Steve Kovach March 14, 2016 at 12:17PM
Next week's Apple event is going to be a strange one.
On the docket for March 21: A 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone SE and a new 9.7-inch iPad that's said to be a smaller version of last fall's iPad Pro.
It'll probably be a subdued product launch, which is why Apple is holding it at its headquarters in Cupertino instead of a massive venue like the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium where it announced the iPhone 6s, iPad Pro, and new Apple TV.
Apple typically saves new iPhones and iPads for the fall, just before the holiday season. But the new gadgets appear to be modest devices, not major flagships. That itself is a significant departure for the company.
Then there's the timing of the event, which takes place just a day before Apple goes to court to argue its case against the FBI, which wants the company to unlock the iPhone belonging to the suspected shooter in the San Bernardino killings.
Weird, right?
Here are the two big questions looming over the event.
1.) Why is Apple making a smaller iPhone?
For years, tech pundits were begging Apple to make an iPhone with a larger screen. We finally got our wish in 2014 with the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Those phones kicked off a huge upgrade cycle, helping Apple smash its iPhone sales record.
There's no question those big phones were a success, so why would Apple turn around and make another phone with a smaller screen? And how will Apple justify the device's existence?
The opportunity here is obvious. About one-third of all iPhones in use have screens four inches or smaller, according to analytics firm Mixpanel, and there's a good chance many of those people are hanging on to their phones because they prefer the smaller screen.
If I had to guess, those are the people Apple will court with the iPhone SE. The millions of 4-inch and smaller iPhones out there are all at least two and a half years old, meaning they're missing a lot of the key features Apple has added recently like Apple Pay, Live Photos, and a powerful camera. The iPhone SE would be a way to bring those premium features to those who may not want a large screen.
2.) Will we hear anything about the FBI?
It's hard to believe it's a coincidence that Apple's next product event will take place a day before the first of what will likely be many court battles with the FBI. The original date for the event was supposedly March 15, as reported by 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, who has a pristine track record reporting Apple news.
But some have speculated Apple decided to push the event back a week because it wants to use the buzz of a product launch to elevate its case in its very public war against the FBI. If that happens, the question is how Apple addresses the issue without detracting from its new products.
So will Tim Cook use the event to make another impassioned case for encryption and the right Apple customers have to keep their data private? Or will the argument be more nuanced with a simple mention that the new iPhone and iPad are just as secure as any other gadget Apple makes?
It'll certainly be on everyone's mind. After all, the battle with FBI will have implications on how we use our personal computing devices for decades to come. The iPhone SE will probably be replaced next year with something shiny and new.
Tech Insider will be reporting live from Apple's event on March 21. It starts at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern. Follow all the news on Twitter, our home page, and Snapchat (techinsider).
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There are 2 big questions ahead of Apple's next iPhone event (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach
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