Earlier this month 9to5Mac reported that Apple will introduce iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 at an event on March 15th. Today it is reporting that it will start selling both these devices on March 18th, the same week after it launches. Launching these new devices soon after the introduction and not offering pre-orders would be a new strategy for Apple.
According to earlier reports, the iPhone 5se will have the same design as the iPhone 5s, but it will come with upgraded hardware, internals, software and high-end features. It is expected to feature a 4-inch screen, an A9 chip with M9 co-processor and NFC for Apple Pay. Although it will support Live Photos, it will not feature the 3D Touch functionality that is available on new iPhones.
It is expected to pack a 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.2-mega pixel front-facing camera and will also have barometer that will help the Health app check for changes in elevation. It is expected to come in gold, rose gold, silver, and space gray colors.
The iPad Air 3 is rumored to feature the same 9.7″ display seen on the Air 2, but it will have a similar design as the iPad Pro, including the 4-speaker layout as well as Smart Keyboard support. It is expected to be powered by a variant of the A9 processor, an upgraded camera and could also come with a rear flash.
Apple is also expected to introduce new Watch band options like new colors for the rubber Sports band, Hermes bands and debut a black Milanese Loop band at the event.