iPhone SE Plus Postponed Until Second Half of 2021

Apple may postpone a larger version of the new low-cost iPhone SE until the second half of 2021, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a previous note, Kuo said that Apple was working on an "‌iPhone‌ SE Plus" set to be released in the first half of 2021, but now he believes Apple will "likely postpone" this new model until later in 2021.

iPhoneSE2020sansClutter

The current ‌iPhone‌ SE

We predicted that Apple would launch the new iPhone model in 1H21 in a previous report ("iPhone supply chain to be 2020 top pick in the tech sector; key predictions for new iPhone product mixes in 2020 and 2021" [December 5, 2019]). However, we think that Apple will likely postpone the new model from 1H21 to 2H21.

The ‌iPhone‌ SE Plus is expected to have a 5.5 or 6.1-inch display with a full-screen design, similar to the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and 11 Pro. It will not use Face ID, though, and will instead feature Touch ID integrated into the power button on the right side of the device.

With no ‌Face ID‌, the ‌iPhone‌ SE Plus will feature a smaller notch as the front of the device will only need to house a standard front-facing camera, microphone, and speaker.

Apple just this month released the ‌iPhone‌ SE, a $399 ‌iPhone‌ that is similar in design to the ‌iPhone‌ 8 but with an upgraded A13 processor. It marries ‌Touch ID‌ and an older ‌iPhone‌ design with newer ‌iPhone‌ performance and is an appealing upgrade option for those coming from older iPhones like the ‌iPhone‌ 6 or ‌iPhone‌ 7.

Kuo has not provided details on the pricing of the ‌iPhone‌ SE Plus, but if it's in the SE family, it will presumably have a price tag lower than that of Apple's flagship devices despite the full-screen design and relocated ‌Touch ID‌ button.

Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

pauloregan Avatar
66 months ago
Something that wasn’t happening is now not happening until next year, when it won’t happen either.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacDevil7334 Avatar
66 months ago
I dunno...this rumor seems off to me. The appeal of the SE to Apple is that they can recycle existing parts to offer a “new” phone at a low price with only minimal R&D required. The 2020 SE is basically the iPhone 8 chassis with an update processor and camera module and 3D Touch removed. There is very little new in there and certainly no parts that Apple wasn’t already manufacturing for other devices.

This is describing an entirely new phone design. If this phone ever materializes, I doubt it will be as affordable as either iteration of the SE so far.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
66 months ago
6 different iPhones and not one of them can be small*? Seriously?

*Smaller than the 6-8. Think 5" screen with smaller bezels.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macusertruly4ever Avatar
66 months ago
Can we have an iPhone SE mini for a future release? Like the old iPhone SE with the 4 inch screen?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mattopotamus Avatar
66 months ago

Exactly. IMO, the whole point of the SE was to give customers a smaller form factor with the latest tech. It's not the price, it's the size that matters. But maybe Apple thinks bigger sells better (especially when cheap).
"IMO". That is the whole problem. It wasn't the point. It was to use a lot of leftover 5S "shells" and introduce a budget iPhone. It just happened to be a smaller form factor.

Is the smaller phone what a lot of us want? Yes. Was that the point of the OG SE? No.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GuruZac Avatar
66 months ago
At that point, why not take the XR or even iPhone 11 and put new cameras and processor in it? That way people have a “larger” plus sized phone with updated design.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)