Apple is expected to launch a new 4-inch iPhone in March. According to new reports, the smartphone will be named iPhone SE and a case maker's design drawings show it will use the iPhone 5s' design and not the iPhone 6s as previously reported.
Samsung just launched its 2016 flagship smartphones at Mobile World Congress and the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have been well received by the tech community for their top of the line specs, updated water-resistant design, and the welcomed return of a microSD expansion slot. The handsets are currently available to preorder from all major U.S. carriers and will be released worldwide on March 11.
Since the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will be directly competing with Apple's iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, Samsung took a page out of Apple's playbook and used a smaller 5.1-inch screen in the Galaxy S7 and 5.5-inch display in the Galaxy S7 Edge, unlike last year's Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, which both feature 5.1-inch displays. While Samsung is preparing to release its new smartphones, its biggest rival, Apple, is also in the midst of launching a new iPhone.
We reported in early January that Apple was planning to release a new 4-inch iPhone that would officially be named "iPhone 5e" and while some reports claimed the device would feature a design similar to that of the iPhone 6s, other reports claimed it would be more of an upgraded iPhone 5s and would be named "iPhone 5se." Sources now claim it will actually be called "iPhone SE" and gets its design influence from the iPhone 5s.
9To5Mac posted images from a third-party case maker's design drawings for the new 4-inch iPhone, which shows the smartphone will look nearly identical to the iPhone 5s and have its power button moved to the right side of the device. Sources have also told the site that Apple has settled on a name for the new device.
Apple has reportedly decided to drop the "5" from the new 4-inch iPhone's name and will officially call it "iPhone SE," for special edition. Sources claim Apple does not want to confuse customers by bringing back an iPhone 5 model during the "iPhone 6" life cycle.
The iPhone SE is expected to be unveiled in March alongside a 9.7-inch iPad Pro and will replace the iPhone 5s as Apple's entry-level iPhone.
