Mikey Campbell
Adding to a raft of rumors surrounding a low-cost iPhone model tentatively dubbed "iPhone SE 2," a report on Tuesday claims the hotly anticipated iPhone SE-tier follow-up is going into production next month.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports Apple suppliers are slated to begin manufacturing the as-yet-unannounced affordable iPhone variant in February ahead of a public debut in March.
Apple last launched a handset aimed at the mass-market with the iPhone SE in March 2016. That model borrowed a design from iPhone 5s, which was two years old at the time, and packed it with then-current tech including an A9 processor and a 12-megapixel camera. The model was priced at $399.
The tech giant is expected to follow a similar strategy with "iPhone SE 2." According to analyst predictions, the upcoming handset is anticipated to share an external design with iPhone 8, currently the cheapest iPhone offering at $449. A 4.7-inch screen is also expected, as is the inclusion of a Touch ID home button for biometric authentication and user interface navigation.
Like iPhone SE, the next-generation low-cost iPhone is rumored to boast Apple's latest processor technology, the A13 Bionic, as well as current-generation camera technology.
A number of trade industry publications have speculated on Apple's 2020 iPhone roadmap, with some claiming the company might launch two low-cost models in 2020. Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested Apple is indeed developing a larger-screened "iPhone SE 2," but intends to release the handset in 2021. Other rumblings suggest Apple is working on an "SE 2" variant with full-face display and Face ID, though the validity of those assertions are shaky at best due to prohibitive production costs.
Hon Hai, Pegatron and Wistron have been tapped to assemble the next-generation affordable iPhone, according to today's report.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
24 Comments
It’s going to be the iPhone 11 SE.
I’m going with iPhone Nein!
I continue to use my 8+ interchangeably with my 11 Pro Max. It’s my kick around phone I use for the gym and connected to my controller to fly either of my drones and for capturing time lapses (so I can still have access to my main phone during that lengthy process). And when I’m out in the local markets here in the Philippines, where pickpocketing is a possibility. I don’t find it to be substandard for these uses compared to the 11 Pro. It’s a perfectly great phone, just a bit slower when editing videos. So a new SE based on the 8 or 8+ with the latest processor would be a great phone for half the cost of the flagship.
iPhone 9/SE2 64GB at $399 price point is acceptable to upgrade to for those budget conscious and still on iPhone 6/6s/7.
Funny to read that the most successful smartphone series in the world is now aiming for the “mass market”.