Apple should reelase the tentatively named “iPhone SE 3” in Spring 2022 as its cheapest 5G phone, with the device ostensibly scheduled to enter trial production soon.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Supply chain claims iPhone SE 3 trial production is starting soon
- Trial production lets Apple work out any last-minute changes
- The device mold is reportedly ready for mass production
iPhone SE (2022): Are there any changes to size and design?
According to a report by Gizchina, Apple’s supply chain partners are ready to conduct trial production of the next iPhone SE model ahead of its supposed Spring 2022 release.
Trial production lets Apple work out any changes and make small adjustments before the release. As reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said before, the third-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature the same size and design as the current model.
Notable differences are thought to be limited to a faster chip (probably an upcoming Apple A15 silicon) along with aan improved camera sensor and the addition of 5G networking via Qualcomm’s X60M 5G baseband chip.
This device will be the third model in the Apple iPhone SE series. Initial reports claim that this device will be called iPhone SE Plus. However, there is no change in size and design. According to Apple’s supply chain, the mold of the new iPhone SE is ready to be mass-produced. It is basically a “moll” of the previous generation product. It only replaces the camera sensor and may add functions such as night scene mode.
In other words, don’t expect design changes or Face ID in this update because iPhone SE 3 is rumored to sport a 4.7-inch LCD display, a Touch ID fingerprint reader integrated into a physical Home button and a single-lens 12-megapixel rear camera. Bigger changes should come with a rumored release of a fourth-generation iPhone SE in 2023. That one should boast a punch-hole design like we saw with some high-end Android phones.
iPhone SE to target the mid-range 5G smartphone market
Apple has tried to penetrate the mid-range market for 5G-enabled smartphones with the iPhone 12 min and iPhone 13 mini. Both models are believed to have sold below Apple’s projections despite advanced features, 5G networking and fast chips.
Since both handsets suffered from poor battery life and high price, small wonder Apple decided to drop the iPhone mini models from its 2022 lineup. At the same time, the company will reuse the existing iPhone SE form factor to add 5G and the latest chips. iPhone SE has always been all about accessible pricing and the latest technology, with the next model slated to become the most affordable 5G phone in Apple’s lineup.
In fact, analysts with JPMorgan Chase Bank believe that the third-generation iPhone SE will be a top mid-range 5G smartphone. No matter how you look at it, there’s definitelly a huge untapped potential for the iPhone SE series. Firstly, 300 million people with older Apple handsets are ripe for an upgrade. And even more importantly, about 1.4 billion people worldwide own low-end Android phones—a huge upgrade opportunity.
To them, and especially to them, the next iPhone SE could be a very tempting upgrade.