'iPhone SE 2' Said to Have Entered Final Production Verification Stage Ahead of Launch

Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone model recently entered the final phase of production verification at an assembly plant in Zhengzhou, China, according to industry sources cited by Taiwanese publication DigiTimes.

iPhone SE2 Maybe
A paywalled preview of the report:

New LCD iPhone enters final verification stage
Apple will soon introduce a new LCD iPhone series, dubbed tentatively SE2, which has recently entered the final phase of verification at an assembly plant in Zhengzhou, China, according to industry sources.

Apple is widely expected to announce an entry-level iPhone dubbed "iPhone SE 2" or "iPhone 9" within the next few months. The device is expected to resemble the iPhone 8, with a 4.7-inch LCD screen and a Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 chip and an increased 3GB of RAM. Pricing is estimated to start at around $399 with 64GB of storage in the United States.

Last month, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple still plans to release the iPhone in the first half of 2020. Multiple reports have indicated that Apple aims to announce the device by the end of March, but those plans may change due to the uncertainty of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus outbreak around the world.

With major tech conferences like Google I/O and Facebook F8 having been cancelled on a physical basis due to public health considerations, it sounds increasingly unlikely that Apple will host a March event as rumored. Apple could always announce the lower-cost iPhone and other products with press releases, while offering one-on-one briefings with the media in Cupertino and New York City.

Even if the lower-cost iPhone is announced in March, initial supply may be limited until Foxconn and other Apple suppliers resume normal operations and ramp up mass production in the second quarter.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Will Reportedly Be More Cautious About Announcing New Features Well in Advance

Sunday May 18, 2025 2:50 pm PDT by
Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today. This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
68 months ago

It could make sense if they market it as "iPhone 9: the missing link" or something like that. An iPhone 9 was never released and it would fit betweeen the 8 and the X if the rumored specs are true.
My vote is for iPhone 9¾.



Attachment Image
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
68 months ago

I love faceid and all, but i'd seriously consider ditching my iphone X for one of these if it comes with the a13 and a 256GB storage option. faceid is no fun when wearing a face mask.
LOL, but touchid doesn't work well when wearing gloves either! ;)
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nicho Avatar
68 months ago
I love faceid and all, but i'd seriously consider ditching my iphone X for one of these if it comes with the a13 and a 256GB storage option. faceid is no fun when wearing a face mask.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pearple Avatar
68 months ago
Due to the Corona-Outbreak, Apple has faced serious problems regarding shortage of Displays and Cases. In a swift manner, Apple has redesigned the components to fit in the housing of the original iPhone SE as there are still enough SE Displays and Cases available at the factories.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mcilwraith Avatar
68 months ago
good, low cost iPhones are very welcome! same great iOS, affordable handset = winner
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
John Connor Avatar
68 months ago

I can’t imagine 256GB will be available. Even the XR is only 64GB/128GB.

I actually wouldn’t be surprised at 32/64 or 32/128 either, but the rumor is 64/128.
32gb in a "new" phone is a dead duck for many.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)