iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 to Use A9 and A9X Processors

ipadairiphone5sIn a profile of Johny Srouji, Apple's SVP of Hardware Technologies who oversees Apple's chip development, Bloomberg quietly confirmed some key processor details about Apple's upcoming devices, the iPhone 5se and the iPad Air 3.

Both products will use Apple's latest chip technologies, with the iPhone 5se adopting the A9 processor from the iPhone 6s and the iPad Air 3 adopting the A9X processor first used in the iPad Pro.

Early iPhone 5se rumors were offered conflicting information on the processor that would be used, with some pointing towards the A9 and others pointing towards the previous-generation A8. Later rumors have solidified around the A9, and now we've got confirmation from a reliable source.

For the iPad Air 3, while the A9X seemed like a logical choice for the tablet, there was no prior rumor suggesting it was indeed the chip Apple would be using, so Bloomberg's concrete information about the chip is worth highlighting.

Bloomberg's piece also further confirms Apple's planned March event, which is rumored to be taking place mid-month, on March 15. Further rumors have suggested the two devices will be released online and in retail stores just days after their unveiling, on March 18.

In March, Apple intends to announce an updated iPad and smaller-screen iPhone featuring the latest A9x and A9 chips, according to a person familiar with the plans, who wasn't authorized to comment publicly

The iPhone 5se is Apple's 4-inch iPhone, which will be sold alongside its larger-screened flagship devices. iPhone 5se rumors suggest it will look like a cross between an iPhone 5s and an iPhone 6s, using the iPhone 5s body with the curved display glass of the newer device.

As for the iPad Air 3, it's expected to take several design cues from the iPad Pro. It is rumored to include four speakers, two at the top and two at the bottom, along with a possible Smart Connector for accessories and a rear LED flash, the first to be implemented in an iPad.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Another Vehicle Brand Gaining iPhone Car Keys Support

Tuesday October 28, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to Jetour vehicles, according to evidence uncovered on Apple's backend by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Introduced in 2022, Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done by holding an Apple Watch or...

Top Rated Comments

thisisnotmyname Avatar
127 months ago
four inch screen fans are going to love this news.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bentron Avatar
127 months ago
It'll be interesting to see whether iPad Air 3 will take any other cues from the Pro *cough* Apple Pencil *Cough*.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
127 months ago
There are about to be a whole lot of happy MacRumors readers!
"MacRumors readers" and "happy" do not belong in the same sentence.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spaceballl Avatar
127 months ago
This is great news... Let's hope they give us a 128GB option!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheRealTVGuy Avatar
127 months ago
There are about to be a whole lot of happy MacRumors readers!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AirdanMR Avatar
127 months ago
Great! Now put 2GB RAM inside that iphone and just call it "mini" and I'm in.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)