Apple’s planning to release the upcoming iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 on March 18th, according to 9to5Mac. If accurate, that would come just three days after the rumored March 15th press event — also still unconfirmed — so Apple may skip preorders entirely for the new products.
The iPhone 5se is said to feature a 4-inch display and a physical design that resembles the outgoing iPhone 5S, but with faster internals that put it on par with the iPhone 6, NFC for Apple Pay, and Live Photos support.
The iPad 3, meanwhile, is likely to see upgrades across the line and may also support iPad Pro accessories like the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.
But again, such a quick sprint to retail availability is unusual for new iPhones. Apple immediately releases many types of products — Macs, Apple Watch and iPhone accessories, etc. — but typically iOS hardware sees a longer window between announcement and launch.
Even if preorders aren’t offered, it’s still possible that Apple will let customers place web orders for in-store pickup once both items go on sale, along with new Apple Watch bands also expected to debut next month.
