Apple is legally required to update the Eurasian Economic Commission database with details of its upcoming products that use the commission’s encryption technology, making the database a reliable source of information about forthcoming releases. The database has been updated with devices that could be Apple’s new 2022 iPhone SE 3 and iPad Air 5.

Consomac first spotted the database update that reveals the new iPhone model numbers A2595, A2783, and A2784. Meanwhile, the new iPad model numbers are A2436, A2696, A2759, A2437, A2591, A2757, A2761, and A2766. The database entries only contain vague product descriptions limited to identifying devices as “smartphones” and “tablets,” so it is unknown which model number pertains to which upcoming iPhone or iPad.

We believe that all the three iPhone SKUs are for the 2022 iPhone SE 3 models. That said, Apple releases its iPhones and iPads around three months after they are listed on this database, on average. Sometimes, devices are released later as well. Rumor has it that Apple will pull the wraps off the 2022 iPhone SE 3 and 2022 iPad Air around March or April. The database update has indirectly corroborated the rumored timeframe.

Our Take

We aren’t expecting the 2022 iPhone SE 3 to be a significant update to the current-generation model. The phone will bring a faster A15 processor and support for 5G networking, while the design is expected to remain essentially unchanged. A bigger design refresh could be in the pipeline for 2024. As for the 2022 iPad Air 5, the update would bring it on a level playing field with the 2021 iPad mini in terms of internal specifications.