Renowned Apple whistleblower Mark Gulman recently announced that Apple is preparing to update the iPhone SE early next year, or release it together with an upgraded iPad.
Gulman wrote that informed sources have revealed that Apple is about to produce an iPhone SE internally codenamed "V59", which will become its latest entry-level model. According to informed sources, Apple also plans to produce a new iPad Air and keyboard, which will be released around the same time.
It is worth mentioning that the last iPhone SE update was in 2022, when Apple added 5G functionality to it. Gurman added that Apple will abandon the Home button design and adopt a borderless screen this time.
Media analysis suggests that the upgrade of iPhone SE will help Apple compete in the low-end smartphone market, as it is currently facing pressure from Android phones. In the United States, the price of this model is $429, and in China it is 3499 yuan, which is more expensive than many competitors.
It was revealed that the new SE phone will be similar to the iPhone 14, with a top notch screen design. Compared to it, the current SE (third generation) is closer to the iPhone 8.
Analysis of the iPhone SE (third generation) suggests that if Apple can transform the SE model to resemble a high-end model in appearance, it should help attract budget conscious consumers.
Gulman stated that the new SE phone is expected to support Apple's upcoming personal intelligence system - Apple Smart, which will be launched this month on the latest iPhone 16 and last year's iPhone 15.
Gulman also mentioned that Apple may launch new 11 inch and 13 inch iPad Air models with internal codenames "J607" and "J637" early next year, and will equip these two models with the Magic Keyboard "R307" and "R308".
In addition, the new iPad mini codenamed "J410" is also about to be released and may be available by the end of 2024. The update of iPad Pro is not so urgent.
In addition to the iPhone SE and iPad, Apple will also update its Mac computer lineup this year, including Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and iMac, which will use M4 processors and also be compatible with Apple Smart.
In addition, the M4 chip will be available on MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro during 2025.