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‘iPhone 5se’ likely to have faster A9/M9 chips & always-on Siri, come in 16/64GB capacities

Screenshot 2016-01-24 22.45.51

Last week we reported that Apple is preparing to announce a new 4-inch iPhone dubbed the “iPhone 5se” as soon as mid-March. Our report noted that the new iPhone is essentially an upgraded iPhone 5s with a faster processor, Apple Pay, new camera features, and curved glass edges instead of sharp chamfers. Now, we have a few additional details about this new iPhone model. First, we are told that there are different prototypes of the device floating around Apple’s campus: some with the A8 and M8 chips that we discussed in our previous report, and some with the iPhone 6s’s A9 and M9 processors. We’ve now learned that the iPhone 5se is more likely to include variants of the A9 and M9 chips instead of the A8 and M8 lines…

Because the iPhone 7 will include a faster chip potentially known as the A10 processor, Apple likely does not want its new 4-inch iPhone to fall two processor generations behind in just six months. Another benefit of the M9 chip from the iPhone 6s is always-on Siri activation. This feature allows a user to say “Hey Siri” and launch Siri on their iPhone without the device being plugged in. Given the large performance leap, we are told that the “5se” will likely replace the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the iPhone lineup this fall when the iPhone 7 is introduced. This means that Apple’s fall 2016 iPhone lineup will likely be the iPhone 5se, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and the future iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (or what Apple ends up calling the next-generation devices).

Lastly, we are told that the 5se will also likely see another boost over the 5s: a higher capacity. While the new device will likely start at a 16GB capacity to match the 5s, the secondary, higher capacity is said to be doubled from 32GB to 64GB. The iPhone 5s from 2013 will be discontinued upon the release of the new 5se and we are told that the price points of the 5s will be assumed by the new model. Apple is currently planning to debut the new device during the week of March 14th either via an event or online announcement. Apple is also preparing new Apple Watch models with new band colors, materials, and partnerships while an iPad Air 3 is also in development, but it is not yet clear if the new iPad is ready for a launch.

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Comments

  1. presslee - 8 years ago

    16gb is too much! I only use like 1.

    • applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

      Schiller will tell you
      ‘You can get iCloud storage which most people use these days’

      As if mobile data is free and available everywhere

      I swear I could’ve hot his head with an iPad 1 if that had been me on stage interviewing him.

      • applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

        hit*

      • jammmi - 8 years ago

        > As if mobile data is free and available everywhere

        It isn’t? I think it depends on where you live. In North America, South Africa and Australia, it seems to commonly have limited monthly usage and is paid per traffic transferred. In most other places, there are no transfer limits and you basically pay a flat monthly fee for a certain level of speed limit.

      • Satrio Adi Rukmono - 8 years ago

        @jammmi – typical first worlder.

      • jalindrine - 8 years ago

        There’s a close relationship between keeping iPhones as status items and linking them to expensive phone plans. I used mine with Ting, which is exceptionally low cost, but Apple would rather we kept shelling out for more expensive plans from the big four. Music streaming, cloud document storage, and, increasingly, video (esp cord cutters who have even cut the home Internet cord) mean iPhones users desire phatter data plans.

        If people with money keep using iPhones, people will keep buying iPhones to look like they have plenty of money. Plans with lots of data is part of the cachet. Apple’s going to continue to design phones to be used by those with enough expendable cash they keep expensive plans.

    • scottwilkins - 8 years ago

      HA! Funny. I get it.

    • Sam Mertin (@kvstar717) - 8 years ago

      You must not have a lot of apps or pictures on your phone if you only use 1GB.

    • iOS 8 was 4.58GB, before installing any apps, which will of course cache everything… so you’re looking at an easy 400-500MB for apps like Facebook once you use it for a little while.

  2. hungarianhc - 8 years ago

    this is good news. Just let us get 128GB, please.

  3. PMZanetti - 8 years ago

    Bring it on!

  4. chrisl84 - 8 years ago

    Guess they used too many A8 chips in that super powerful Apple TV 4, so they had no choice but to use the A9 even though everyone swears that A8 is just fine still for new devices…

  5. Norton Chia (@nchia) - 8 years ago

    Back peddling.

  6. Robert - 8 years ago

    You write: Apple likely does not want its new 4-inch iPhone to fall two processor generations behind in just six months

    Then why would they give the device a name that will fall two generations behind in just six months? The average person will be far more aware of the device name than the processor name. Who will buy an iPhone 5 when the latest is the iPhone 7?

    The “5se” has to be wrong! The device looks exactly like an iPhone 6 with the curved edges and bands and will perform much like one – it would be silly to call it a 5 when it is so different!

    • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

      Exactly. Who in the WORLD wants to tell people they have an iPhone 5se? No one. iPhone 6se? Sure. iPhone 6 or 6S Mini? Much better.

    • rahhbriley - 8 years ago

      Keep wondering the same thing….

    • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

      I think it’s a matter of perspective. Giving it the 6 naming sets it up to be compared it to the 6s. That makes it a smaller and worse phone. Give it the 5s naming and people will compare it to the 5s – A way faster and better phone.

      My guess is apple really wants to appeal to 5s owners. The people who want this phone aren’t going to be iphone 6 and 6s. Those people already bought into having the latest and greatest and gave up on caring about the small form factor. Apple would rather they buy the new iphone 7. For the people who care about small phones they have been holding onto the 5s. For them it was the last good iphone.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        What does iPhone 6 Mini say to you?

        It says to me that it has iPhone 6 specs, but in a smaller size. That is fundamentally superior naming in every aspect. The only reason I wouldn’t call it iPhone 6s mini is because it lacks major 6s features like 3D Touch, 4K video, 12mp sensor, better front facing camera, etc.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        Somehow – personally – I feel more receptive of the idea that this is an bumped up 5s to hold me over to them releasing a truly new 4″ device design. I basically hate the iphone 6. Like really. I hate it because when it came out everyone kept trying to convince me that larger phones were the future and bigger is just better. The idea of buying a late-to-the-game iphone 6 replacement feels gross to me. Where were you a year and a half ago when everyone else was getting the size choice they were crying for? Where were you when the 6s came out and I was still blindly holding hope that something will come to replace the 5s?

        So yea. Screw the iphone 6 and screw the idea of an iphone with “iPhone 6 specs, but in a smaller size.” I’ll take my “improved 5s” marketing over that any day. ha hahaha! ugh I’m sad. :’ [

  7. tigerpork - 8 years ago

    It better come with a touch ID

    • Well the iPhone 5S was the first phone with Touch ID. So…

      • tigerpork - 8 years ago

        The leaked photo of the iphone 5se didn’t have touch ID, just the standard home button. Plus earlier reports that it may not have a touch ID as it is a budget iphone. Hoping that it does tho.

    • Atlas (@Metascover) - 8 years ago

      Don’t be ridiculous, of course it will have it!

  8. Subhankar Das - 8 years ago

    Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee….:)

  9. taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

    So it has curved glass screen, a9 processor and will be called 5se?

    I know Apple always has multiple prototypes in development, but you have hedged your bets on this one. Saying it will have curved screen and should be called 5se makes little sense to me. Also the a8 made little sense since the chip would be 18-19 months old when the new 4″ device will be released.

    With rumors of the iPhone 7 plus getting more ram and other features to seperate it more from the 4.7″Aple should adopt iPhone mini, iPhone, and iPhone Pro as the names.

  10. Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

    Yea I gotta say that statements like this saying, “essentially an upgraded iPhone 5s with a faster processor, Apple Pay, new camera features, and curved glass edges instead of sharp chamfers.” sound pretty silly. Especially with the change of the design to have curved edges.

    The only thing it is essentially right now is a new 4″ iphone – or really a rumor about a new 4″ iphone I guess.

  11. RP - 8 years ago

    Nice to hear. Makes the decision to make the commitment easier. I will more than likely get this phone as my daily phone.

  12. just-a-random-dude - 8 years ago

    I get the feeling these are structured leaks by Apple with a misdirection on what the final name will be. These are far too many changes to simply call it a refresh.

    A 4″ iPhone with A9/1GB, iPhone 6s radio chipset, iPhone 6 style at the price point of 450$ is very tempting. Imagine the monthly price for the iPhone upgrade plan at $20.

  13. o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

    So even much much less sense in calling it iPhone 5se. I don’t believe they are stupid enough to name it that.

  14. o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

    This is my insider report: it will come in a new 4.3″ display which still offers the same one-handed operation, but with a larger display. This is due to the fact that it has an iPhone 6 design which has reduced bezels compared to the iPhone 5, thus, if it had a 4″ screen, the bezels would be as big as they were on the iPhone 5.

  15. claytonkimball - 8 years ago

    16GB is just a bad user experience. Apple, your customers are worth more than that. Treat them right.

    • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

      It works fine for me, it doesn’t work fine for you, so the question is how many people is it fine for? By the way this won’t shoot 4K video or take 12mp pictures so that helps.

      • You’re being disingenuous. 16GB doesn’t work fine for anyone given enough time and without taking preventative measures on an on-going basis.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        @Bruno you’re being nonsensical. It has and does work absolutely perfectly for me. It turns out people use their phones for different reasons. I take hardly and pictures and videos, I store very few on my device because I don’t view many either, I also don’t store much music because I’m intelligent enough to know that I don’t need my entire collection of music that I listen to maybe 1/10th of. I also don’t store hundreds of worthless apps that I never open. I’d absolutely love to see user statistics for apps opened. I bet most people have at least 20-50 apps that they open so infrequently that they don’t deserve a spot on the phone, and that’s even if they take only a few MBs.

    • taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

      Apple should offer just 32 GB on the 4″ model. 16 GB and 32 GB is the same option offered on the 5s currently.

      For non tech savy buyers Apple should have 32 GB as standard. 16 GB is not enough for a good user experince and I wonder how many people have purchased a 16 GB iPhone and have turned to a Android phone because of running out of memory constantly on an iPhone.

      • blakthundar - 8 years ago

        I have talked to a number of co-workers who have to keep deleting stuff because the got the 16 gb iPhone. It baffles me that Apple allows memory limitations to disrupt the user experience, just so they can save whatever the small cost difference is between 16 and 32 gb. Plus for how much people are paying for the phone, I think it’s just tacky to give such minimal memory.

  16. taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

    Would like to see a poll on what size screen the next iPhone you buy will be.

  17. o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

    ‘Price points of the 5s assumed by the 5se’ no chance that is happening if this has an A9. The 5s is $450, that is far too cheap for an A9. My guess is it will be the same price as the iPhone 6 due to it having better specs, despite a smaller display. So look for $549 being the price for the 16GB, and $649 the price of the 64GB.

    • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

      Agreed. That’s too cheap. I think they could use storage tiers to cover some of the gap. I could imagine them increasing the 6s base storage and then having this phone cover the lower end of storage tiers.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        No chance they would up the storage of the iPhone 6s 6 months after its release. That’s a true slap to the face of customers. I bought a 16GB iPhone 6s for $649, and I will be okay with them increasing the base storage in the iPhone 7, not 6 months later in the iPhone 6s.

  18. Phill Bogart - 8 years ago

    “…likely start at a 16GB capacity to match the 5s,..” Why?! There’s no reason for that except as a money ploy to force people to buy into the 64GB models instead of suffering from constantly shuffling files back and forth at sync with the base version! 16GB is so 10 years ago! NONE of the i-devices should come with anything less than 32GB on a base model.

  19. cerberusthewise - 8 years ago

    Apple needs to stop with the 16 gigabytes…

  20. Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

    I actually don’t mind this device starting at 16gb if it’s priced as cheap as a 5s. Having a 16gb model is fine if the value of the device matches the price. If this really does start at the 5s pricing, getting all of those speck bumps is really a good deal. Then they can use higher capacities to spread reach into the iphone 6 pricing tiers.

    What I do mind is that if you buy into having the latest and greatest iphone that it still starts at 16gb. At this point we know that it should have been 32gb as base since we all saw the other tiers double in storage and since it shoots 12mp photos and takes 4k video it really isn’t an acceptable amount of space.

    • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

      It is acceptable because I’m fine with it, and you don’t have to take 4K videos. You can take 720p videos of you choose to save space. 4K video isn’t even on by default. 32GB has to be the base on the iPhone 7 though, because while 16GB is acceptable, it’s not good.

  21. tohaklim - 8 years ago

    That’s more like it. Still needs 3D touch and 3rd gen touchid to be relevant. Otherwise I’ll wait till autumn

    • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

      3D Touch isn’t even relevant because they haven’t really done anything with it yet, it’s largely useless. Maybe in iOS 10 it will be worthy of existence.

  22. cjt3007 - 8 years ago

    Because they’re never going to let 16gb die :(

  23. pdixon1986 - 8 years ago

    why oh why is apple still thinking that 16gb is a great option…

    Surely by now the industry standard should be 32gb as a minimum..

    the only way apple could justify 16gb is if they allow for an expansion card slot (which we know will never happen)

    Shame on you apple if you release another 16gb phone

  24. Atlas (@Metascover) - 8 years ago

    Seems too good to be true !

  25. people who want to use the phone as a PHONE and not a TAB , would always be happy with 4inch screen. This was the best thing about good old nokia handsets. They were small, simple and durable. Its a good thing that Apple is thinking about the size and quality. Most 4inch android phones suck.

    There should be a 4inch variant to each version with reduced features

  26. geomar3771 - 8 years ago

    Thats stupid. nodoby is going to buy that shit!