《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan preorders for the iPhone SE start tomorrow

FIRST SALES ROUND: Apple’s most affordable iPhone would be available from Friday next week, and has 5G, as well as a 12 megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture

/ Staff writer, with CNA

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Preorders for Apple Inc’s latest iPhone SE are to start tomorrow in Taiwan at a starting price of NT$13,900 （US$488.83）.

Taiwan is to be part of the first round of global sales of the third-generation iPhone SE, which was unveiled on Tuesday. The phone is to be available from Friday next week in more than 30 markets, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, the UK and the US.

Describing the 4.7-inch iPhone SE as the most affordable iPhone, Apple said it supports 5G connectivity, features a 12 megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture that offers computational photography benefits.

It also has upgrades such as the A15 Bionic processor that can power advanced camera capabilities and improve photograph editing and power-intensive functions, and is equipped with the same glass used on the back of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13, which were unveiled in September last year.

Another feature is that the new phone is rated IP67 for water and dust resistance, meaning it is designed to protect against spills, Apple said, adding that the device boasts the familiar “home” button with touch identification and longer battery life

“This is important for our existing users who want a smaller iPhone at a great value,” Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook said.

The new phone is to be available in three colors — midnight, starlight and red — and would cost NT$13,900, NT$15,500 and NT$19,000 for the 64GB, 128GB and 256GB versions respectively, Apple said.

Apple is making the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Max available in a new color, alpine green, and is offering the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini in green.

Apple also launched its fifth-generation iPad Air, which is powered by Apple’s M1 chip.

The latest 10.9-inch iPad Air features a new ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage for a more natural videoconferencing experience, a USB-C port with up to two times faster transfer speeds, and 5G on cellular models, Apple said.

The price of the new iPad Air starts at NT$17,900, and because Taiwan was not included in the first round of its global sales, it is not clear when it will become available in the local market.

During the presentation, Cook made no mention of the conflict in Ukraine.

Apple said on Tuesday last week that it had paused all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion.

Russia’s RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the Apple Store outside Russia.

Additional reporting by Reuters

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES