In the spring of last year, Apple released a new model of its tattered but hugely popular iPhone SE series. The iPhone SE (2020) is very similar in style and functionality to the iPhone 8, but offers technical specifications closer to the iPhone 11. This combination appears to have been a success.
In this article, we look to the future and what we expect from the next update to the SE range. We’ve rounded up the latest leaks and rumors about what might appear on the iPhone SE 3 when it arrives.
If you’re hoping for a bigger device, check out our coverage of the rumored iPhone SE Plus, which could arrive in late 2021.
When will the iPhone SE 3 be released?
We expect the iPhone SE 3 to launch in the fall of 2021, along with the iPhone 13. It’s been around 18 months after the launch of the second-generation iPhone SE, released in April 2020.
Most iPhone models receive an update every year, but the schedule for the SE lineup has been more unpredictable. The original iPhone SE first arrived in 2016, with only an increase in storage the following year. This model was then retired by Apple in 2018, only for the name to be resurrected two years later with the iPhone SE (2020).
If this approach is repeated, don’t expect to see the iPhone SE 3 before 2024! Apple doesn’t care much about its cheaper products.
We’re not that pessimistic, but it’s hard to find an expert who believes Apple will release the third iPhone SE model exactly 12 months after the second. The main voice in favor of this theory is the Japanese blog Macotakara, which predicts a launch in April, a prediction which, as we have seen after Apple’s recent spring event, has not been accurate.
Most experts expect a longer wait. Display expert Ross Young, for example, estimates that there will be a two-year lag, with a spring 2022 launch. But we’re more convinced by the ever-reliable Ming-Chi Kuo, who is banking on the fall 2021.
How much will the iPhone SE 3 cost?
Again, there isn’t much to guide us in this area, but with the original iPhone SE launching at $ 399 (for 16GB of storage) and the iPhone SE (2020) at $ 399 for the entry-level 64GB model, it seems. any new version is likely to try to stay around the 400 mark.
New design iPhone SE 3
If Apple follows its usual strategy with SEs, hopefully the new model will copy the external design of a previous iPhone which will be phased out. The SE (2016) fell under the iPhone 5s, while the SE (2020) uses the iPhone 8 chassis, with this model already being retired. In both cases, the components were updated, but the outward appearance was old-fashioned.
With this in mind, the most logical thing for us would be that the iPhone SE 3 finally adopts the appearance of an all-screen iPhone. One option is the iPhone XR, as it’s the cheapest non-SE model in the current lineup, and it looks unlikely to be updated significantly.
But analysts believe it’s more likely the iPhone 11, which when the iPhone SE 3 is released will be at an equally low position in the Apple lineup.
So far the traditional view. But Svetapple, who is used to eye-catching concept illustrations of unannounced Apple products, made a slightly more ambitious suggestion: The new SE could be based on the 12 mini.
This theoretical SE is impressive, with a very current design and even slightly improved compared to the 12 mini beautiful hours of 2020, with the notch changed and replaced by a discreet hole for the front camera. Just see it:
As I’ve discussed elsewhere – read the full review in renders of the new iPhone SE 3 based on the iPhone 12 mini – it seems pretty unreal at this point. In the past, Apple has based its SE models on designs from three years ago, while the 12 mini would only have six months for an event in spring 2021 or a year if it takes until fall.
However, it is a nice idea. You can see all of the artwork on the Svetapple site, which also provided the main image for this article.
One final design theory: Could the iPhone SE 3 be made of titanium? Apple recently filed a patent covering titanium finishes, and associated images showed the iPad, MacBook, and iPhone, as well as the Apple Watch, which is currently available in the metal.
As with many of these rumors, it depends on how long we have to wait for the next SE. But the patent era wouldn’t get us anywhere concrete in 2021. It could be something we can expect on the iPhone 14 or beyond, with this design carried over to the SE line in something like 2025. …
What news will the iPhone SE 3 bring?
Obviously, with Apple’s recent release of the iPhone SE (2020), there are few specific details on what to expect from its successor. It all depends on whether this will become an established part of the iPhone lineup, with regular models appearing alongside more expensive devices, or a sporadic version arriving whenever Apple deems it necessary.
If this is the former, then we would expect the design to remain the same for another generation, as Apple uses proven manufacturing processes for this setup which has hardly changed since the introduction of the iPhone. 6 in 2015.
Night mode
One area that could be addressed is night mode, by adjusting the Software camera that dramatically improves low-light photography on the iPhone 11 and 12 series.
The late 2020 models also got some improvements in night mode, with the iPhone 12 able to use it for selfies and time-lapse videos, and the 12 Pro getting it for portraits as well.
The current iPhone SE (2020) appears to be able to use Night Mode in purely hardware terms – it has the A13 chip, so the processing power is there – but so far it has been absent.
Adding night mode to the SE in 2021 would be a nice boost to the utility of a newer model, especially since photography is such an important aspect for people who buy smartphones. There’s also the issue that Google’s cheaper Pixel devices already include Night Sight, which is a very similar feature.
5G
After the 5G-enabled 12 Series launched in fall 2020, any iPhone that isn’t ready for the new connection standard will look pretty undercooked. By the time the iPhone SE 3 is released, 5G coverage will be much more advanced, and we’d be very surprised if Apple didn’t make sure the phone is ready to take advantage of it.
More ram
Another area that would be welcome on the iPhone SE 3 would be 4GB of RAM instead of the 3GB found on the latest SE model. In our review of the iPhone SE (2020), we noted that while the cheaper device had many of the same specs as the iPhone 11, the latter surpassed it in terms of speed. This could be largely attributed to the iPhone 11 with 4GB of RAM, which gives extra headroom that allows speeds to stay high.
Screen
The iPhone SE had a screen of only 4 inches; iPhone SE (2020) upgraded it to 4.7 inches. Ross Young, the display expert we talked about earlier, believes the display will grow to 6.1 inches on the iPhone SE 3.
As we’ve discussed before, we believe Apple will give the SE an “all-screen” design, eliminating the Home button and following the iPhone XR’s chassis design. But notice the quotes – the XR, like every iPhone released so far, still has narrow bezels around the screen. The company is currently exploring true all-screen designs for its iPhones, as well as its iPads and Macs – at least it seems, based on patent activity – but this is unlikely to appear first in the market. delivered.
Ross Young also believes the next iPhone SE will support Touch ID, but it’s unclear if he thinks the sensor will show up in the power button, like on the iPad Air, or if it’ll be built into the iPad Air. ‘screen.
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