William Gallagher
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that the so-called "iPhone SE 2" will begin mass production in January, ahead of a launch at the end of March 2020.
In research materials seen by AppleInsider, regularly reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is claiming that Apple will begin mass production of what's referred to as the "iPhone SE 2" in January. It's not know what the model's name will be, but Kuo says that it will launched at the end of March.
He expects Apple to sell between two and four million of the "iPhone SE 2" per month, similar to the volume of the original iPhone SE. Other analysts have also predicted strong sales.
Kuo is confirming his own previous reports of a launch at around this timeframe. In those earlier notes he said that the "iPhone SE 2" would resemble an iPhone 8 style of design, and would retail from $399.
The iPhone SE 2 is expected to have the same 4.7-inch display as the iPhone 8, but utilize the A13 processor that's currently in the iPhone 11 paired with 3GB of application RAM. Kuo has said that it will feature an updated antenna design that uses Liquid Crystal Polymer.
However, Kuo does not expect the phone to have Face ID, both because of the desire to make it low cost, and because he says there's low demand for it at that price point.
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Oliver Haslam
18 Comments
If that happens to be true, Apple will stop selling iPhone 8. I wonder if it will continue selling 8+, or make XR cheaper, or what?
A great move if true. Perfect timing (around MWC 2019, out of the main refresh window and gives marketing something to bite into as the buzz surrounding the main refresh subsides)
Price is obviously the big draw here, filling out Apple's low end but providing more than enough power for a couple of years.
Since 2017, Apple has widened the product spread. This year it caught up with competition in some key hardware areas and next year the 'SE2' might fill out the bottom line with new hardware.
I think these were clear and necessary moves. If this rumour plays out, it will be one of the last major pieces to be laid on the table.
If true, I equate this to putting an all electric drive train in a '57 Chevy -- with metal dashboard, am radio with a single, tinny little speaker in the dash, and vent windows instead of air conditioning. (Just without the nostalgia)
Put lipstick on a pig and you still have a pig.
Put an A13 into an iPhone 8 and you still got an iPhone 8.
Seems like the perfect phone for a kid wanting an iPhone. If they really put the A13 in there then this thing will be good to go for 5 years. Will buy.