The forthcoming smaller 4-inch smartphone from Apple has been rumored for some time, and the new expected name for this device on release is the iPhone 5SE. The SE in the title of this device stands for Special Edition, indicating that Apple will be promoting this smaller version of its iconic mobile as a new product range.
Apple financial challenges
Apple has already promised the city that it will develop new revenue streams, as the corporation experiences stagnation in the sales of iPhone for the first time in the history of the handset. Indeed, Apple has confirmed that it expects the number of iPhone units sold to decline in 2016, and this has had a significantly detrimental influence over the share price of the company.
Whereas once Apple was looking to push above the $1 trillion market market capitalization figure, after setting the $700 billion record in 2015, this looks a remote prospect at present. Apple’s market cap currently stands at around $535 billion, and it has generally been heading south in recent months, as Apple struggles to demonstrate to the city that it can diversify away from the hugely successful iPhone.
So the iPhone 5SE will be an absolutely critical device release for Apple, even if on the surface is simply appears to be a smaller version of the smartphone. With the iPhone 5SE tipped to make a significant penetration into the East Asian marketplace, along with other developing economies, it could be very much a barometer of whether Apple will be able to continue to generate growth in the coming years.
Thus, many consumers are already anticipating the iPhone 5SE excitedly, wondering what Apple will arm this more affordable smartphone variant with. Apple itself has not confirmed the existence of this four-inch smartphone as of yet, but rumors have been circulating about the device for some months, even though the initial name attached to this smartphone was significantly different from that which is being suggested now.
Kuo confirms smaller iPhone
And the confirmation of this device by the infamous analyst Ming-Chi Kuo almost makes its appearance in the foreseeable future a certainty. Kuo, of KGI Securities, suggests that mass production of this device will begin in the first half of 2016, which perhaps somewhat contradicts previous leaks and speculation on the subject. Rumors have suggested that the iPhone 5SE could be launched in March 2016, but the contacts that Kuo possesses close to the Apple supply chain suggest that he could indeed be correct in his assumption.
Kuo believes that Apple will hand Foxconn the exclusive contract to manufacture the iPhone 5SE, with the East Asian company having produced solid work in relation to previous Apple releases. It does seem that Apple will not release this smartphone under the moniker of iPhone 7, as the next-generation smartphone from Apple is due for release in September 2016. The smart money is now settling on the iPhone 5SE for this device, even though such names as the iPhone 6C, iPhone 7C, iPhone 5E and iPhone 7 / 6 Mini have been linked with the handset previously.
Many people have commented that it will be a slightly odd decision to attach this new device to an older sounding name, but it does seem unlikely based on recent memories that this will indeed be the case. One cannot doubt Apple’s ability to market to consumers, so any decision that it takes in this department must be given some credence.
iPhone 5SE – Display
It is expected that the iPhone 5SE will feature the screen resolution that was included in the recent iPhone 6S. This would be an excellent quality display for what is an affordable smartphone, and additionally due to the smaller screen size compared to the iPhone 6S, this would mean that the pixels per inch rating is actually superior to the existing smartphone.
Processor
It is expected at this early stage that the iPhone 5SE will be shipped out with the A8 processor that is found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Some sources, though, have suggested that the improved A9 found in last year’s iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus could be included.
RAM
In memory terms, it is highly likely that the smartphone will be loaded with 1GB of RAM, identical to that of the existing iPhone 6.
Storage
Apple has more of a decision to make in this department. There is no doubt that the iPhone 5SE will come complete with a minimum of 16GB of storage. But this amount is now viewed as rather paltry, and this could motivate Apple to possibly produce a base model of the iPhone 5SE which features 32GB of storage. Elsewhere, the maximum storage of the iPhone 5SE is likely to be 64GB, thus distinguishing it from the existing iPhone 6S.
Camera
Early rumors suggest that the iPhone 6S will feature an eight-megapixel rear-facing camera, possibly also including some enhanced form of low-light shooting capabilities. The front-facing snapper is likely to be the existing 1.2-megapixel unit already found in the iPhone 6.
Battery
Apple has had to endure some criticism about the battery life of its products in recent years, and this could be a major consideration in the production of the iPhone 5SE. Thus, it is perhaps not surprising that there is some debate over what size battery will be included in the iPhone 5SE when it is released. Reports have wavered between a 1,642 mAh unit and a larger 1,810 mAh cell, with some analysts also suggesting that it will be somewhere between these two points.
Connectivity
An NFC chip is a certainty in the iPhone 5SE, as Apple is highly unlikely to promote the Apple Pay mobile payment system included in the device as a major selling point. Bluetooth 4.2 and hopefully the enhanced 802.11ac WiFi chip found within the iPhone 6s are other possibilities.
Design
The design of this device is expected to be extremely close to the iPhone 6, with Apple veering away from the colorful and plasticky visage that it has used in previous affordable iPhone releases.
Release date and price
Finally, it is still largely anticipated that we will see the iPhone 5SE in March, and that it will retail between $400 and $450.
