiated rumors about the iPhone 7, now iPhone 6 SE
Rumors out of the Chinese supply chain (without pictures) suggest that rather than the highly anticipated iPhone 7, packaging exists that have Apple calling its next iPhone the fairly confusing “iPhone 6SE.”
The lack of pictures could have you legitimately saying “poppycock.” Please don’t shoot the messenger, I simply report this nonsense. However, the lack of photos of this purported packaging puts its “believability” level down near the bottom of this scale.
Earlier this year, Apple released the iPhone SE for entry-level customers without the wallet to buy a top-end Apple product but who do wish to own an iPhone. The idea of Apple introduce a new top-end iPhone that shares its name with this lesser offering seems a bit tough to swallow.
In theory, it’s certainly possible that Apple is going to go this route as the iPhone 7 is expected to be considerably less than a “game changer” and giving a phone that will not be a major upgrade a new name does seem a bit silly.
Regardless of what the new iPhone will be called, it does appear that we do know when it will be released.
iPhone 6 SE (iPhone 7) to be released on September 16
Unsubstantiated package rumors are much less reliable than Evan Blass. He’s a prominent leaker of Apple information with a pretty damn good track record for getting this stuff right. Mr. Blass’ Twitter account (@evleaks) recently called for the release of the iPhone 6SE, which Blass called the iPhone 7, “week of Sept. 12.” In a follow up tweet, Blass specifically called for an unveiling on Friday, September 16.
Don’t for a moment discount Blass, his information in the past has been spot on and that’s not easy to get right with the secrecy employed by Apple.
No matter what name it finally takes, the new phone isn’t meant to, once again, turn heads. Most believe that next year will see Apple unveil a show stopper with an OLED display and all sorts of other bells and whistles.
Read, if Samsung can do something truly special with the Galaxy Note 7 it may turn out that 2016 really is the South Korean company’s year after critical and consumer praise for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, leaving Apple wondering what happened.
Apple’s stock has already suffered this year after the company was forced to report declining sales of the iPhone in the last quarter for the first time since the company introduced its first iconic handset when the company was still run by a man with a penchant for a black turtleneck.
For many consumers, the name is a moot point, they want features and they are a camp divided over whether Apple should or will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack when the new device is released (we’ll go with Blass on this one) on September 16.
