Apple Supply Chain: It’s Going To Be Waterproof!

As reported by ValueWatch, leaked sketchings of the smaller four-inch iPhone unit seem to suggest that the next handset from the consumer electronics giant will be be referred to as the iPhone SE.

Branding Alteration
It had previously been reported that Apple would brand this smartphone as the iPhone 5SE, with the SE part of the name standing for Special Edition.

This new device is certainly a departure from the standard iPhone fare considering that it is significantly smaller than the premium iPhone handset.

9to5Mac suggests that the next generation affordable iPhone unit will launch in March alongside a smaller iPad Pro tablet with a 9.7-inch display.

As has been expected, both will be unveiled at a special March 15 event, alongside new colors and band designs for the Apple Watch smartwatch.

New Device Surprise
Another rumor this week has caught Apple-following media on the hop, and indicates that the corporation is considering effectively releasing a second new iPhone Product line.

Reports from close to the Apple supply chain suggest that the premium iPhone 7 Plus device, that had already been predicted to feature dual cameras, could ultimately be dubbed the iPhone Pro.

This is very much speculative at the time of writing, as it has emanated from the Chinese website MyDrivers. But Apple is reportedly considering this distinctive name in order to separate the device from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with both of the standard units to feature single-lens cameras.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had suggested previously that Apple is beavering away internally on producing two separate versions of the iPhone 7 Plus. And Kuo indeed noted the differing camera technologies as being central to this ethos.

Some analysts have suggested that this information is questionable, as there seems to be very little incentive for Apple to effectively splinter its iPhone lineup. But the murmurings from China and the insistence of the world’s most prominent Apple analyst and soothsayer must make this report a distinct possibility.

So by the end of 2016 it could be possible for consumers to choose from four separate new iPhone units. The first will be the iPhone SE, which will emerge in April according to the most recent reports.

And then three iPhone units will all presumably arrive in the early weeks of the fourth quarter of the year, as is usual procedure for Apple. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be accompanied by this new iPhone Pro unit, and it seems natural for Apple to release the three simultaneously.

The Pro Range
It is interesting to note that the iPad Pro expected to launch in the next month or so was originally expected to receive the iPad Air 3 moniker. The fact that Apple is now expected to brand this device as another iPad Pro, and also the information regarding the iPhone Pro, suggest that this could be an intentional move by Apple to create what is effectively a brand new product niche. It seems that the Pro line of devices could be targeted at the business community in particular, as well as naturally attracting consumers.

Although the emergence of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is some distance away, numerous leaks have given us a clue regarding the ultimate makeup of these iconic smartphone devices. Waterproofing and dust-proofing is expected to be central to the ethos of the iPhone 7 series, as Apple intends to create devices that are well suited to health-tracking.

In addition, it has been widely reported that Apple will eliminate the standard headphone jack when the iPhone 7 is released, and that the new handset will instead rely on wireless technology. This is also said to be a particularly sleek version of the iconic iPhone range, as the new design will eliminate the rear antenna bands and protruding camera of previous releases.

Meanwhile, 9to5Mac has claimed to have received the first drawings of the smaller version of the iPhone range from a case manufacturing company. These would seem to indicate that the new iPhone device is extremely similar to the 2013 iPhone 5s, with significant internal hardware and software upgrades also included. It seems that Apple is attempting to keep production costs relatively low with this device, and this would suggest that it could be an extremely affordable variant targeted at the budget marketplace.

iPhone Pro, iPhone SE & iPhone 7 Spec upgrades
Among the spec improvements linked with the iPhone SE are a faster A9 processor and M9 chip which will ensure that this is a pretty nifty performer for more affordable devices. In addition, Apple is expected to ensure that the storage of the iPhone SE is superior to previous budget releases from the consumer electronics behemoth.

Apple Pay is also set to be central to the ethos of the iPhone SE, with an NFC chip included in order to ensure that the mobile payment system is available from day one. As Apple attempts to boost its revenue in 2016, a year in which it has already conceded that it expects to sell less iPhone units than in previous calendar years, Apple Pay could be pushed strongly with this aim in mind.

The iPhone SE will also probably include the best camera that Apple has ever armed a more affordable smartphone with, and some analysts are suggesting that it could even have equal photographic capability to last year’s iPhone 6s.

It is not yet clear whether the iPhone Pro will significantly different from the iPhone 7 in any other respect other than the dual-cameras fitted. But one possible difference could be a larger screen size, with some people predicting that the Galaxy Note 6, an obvious rival to the iPhone Pro, will include a six-inch display this year. Apple could embrace a larger iPhone Pro, and even contemplate producing a curved screen variant of the mobile.

There is a lot ahead for Apple this year In the smartphone niche, and it certainly seems that consumers will benefit.

Source: ValueWalk

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