Expect to see generational upgrades in the way of the iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 being announced at the Apple March 2016 Event, as well as new bands for the Apple Watch and more partnerships with fashion labels.
Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac spoke to sources that confirmed an iPhone 5se rumor that previously floated around the Internet as the “iPhone 6c.” Mark Gurman also reported that his sources confirmed the news about the Apple Watch and later the iPad Air 3. It is unknown if the information comes from the same sources.
If Mark Gurman’s sources are telling the truth, you can expect to see a 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone 5se, with the same curved glass style as the iPhone 6s and the same 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera as the iPhone 6, being announced at the Apple March 2016 Event. It reportedly has a better processor chip than the one used in the iPhone 6, and will additionally have support for Apple Pay. Supposedly, the iPhone 5se will be able take Live Photos as well, a feature only available on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus currently.
You can also expect to see the next generation of the 9.7-inch iPad Air tablet being announced at the Apple March 2016 Event, according to Mark Gurman’s sources. Supposedly called the iPad Air 3, it may come with the same dynamic speaker feature as the iPad Pro according to a leaked schematic of the iPad that was sent to French tech site Nowhereelse. The leaked schematic also revealed possible plans from Apple to include a LED flash on the back of the device.
Mark Gurman’s sources also mentioned that Apple had been testing iPad Pro-only accessories such as the Apple Pencil with the same 9.7-inch sized panel used in the iPad Air line. Lastly, Gurman’s sources claim that Apple will be announcing additional bands for the Apple Watch and more partnerships with major fashion brands, similar to Apple’s current partnership with Hermès, during the Apple March 2016 Event.
Hermès’s Apple Watch bands just recently became available for purchase online via Apple or Hermès websites. Costing almost twice as much as the Apple Watch Sport edition — the Hermès’s Single Tour model costs $1,100, while the Cuff model costs $1,500 — the Hermès bands had previously only been available for purchase in North America at 18 of Hermès’s retail locations.
If you were wondering what type of new bands Apple may be announcing during the March 2016 Event, in a rare faux pas, a listing of a “Space Black” Milanese Loop band appeared briefly in international versions of the online Apple Store in early January 2016. The listing was quickly taken down, and Techcrunch reports that Apple declined to comment on the band when asked for comment.
Apple is currently preparing to release watchOS 2.2, a non-generational jump for watchOS but one that could still bring some interesting new features. For example, the developer beta version of watchOS 2.2 showcases upgraded functionality for the Maps app with the addition of the Nearby Search feature, and 9to5Mac is also reporting that multiple Apple Watches will be able to be synced to a single iPhone.
Finally, an iOS 9.3 is in the works, which brings with it Night Shift mode, an overlay that shifts the color balance of the device screen, and a new official iOS app called Classroom, supposedly tailored for use by teachers using iPads as instructional devices.
