Apple iPhone SE
Apple Vice President Greg Joswiak introduces the iPhone SE during an event at the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, March 21, 2016. Reuters/Stephen Lam

Good news, Apple fans. The Mac maker could be launching a new iPhone SE this year. Previous reports indicate that the company isn’t releasing an iPhone SE 2017 model, but a new one suggests that a new variant of the miniature Apple smartphone may indeed see the light of day this year.

There’s a possibility that Apple may reveal the 2017 iPhone SE at a rumoured March event, a new report suggests. Speculations that the 4-inch iPhone is getting a refresh started due to the fact that the current model is up for inventory clearance at US retailer Target. The giant retailer reportedly received a memo on Wednesday to return its stocked iPhone SE units, which include unlocked 16 GB and 64 GB variants in all four colour choices (gold, rose gold, silver and space grey) plus two Sprint handsets, back to their maker.

An anonymous Target employee also reportedly revealed that her store has not received new iPhone SE stocks ever since the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were launched back in September 2016. The timing of the inventory clearance of the current iPhone SE models is somehow thought-provoking. Although there are a lot of likely reasons why the second largest discount store retailer in the US is sending back its iPhone SE stocks – like inadequate sales of certain models, for instance – the clearance comes rather closely ahead of the Cupertino, California-based tech titan’s supposed March conference.

Apple may reportedly announce an iPhone SE with 128 GB storage at the event, although no other hardware modifications have been speculated. According to MacRumors, one possible development that could happen in the near future is that Apple starts selling the iPhone SE in 32 GB and 128 GB storage options, boosting the internal memory of the current 16 GB and 64 GB SE units.

The mini iPhone SE is an excellent and affordable alternative to significantly more expensive smartphones that are currently available in today’s market, although it has a shortage of features that make other handsets better. Apple senior vice president of marketing Phil Schiller previously said that the iPhone SE is named as such because it is a “special edition” handset, which is the reason why it was initially thought that the company may never release another phone like it ever again. The iPhone SE is a superb choice for Apple fans who want to get an iPhone at a much lower price.

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