Next-gen AirPods Pro and iPhone SE said to launch in April

Japanese tech blog Mac Otakara reports that Apple plans to launch new second-generation AirPods Pro and a new third-generation iPhone SE in April 2021, citing Chinese supplier sources.

Noise-canceling shootout:AirPods Pro are packed with audio innovation to deliver superior sound and an immersive noise-canceling experience.
Apple’s current AirPods Pro are packed with audio innovation to deliver superior sound and an immersive noise-canceling experience.

Joe Rossignol for MacRumors:

The report claims that the new AirPods Pro will come with a slightly redesigned charging case. Specifically, the report claims the case will remain 21mm thick, but will have a height of 46mm and a width of 54mm. The current AirPods Pro charging case has a height of 45.2mm and a width of 60.6mm, so the new case will apparently be slightly narrower.

The report does not offer any further details about either the AirPods Pro or iPhone SE… Given that Mac Otakara refers to the upcoming model as a “third-generation” iPhone SE, however, it is possible that Apple plans to stick with a 4.7-inch display like the second-generation iPhone SE — it’s unclear.

MacDailyNews Note: Last April, TF International Securities’ uber-analyst Ming-Chi Ku said a larger-screened [5.5-inch] version of the iPhone SE, “iPhone SE Plus,” had been delayed until the second half of 2021.

When and if the “iPhone SE Plus” finally appears, it will likely still sport with the old Home button which, as users of X-class iPhones and iPads know, is not as nice as having a TrueDepth Camera system and Face ID. Pressing that Home button all day in staccato fashion is just not as fluid as a simple flick. Eventually, Apple will be able to scale to the point of eliminating the Home button everywhere. We’d hoped they’d be able to do so with every new iOS device going forward, but it seems they’re not there yet in terms of pricing. The good news that most people buying these lower-priced iPhone models will be coming from older iPhones with Home buttons anyway, so they won’t know or feel like they’re missing anything.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]

2 Comments

  1. Where is the real iPhone mini? I mean I have an iPhone 12 mini and I love it but it’s not mini. At all. It’s really about the same size as an iPhone 8 or SE. I love it, but really it should just be called the iPhone 12 and the 6.1 inch version should be called the iPhone 12+. And there should be a real iPhone mini to satisfy the people who really wanted an iPhone similar size to the iPhone 5 and the original SE. I bet a lot of people who got excited at the announcement of an iPhone 12 mini were really disappointed when they actually held one in their hands or compare the sizes online.
    Apple if you’re not impressed with the seals of your iPhone 12 mini it because it’s not really a mini.

    Typos courtesy of Siri on iPad Pro. Why is it so crappy iPads?

  2. As an owner of both an original iPhone SE and the latest iPad Pro, I will forever disagree with your assessment, MDN editors. Having the home button makes unlocking the phone much easier in all situations except for wearing gloves, and a simple aim-and-tap at pay stations beats trying to get something to recognize my face and then move it to the terminal before something times out, and I can unlock my phone by feel in the car without having to take my eyes off the road or move it into my field of vision.

    You can prefer the camera unlock if you want, but please don’t claim it’s obviously better. That’s totally subjective.

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