The next iPhone is coming, and it’s going to have a four-inch screen. The rumored iPhone 5se, as it will be called, is Apple’s way of getting back to an iPhone design with a smaller screen.
iPhone 5se
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were a deviation by Apple into the “phablet” market. They incorporated bigger screens into their phones, which were a stark contrast from their iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 designs.
Some even said that they were copying Samsung, but Apple sure isn’t with this new iPhone development.
The Motley Fool reports that the next iPhone will look pretty similar to the iPhone 5.
Evan Niu writes, “Better cameras are supposedly in store, too, and perhaps most importantly an NFC chip will be included for Apple Pay support. To date, Apple Pay has been limited to Apple’s larger handsets. The iPhone 5se should look pretty similar to the current iPhone 5s, except maybe with some minor design tweaks.”
When paired with the information that 60 percent of iPhone users haven’t upgraded to the iPhone 6, 6s, or 6 Plus yet, it makes sense for Apple to think that there’s still a high demand for smaller phones. That’s why the next iPhone will have a four-inch screen.
“But at the same time, it’s also not as if all of the iPhone install base will opt for bigger iPhones,” Evan Niu writes. “There will always be a market for relatively smaller 4-inch models, and it’s this market that Apple will cater to with the iPhone 5se. You might also remember that Apple resisted the calls to go big for a very long time.”
iPad Air 3
A new Apple iPad is also coming out, which will be called the iPad Air 3. Fox News reports that the newest iPad rumors suggest that it will come with a Smart Connector, which will support the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard.
There’s been a slowdown in tablet interest, which explains why the new iPad Air 3 will be the next Apple tablet since last September, when the company introduced a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
4-Inch iPhone 5se, New iPad Air to Launch on March 15: Report https://t.co/0vU3JvYarS pic.twitter.com/ixvy8MxDj3
— Gadgets 360 (@Gadgets360) February 15, 2016
iPhone 7
The iPhone 5se is largely meant to hold consumers over until the iPhone 7. The biggest rumor is how the next Apple iPhone after the 5se won’t have a headphone jack — the headphones will be connected through the lightning port.
There’s also a “liquid-metal” report going around that reveals Apple could make the iPhone 7 completely waterproof along with incorporating wireless charging capabilities.
Liquidmetal is an alloy with “an amorphous atomic structure and a multi-component chemical composition. The special metal has high tensile strength, corrosion resistance, water resistance and better elasticity.”
The iPhone 7 is still a little way out from being released, so more rumors and news will surface as time goes on.
Conclusion
The next Apple iPhone will have a smaller screen and be called the iPhone 5se. Waiting in the wings is the iPhone 7, which may carry a “liquid-metal” design along with no headphone jack to speak of.
The iPad Air 3 is expected to be announced in March as well, even though there’s been a slowdown in the tablet market in recent memory.
There are many recent Apple rumors, and many are expected to be either confirmed or denied in March during the next Apple Event.
[Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images]