Big, pocket-busting phones may be the hot thing, a trend Apple itself embraced with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but today Apple changed course, announcing the new 4-inch iPhone SE at their latest special event. The iPhone SE will have basically all the same features and horsepower of the iPhone 6S, boasting an A9 processor and M9 co-processor, packed into the smaller, sturdier frame of the iPhone 5S for folks who like that more classic iPhone look and feel. The iPhone SE will sell for $399, or $499 for the 64GB version, replacing the iPhone 5S in the current Apple lineup. iPhone SE orders open up March 24, with the phone releasing on March 31.
The iPhone isn’t the only Apple device the company is applying the shrinking potion to. They also announced a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Much like the iPhone SE, this new iPad will have all the horsepower and features of the iPad Pro, packed into a more traditional 9-inch iPad frame. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro comes in three models – a 32GB version for $599, 128GB for $749 and 250GB for $899. Like the SE, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro releases on March 31, and orders open up on the 24th.
In other news, Apple is releasing additional bands for Apple Watch, including the new ’90s-esque woven nylon band, and they’re dropping the watch’s price to $299. Also, an update for iOS (version 9.3) drops today, introducing a variety a minor tweaks to existing apps and features.
So, there you go, if you really liked the look of Apple products from a few years back and aren’t wild about the new Android-influenced designs, well, Apple has answered your prayers. What do you folks think? Interested in owning a phone that looks like it’s four years old, but does all the stuff a new phone can?