Apple Announces Special Edition Red iPhone 7, 128GB iPhone SE And $329 A9-Powered 9.7-inch iPad
“Since we began working with (RED) 10 years ago, our customers have made a significant impact in fighting the spread of AIDS through the purchase of our products, from the original iPod nano (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition all the way to today’s lineup of Beats products and accessories for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “The introduction of this special edition iPhone in a gorgeous red finish is our biggest (PRODUCT)RED offering to date in celebration of our partnership with (RED), and we can’t wait to get it into customers’ hands.”
Besides the new matte red finish (with a white face), there are no internal changes to speak of with the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. There are also no changes to pricing, which means that the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models will start from $749 and $849 respectively. The new special edition models will be available starting Friday, March 24th.
In addition to the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has also doubled the capacity of the entry-level iPhone SE. Previously available in 16GB and 64GB SKUs, the iPhone SE will now be available in 32GB and 128GB capacities priced at $399 and $499 respectively. No other specification changes or new color options have been announced for the iPhone SE.
Finally, Apple has updated its “most popular-sized” iPad. The new 9.7-inch iPad replaces the iPad Air 2 and comes with an Apple A9 SoC. It is available in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+Cellular SKUs in capacities of 32GB of 128GB. Interestingly, breaking from the usual Apple cadence, the new 9.7-inch iPad is actually thicker than its iPad Air 2 predecessor and is identical in external dimensions to the first-generation iPad Air that was announced in 2013.
“iPad is the world’s most popular tablet. Customers love the large, 9.7-inch display for everything from watching TV and movies, to surfing the web, making FaceTime calls, and enjoying photos, and now it is even more affordable,” said Phil Schiller, Apple SVP of Worldwide Marketing. “New customers and anyone looking to upgrade will love this new iPad for use at home, in school, and for work, with its gorgeous Retina display, our powerful A9 chip, and access to the more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for it.”
In the end, these are all relatively minor “adjustments” to its Apple’s mobile product lineup and gives its customers something fresh to talk about/purchase between now and the [likely] September launch of the iPhone 8.
