It’s been rumored for a while now that the iPhone SE 3 and iPad Air 5 could land in early 2022, but now we can go beyond rumors, as the two devices have seemingly been certified by the EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission – a Russian regulator).
Spotted by French site Consomac, the regulator lists iPhones with the model numbers A2595, A2783 and A2784, and iPads with the model numbers A2436, A2588, A2696, A2759, A2437, A2589, A2591, A2757, A2761, A2766 and A2777, believed to belong to the iPhone SE 3 (which might actually land as the iPhone SE Plus 5G) and the iPad Air 5 respectively.
The listings don’t include any other details, but usually we don’t see devices pass through the EEC and other regulatory bodies until close to launch, so this is perhaps the strongest sign yet that these devices will launch soon.
Getting more specific, we recently heard a rumor that the iPhone SE 3 and iPad Air 5 would land together, sometime between March and May. Another leak meanwhile has pointed to a launch sometime between March and April for the iPhone SE 3, and a slightly older leak suggested it would be here by the end of March.
So March looks like the earliest we’ll probably see these devices, but there’s also a high chance they’ll land in the month, and this new regulator listing makes that time frame seem ever more likely.
Analysis: 5G looks to be the main upgrade for both gadgets
If you’re interested in either the iPhone SE 3 or the iPad Air 5, then you should know that rumors suggest there won’t be huge changes compared to their predecessors.
Both gadgets are rumored to be getting 5G, which will be a big upgrade to some people, especially in the case of the iPhone SE 3, but beyond that a newer, better chipset currently looks to be the only other significant change.
That chipset could be an A15 Bionic in both cases (the same as the iPhone 13 range has), while the iPad Air 5 might also get an ultra-wide camera to join its main one, but the design and screen on both of these devices might not be in for a change.
That makes the rumored iPhone SE Plus 5G name rather odd though, since previously Apple has used the Plus suffix to denote a larger display.
- The iPhone 14 is also expected this year
Via GSMArena
