After being made available for pre-order last week, the 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro are available to buy in Apple Stores today — although unlike many Apple launches, this one doesn’t seem to have been met with massive queues.
The smaller iPhone starts at $399 in the U.S., while the smaller iPad Pro will cost you upwards of $599, plus accessories. If you’re planning to upgrade, but aren’t sure which device will suit your needs, you can check out our handy iPhone and iPad buyer’s guide pages for assistance.
No queue for iPhone SE in Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/qmSiFsFqQ6
— Hatsu Wat (@Hatsu_Oz) March 31, 2016
Having received our new iPhone and iPad today, we’ll also be testing them over the next couple of days to bring you a full review next week.
Both devices can be picked up in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the U.K., US Virgin Islands and, of course, the United States.
No queue for the iPhone SE or smaller iPad Pro today in Cardiff. Or maybe I’m just too early?
— Gareth Lewis (@_garethlewis) March 31, 2016
They will then roll out to customers in (deep breath) Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guernsey, Jersey, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and UAE in early April.
The relative lack of queues at Apple Stores (as seen through some of the tweets we’ve included with this article) shouldn’t come as a massive surprise. Not only is it only six months since Apple introduced its last batch of iPhones and iPads, but reports suggest that demand has been relatively weak for both new devices.
A poll conducted by Cult of Mac suggests that 75 percent of readers aren’t interested in either the iPhone SE or new iPad Pro — although I’d suspect the SE especially will be a hit overseas in developing markets like India.
Are you planning to get either of Apple’s new devices today? Leave your comments below.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
12 responses to “iPhone SE and iPad Pro go on sale with little fanfare”
Hey Luke. In your article you state “The smaller iPhone starts at $599 in the U.S”. In the picture it says $399.
Thank you, sir. Corrected. :)
Just got the new, larger, iPad Pro in November. I was apprehensive at first. I thought it was too big. I didn’t think it would fit in my travel iPad bag, but it does comfortably. After 4+ months with, it no longer looks or feels big. I will NEVER go back to a smaller iPad. I enjoy photo editing on the larger real estate with the Apple Pencil way too much. I LOVE watching video on the large screen as well, especially when traveling on a plane. The 9.7 inch seems like a “mini” now.
My iPad Pro 9.7 inch got delivered today – it is sitting in front of me, on my desk, still in the brown cardboard packaging! I don’t dare open it for fear of pissing off one of my bosses who sits quite close by. Can’t wait to unbox this thing.
This is my first iPad so it was a good point to jump in. The screen really is the best on any tablet and I have spent some time researching the others.
Getting a 64 GB SE today!
Jealous. Virgin mobile is already sold out.
Can someone explain why I need either as opposed to the iphone 6 and gen 3 ipad?
I pre-ordered the space grey 16gb iPhone SE and it will be delivered today. I had upgraded to the iPhone 6 and 6s in previous years simply because I wanted the latest tech. However, I’ve always like the 5s design better. Now I get both combined. Thanks Apple! Can’t wait to see what the SE brings next year!
I actually work at the Apple Store . No there hasn’t been any crazy lines but the store has been very busy and the new SE/PRO devices have been selling really well as of this morning . I think the devices will do what Apple needs or intended for them to do .
I didnt expect u to say other wise. As a staff of Apple. Iphone SE will be a big flop.
Okay cool . Thanks for the heads up.
The times, they is a changin’.
Had to be a painful article for cultofmac to publish.