More rumors about the 'iPhone 5se,' including always-on Siri
Rumors keep popping up regarding the upcoming budget-priced “iPhone 5se” (or possibly the “iPhone 6c”). In an earlier report, it was reaffirmed from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that the new handset will have a form factor similar to the iPhone 5s, but with better hardware. Now, in the latest release from 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, we find out even more about the hardware that should be found in the iPhone 5se.
What we already learned
From the earlier reports, we already heard that the iPhone 5se will have Apple Pay support, and a barometer for tracking elevation in the Health app, along with support for Live Photos. We also learned that the new handset should have the Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi chips from the iPhone 6s and ship in the same Silver, Space Gray, Gold, and Rose Gold color options as the iPhone 6s line.
The latest information
According to Gurman’s sources, the iPhone 5se is more than likely going to include the A9 and M9 chips, as opposed to the A8 and M8 chips that were previously reported. This will allow for always-on Siri activation, and prevent the handset from falling two generations behind processor-wise when the rumored “iPhone 7” ships in the fall.
The iPhone 5se will also see a boost in capacity, according to the sources. The handset will likely debut with 16 GB and 64 GB variants, rather than 16 GB and 32 GB. The iPhone 5s from 2013 will go away, and the new handsets will assume the price points previously held by that device. Gurman also reports that when the iPhone 7 launches in the fall, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be discontinued.
When will it be announced?
The question is, when will this new handset be released? According to Gurman’s sources, Apple plans to announce the iPhone 5se during the week of March 14, either with an event or an online announcement. We’ll continue to follow the story and report when new information surfaces.
