Apple expected to unveil smaller, cheaper iPhone on Monday

A smaller and cheaper iPhone and a new iPad are among the products expected to be unveiled by Apple on Monday, according to reports.

The Cupertino-based company is holding an event on March 21, with its media invite cryptically stating, “Let us loop you in.”

Rumours have been floating around for sometime now that Apple is planning to launch a new smaller smartphone, dubbed as the iPhone SE (special edition).

The new 4-inch device is anticipated to have features similar to the iPhone 6s such as 4K recording, Live Photos and a rose-gold option. The new phone is also expected to run on an A9 processor and sport a 12MP rear camera. Design-wise, it is likely to resemble the iPhone 5s.

Reports claim the pricing of the new device may be closer to $400-$500.

Meanwhile speculation is also high that Apple will reveal a new iPad edition featuring elements taken from its iPad Pro. The company may also launch new Apple Watch band options and software upgrades.

Apple, which opened its first stores in the Middle East in Dubai and Abu Dhabi late last year, has a very strong marketshare in the region.

According to the latest data from IDC, Apple was the second biggest smartphone vendor in the Middle East as of Q3 2015 following Samsung.

Overall, 29.75 million mobile phones were shipped across the Middle East region during the quarter – up 4.4 per cent from Q2.