The recent Apple iPhone SE release date news revealed that the device is expected to ship 15 million units this year. The upcoming phone is believed to help boost sales for the tech giant.

According to DigiTimes, component makers in Taiwan are expecting shipments to reach 15 million units after the Apple iPhone SE release date this year. Sources told the publication that Foxconn Electronics was able to gather all initial orders for the device along with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

The sources added that the company will be the one who benefit the most from the new releases. The publication noted that current shipments for all iPhone devices total to more or less 50 million units per quarter.

IBT reported that the expected 15 million units is still a drop compared to the 231 million iPhones that Apple was able to sell last year. The SE is believed to "blunt the shortfall," though.

Surprisingly, there are still a lot of iPhone users who haven't upgraded and still use devices with 4-inch displays. These phones accounted for 30 million units in sales last year.

With the Apple iPhone SE release date, the tech giant may be hoping to attract more users to upgrade or make the switch from Android to iOS. It was previously reported that, once the iPhone SE launches, people will no longer need to buy a mid-range Android phone.

Apple Insider noted that the Apple iPhone SE offers an entry-level smartphone without the major sacrifices. It has the same A9 processor and 12-megapixel camera as the 6S.

Its only drawbacks are the lack of 3D Touch and smaller screen resolution. Apple's iPhone SE appears to be a flagship device with a more compact body but it is a smartphone that can best any 2016 Android flagship handsets, in terms of performance, for a lower cost.

Pre-orders for the iPhone SE began on Mar. 24. The phone will be available on Mar. 31.