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Apple Starts Busy Week With New iPhone Launch

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MIAMI (AP) -- Amid a busy week, Apple presented their fancier iPhone meant to replace a similar-sized model released back in 2013.

The iPhone SE will rely on the same processor and have many other features in the larger 4.7-inch iPhone 6S, which came out six months ago. That's something that was missing fromApple's older 4-inch iPhone 5S.

The new iPhone comes as sales taper off for the device that generates the bulk of Apple'sprofits. Some iPhone users prefer the smaller size and have resisted upgrading to the larger models that Apple has shifted to in recent years to compete against Samsung.

Like the iPhone 6S, the iPhone SE will be able to take pictures at 12 megapixels. By comparison, the iPhone 5S's camera is limited to 8 megapixels.

Apple Introduces New Products
Apple VP Greg Joswiak announces the new iPhone SE during an Apple special event at the Apple headquarters on March 21, 2016 in Cupertino, California. The company is expected to update its iPhone and iPad lines, and introduce new bands for the Apple Watch. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The iPhone SE will also be equipped with a longer-lasting battery than the iPhone 5S and have faster wireless connections. It will also work with Apple Pay, the company's digital wallet.

Prices for the new iPhone will start at $399 for a model with 16 gigabits of storage. That's less than the $450 price tag for the 5S. It will be free if customers commit to a two-year contract with their wireless carrier, as was the case with the 5S.

Orders for the iPhone SE will start Thursday. The phone will begin shipping March 31 in the U.S. and several other countries.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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