Apple may release a cheaper, smaller iPhone in just a few months - here's everything we know about it so far

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Apple may release a cheaper, smaller iPhone in just a few months - here's everything we know about it so far
iphone SE
  • Apple is expected to release a new version of its low-cost iPhone SE this year, according to multiple reports from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Bloomberg, and the financial news outlet Nikkei Asian Review.
  • The phone will reportedly resemble the iPhone 8 and could start at $400.
  • Here's a look at everything we've heard about it so far based on recent reports.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple typically launches its new flagship iPhones every September. But this year, it may throw a wrench in that pattern with a new, cheaper iPhone launching in the spring.

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The California-based tech giant is expected to launch a new version of its smaller, less expensive iPhone SE for the first time since 2016, according to reports from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Nikkei Asian Review, and Bloomberg. Such a launch would give Apple more room to compete with Android phone makers like Samsung and Google, both of which offer inexpensive alternatives to their pricey flagships.

Here's a look at everything we know about the second-generation iPhone SE so far based on these reports.

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The iPhone SE 2 will probably launch early this year, possibly in March.

The iPhone SE 2 will probably launch early this year, possibly in March.

Apple will likely debut its new iPhone SE in the first half of this year.

The company is planning to begin mass producing a new less expensive iPhone in February in anticipation of a March launch, according to Bloomberg.

Kuo, who has a noteworthy reputation when it comes to reporting on unreleased Apple products, also previously said that the phone will be released in the first quarter of 2020, according to 9to5Mac. The Japanese financial news outlet Nikkei Asian Review also reported in September that Apple would release a new low-cost iPhone in spring 2020.

Apple usually reveals its new iPhones in the fall, but it's not unusual for the company to launch other new products in the spring timeframe. In March 2019, for example, it launched a new pair of AirPods and new iPads.

It also launched the original iPhone SE in March of 2016.

The new iPhone SE will reportedly look like the iPhone 8.

The new iPhone SE will reportedly look like the iPhone 8.

While the original iPhone SE looked like the iPhone 5S, the next version will reportedly bear resemblance to the iPhone 8.

That's according to Bloomberg and Kuo, who said as much in two recent notes reported by 9to5Mac. Nikkei Asian Review also reported that Apple's cheaper new iPhone would have a 4.7-inch display just like the iPhone 8, which Apple currently sells for $450.

If the iPhone SE 2 is largely based on the iPhone 8, that means it will likely retain the home button and may have only one rear-facing camera.

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But it's expected to run on the same processor as the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

But it's expected to run on the same processor as the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

The new iPhone SE will likely run on the A13 Bionic chip that powers Apple's latest smartphones, according to Bloomberg, Kuo, and Nikkei Asian Review.

It's also not surprising considering the iPhone SE from 2016 was powered by the same A9 chip found inside the iPhone 6S.

The new phone is said to cost $400, making it hundreds of dollars cheaper than the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.

The new phone is said to cost $400, making it hundreds of dollars cheaper than the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.

Apple's new iPhone SE will cost $400, according to Kuo, making it roughly $600 cheaper than the $1,000 iPhone 11 Pro and $300 less expensive than the $700 iPhone 11.

That pricing would also put the iPhone SE 2 on par with Google's $400 Pixel 3a and the iPhone 8, which Apple currently sells for $450.

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It may have a liquid crystal display just like the less-expensive versions of Apple's newest iPhones

It may have a liquid crystal display just like the less-expensive versions of Apple's newest iPhones

The iPhone SE 2 will probably have an LCD screen, according to Nikkei Asian Review. That's unlike Apple's high-end iPhones, which have OLED displays capable of showing deeper blacks and offering better contrast.

That's not surprising, however, since LCD screens are typically cheaper than OLED screens and are therefore found on less expensive smartphones. The iPhone 11 and iPhone XR both use LCD screens.

And it's expected to have a Touch ID home button, just like Apple's older iPhones.

And it's expected to have a Touch ID home button, just like Apple's older iPhones.

Apple is reportedly planning to bring back the home button with its smaller, low-cost iPhone. Bloomberg reports that the phone will have a home button with Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner built in, much like the iPhone 8 and other earlier models. That means it won't support facial recognition like the company's latest iPhones.

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Apple will reportedly sell the iPhone SE 2 in three colors.

Apple will reportedly sell the iPhone SE 2 in three colors.

Apple may have launched new colors for the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, but it sounds like the iPhone SE 2 will be available in the company's more classic colors: silver, space gray, and red, according to Kuo.

The base model will have the same amount of storage as the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

The base model will have the same amount of storage as the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

Apple will offer the iPhone SE 2 in 64 GB and 128 GB storage capacities, Kuo also reported. That's similar to the options Apple offers for the iPhone 11, except it sounds like Apple will not offer a third choice of 256 GB as it does for the 11.

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