Hong Kong and China among first batch of markets targeted by Apple’s new iPhone SE

The launch of a new, smaller-screen Apple smartphone is expected to bridge the gap until the technology giant launches its much-anticipated iPhone 7 in the second half of this year, experts say.

Hong Kong and mainland China are among the initial batch of 12 markets where the new iPhone SE, built with a four-inch display, will be released on March 31, Apple announced on Monday in the United States.

“We will probably see demand for a smaller-screen iPhone come from subscribers in Hong Kong who are still using the older iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 models, as well those who don’t want the bigger-display iPhones,” Stephen Chau Kam-kun, the acting chief executive at mobile network operator SmarTone Telecommunications, told the South China Morning Post.

Chau said he was not certain on how much of an impact the latest iPhone model will have in the local market as many consumers are looking forward to the launch of the iPhone 7 later this year.

He added that the iPhone has remained the most popular smartphone in the city, despite strong competition from various Android-based mobile phone models over the past several years.

Research firm eMarketer has estimated that 69.8 per cent of the 7.2 million population of Hong Kong this year will use smartphones.

Data from regulator the Office of the Communications Authority showed that the number of post-paid and pre-paid 3G and 4G customers in the city reached 14.11 million at the end of December last year.