Apple may launch TWO new versions of its budget-friendly iPhone SE 2 this year, report says
- Apple may release two versions of its iPhone SE 2 this year
- Both models will have LCD displays and may come in differing sizes
- Previous reports suggest the phone will cost $399
- The budget device will be available in 64 GB and 128 GB and several colors
Customers looking for a cheaper alternative to Apple’s flagship iPhone 11 may soon have multiple options.
According to a new report from DigiTimes, Apple is planning on releasing not one, but two, version of its revamped, budget-friendly, iPhone SE.
Both of the new devices, aptly dubbed the iPhone SE 2, will reportedly come equipped with an LCD display as opposed to Apple’s more expensive OLED display – a difference that will likely lower the price significantly.
The iPhone XR (pictured above) is among Apple’s newest ‘budget’ offerings, despite retailing at a rather hefty $599. A rumored iPhone SE 2 is anticipated to cost $399
DigiTimes doesn’t elaborate on how the models will differ, but according to Appleinsider, they will likely have different screen sizes. A larger version will come with a 6.1-inch display while a smaller version will span 5.5-inches.
DigiTimes’ report is based on packaging orders received by a Taiwan based company for two iPhone SE 2 models, though the existence of those differing models has yet to be corroborated by anyone else.
According to a prior report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has often correctly forecast Apple’s yet-to-be-released hardware, the phone will hit the market as soon as March 2020 after going into production in January.
A release date follows several other details released forecast by Kuo, including a price tag that makes the phone a full $300 less than Apple’s newly release premium device, the iPhone 11.
Kuo says the next iteration Apple’s iPhone SE will cost $399 and come in three distinct colors and two storage tiers – a 64 GB version and a 128 GB version.
Colors are expected to include space gray, silver, and product red, according to 9to5Mac.
The iPhone SE 2 will reportedly be similar to the design of the iPhone 8 but will come with Apple’s newest processor, the A13 Bionic – the same chip included in both new iPhone 11’s – despite having 1GB less RAM than Apple’s premium models.
Kuo says the phones will likely be positioned as a way to entice iPhone owners still using the company’s older models, particularly the iPhone 6 and 6s, who cannot afford the company’s $700 iPhone 11.
Apple’s also plans to release a new, more expensive range of phones, reportedly called the iPhone 12, as soon as September this year.
This is said to include three 5G models – the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Pro 5G, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro Plus 5G, and the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G.
There will also be three 4G models – the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 4G, the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Pro 4G and the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro Plus 4G.
The three smaller handsets will have dual rear cameras, while the Plus and Max models will feature triple rear camera with Time-of-Flight 3D sensing capabilities.