14 DAY TRIAL // We’ve known for a while that Apple was working on a second-generation iPhone SE, and now we finally have a release date as well, as the project apparently advances at the desired pace.
Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a really good track on Apple scoops, corroborates some of the previous rumors, explaining that Apple is indeed planning a second-gen iPhone SE 2 that would use the body of the iPhone 8.
In other words, the next iPhone SE will look like an iPhone 8 but come with latest-generation hardware currently available on the iPhone SE.
This means iPhone SE 2 will be a mix of iPhone 8 looks and iPhone 11 internals, albeit it goes without saying that it won’t come with all the bells and whistles of the more premium iPhones.
The analyst says iPhone SE 2 will sell for about $399, which is $50 more affordable than the iPhone 8, currently selling for $449.
A13 chip and 3GB RAM
The new smaller iPhone could thus come with a 4.7-inch LCD display and even sport Touch ID, a feature that Apple has given up on with the release of iPhone X. Face ID won’t be offered given that a notch isn’t available on the iPhone 8, so the fingerprint sensor will continue to be offered as the only authentication method.
The internals will include the new A13 chip available on the iPhone 11 and 3GB RAM, while the cameras are unlikely to match the performance of the one on iPhone 11.
Kuo says this new smaller iPhone will be a hit, and he expects the device to substantially boost upgrades and contribute to sales with a maximum of 40 million units sold next year alone.
“iPhone SE2, which will be the best upgrade choice for existing 100mn iPhone 6 series users, will be a key growth driver for Apple in 2020,” Kuo is quoted as saying by CNBC. “We believe that iPhone SE2 will meet more users’ demand and increase iPhone’s market share because of the more affordable price.”
No specifics are available as to when Apple could take the wraps off this new iPhone, but the device is expected to land in March or April.