While Apple delivers a new iPhone every year — with the iPhone 14 anticipated in September 2022 — we know that we can also expect a new iPhone SE. It has been released only twice so far, but reports from trusted industry sources point to the return of the iPhone SE line in both 2022 and 2023. If true, it’ll be the first time Apple launches an SE phone back-to-back.
Let’s run down everything we’ve heard so far as a probable launch date approaches.
Pricing and release date
There are no reports about the iPhone SE’s pricing yet. The bulk of what we do know comes from Apple analyst Ming-Cho Kuo, who says that the iPhone SE will be the cheapest 5G iPhone ever. With that in mind, it’ll undoubtedly be cheaper than the iPhone 13 Mini, which currently retails for $699. The low price will help Apple pick up more market share in the 5G market as the new standard becomes more ubiquitous and expected. If we had to guess, it’ll be around the same $400 pricing of the current SE, perhaps with a slight bump to account for 5G.
When it comes to a release date, an early spring launch is the likeliest. The company announced the 2020 iPhone SE in April, with the previous one having a March debut. Analyst firm Trendforce has reported that Apple plans a launch in the first quarter of 2022 for the iPhone SE, so a March debut is likely. In addition, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman notes in his PowerOn newsletter that Apple has an event lined up on or around March 8, with the 2022 iPhone SE refresh set to make a debut there alongside a new iPad Air and updated Macs, too.
Design
When it comes to design, the iPhone SE is expected to have the same 4.7-inch design as the 2020 model. It’s the same look Apple has used since the iPhone 7, and it’s appealing to those who still long for Touch ID and a more comfortable grip. For people who just want a basic phone that doesn’t cost too much but still offers quality, the iPhone SE is likely to tick all the boxes. At the same time, renders purporting to show off the iPhone SE emerged earlier in the year, but those showed a design that was more of a mix of the older iPhone 8 aesthetic and a more modern iPhone XR-style design. If Gurman is right when it comes to availability, we won’t have long to wait to find out which design the SE will really sport.
Processors and cameras
The iPhone SE 2022 is expected to have the same A15 processor as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, making it the most powerful iPhone SE yet. While the cameras are also rumored to be the same 12-megapixel rear-facing model and a 7MP front-facing lens, Apple could still enable newer features such as photographic styles. Features such as those are tied to the chip, rather than the hardware, and that would do a lot in setting the iPhone SE 2022 apart from both the current model and now-cheaper older standard iPhones.
An iPhone SE 5G Plus?
There were previous reports of a larger iPhone SE coming in 2022, though current reports now place that release for 2023. This iPhone model is expected to sport a design that’s based on the iPhone XR or iPhone 11, and offer a 6.1-inch display rather than the current 4.7-inch design. With Apple now moving to larger displays with the reported iPhone 14 Max, it makes a lot of sense that the company will expand the smallest iPhone’s size as well.
Anything else?
Expect more about the iPhone SE to come out as the launch date approaches. There’s still a lot to be revealed, so we’ll be updating this piece frequently as new leaks, rumors, and other information comes out.
