(This story has been updated to reflect the revised price of the iPhone SE in India)
New Delhi: Apple has unveiled its newest 4-inch iPhone to replace a similar-sized model released in 2013. Named iPhone SE, the new Apple iPhone is powered by the company's latest chipset that powers the larger (flagship) 4.7-inch iPhone 6s, which came out six months ago.
The iPhone SE will be available in India from April at Rs 39,000 for the 16 GB model. The company is yet to announce the price of the 64 GB model for the Indian market. Apple had previously announced that the phone will be available in India at Rs 30,000 but has subsequently issued a press release announcing a correction in the price.
Prices for the new iPhone, in the US, start at $399 for a model with 16 GB of storage. That's less than the $450 price tag for the 5s. It will be free if customers commit to a two-year contract with their wireless carrier, as was the case with the 5s. The 64 GB model of the iPhone SE, however, costs $499.
The new iPhone SE, with Apple's vaunted A9 chip, is much faster than Apple's previous attempt at an entry-level phone, launched in 2013.
Like the iPhone 6s, the iPhone SE will be able to take pictures at 12 megapixels. By comparison, the iPhone 5s' camera is limited to 8 megapixels.
The iPhone SE will also be equipped with a longer-lasting battery than the iPhone 5s and have faster wireless connections. It will also work with Apple Pay, the company's digital wallet. The phone will come in four colour options- silver, gold, space grey and rose gold.
The iPhone SE will be aimed at first-time Apple buyers and those who want to upgrade from the iPhone 5S and 5C, which have not been updated in over two years.
Orders for the iPhone SE will start from March 24. It will go on sale from March 31 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands and the US.
Apple says it will introduce the iPhone SE in India and several other countries in early April.
The new iPhone comes as sales taper off for the device that generates the bulk of Apple's profits. Some iPhone users prefer the smaller size and have resisted upgrading to the larger models that Apple has shifted to in recent years to compete against Samsung.
iPad Pro
Apple has also launched a smaller version of the iPad Pro tablet at its event at the company's headquarters in Cupertino on March 21.
The new iPad Pro has a 9.7-inch display while the the original business-geared tablet has a 12.9-inch display. The smaller, new iPad starts at $599 for US customers, down from around $800 for the original. The price for an iPad Air with 16 GB of storage is being cut by $100 to $399 in another attempt to spur sales.
The 9.7-inch iPad will be available in India at Rs 49,900 for the 32 GB with (WiFi) model and Rs 61,900 for the 32GB (WiFi + Cellular) model.
Both iPad Pro sizes are available in offerings of 32GB, 128GB and a new 256GB capacity, the highest of any iOS device.
Apple Pencil will retail in India for Rs 8,600 and Smart Keyboard in charcoal grey for Rs 13,900.
Apple is hoping the iPad Pro - with a more powerful processor and camera - will give more consumers an incentive to buy a new tablet. It is hitting the market as Apple's iPad sales have been falling for several years.
Apple will begin accepting orders for the smaller iPad Pro from March 24. The device will start shipping a week later, on March 31. The company says it will bring the tablet to India in April.
Apple Watch
Apple has cut the price of its smartwatch and has also introduced an array of new bands in an attempt to spur more sales of a gadget that hasn't won a big following yet.
Prices for the Apple Watch will start at $299, down from $349.
Apple has also released a new type of wristband made of woven nylon, along with more colours for existing types of bands.
The expanded variety is designed to appeal to the roughly one-third of Apple watch owners who like to switch bands.
The highly anticipated Apple Watch was released a year ago, but sales haven't met some of analysts' more bullish predictions. While Apple hasn't released figures, IDC's analysts estimate the tech giant shipped 11.6 million watches last year.
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