Apple in 2020 debuted the iPhone SE, a new version of a 4-inch iPhone that first came out in 2016. The 2020 iPhone SE is basically an iPhone 8 clone with a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID Home button, but rumors suggest a new version will be coming in early 2022.
Early rumors suggested that Apple would develop an iPhone SE "Plus" that's larger in size, but those rumors have since died down. It looks like the next-generation version of the iPhone SE will continue to have a 4.7-inch screen size, but a recent rumor has suggested that it could still be called the "iPhone SE Plus," perhaps due to Apple's plan to introduce 5G speeds.
Design
The next-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature a design similar to the current version of the iPhone SE, which sports a 4.7-inch display with thick bezels and a Touch ID Home button. Despite some earlier rumors of a bezel-free design and a larger body, no major design changes are expected in 2022.
5G Connectivity
Apple's upcoming iPhone SE will include 5G connectivity, putting it on par with Apple's more expensive iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says it will be the most affordable 5G iPhone available.
Upgraded Processor
According to DigiTimes, the iPhone SE will be equipped with the A14 chip first used in the iPhone 12 lineup.
Nikkei, however, expects the next-generation iPhone SE will to use an upgraded A15 chip, which arrived first in the iPhone 13, along with Qualcomm's X60 modem for 5G. DigiTimes and Nikkei may disagree on the A-series chip that will be in the new device, but either the A14 or the A15 will be an upgrade.
iPhone SE Plus name?
Display analyst Ross Young has also claimed that the next-generation iPhone SE will feature a design similar to the current iPhone SE with a 4.7-inch display and 5G connectivity. Young says that the next-generation iPhone SE will be the "iPhone SE Plus," even though the display isn't going to be larger. In this case, if Apple does make that decision, the "Plus" could refer to the faster 5G connectivity.
Pricing
The 2022 iPhone SE is expected to have a $399 price tag, the same price as the current version.
Release Date
Multiple sources have said that the next-generation iPhone SE will come out in 2022, with rumors pointing toward the first quarter of the year. The iPhone SE could launch at an event that's set to take place in March or April. Production is set to begin in the near future to prepare for the device's launch.
A Future iPhone SE
As mentioned up above, we've heard rumors of another low-cost iPhone possibly in the iPhone SE family that features an all-display design. It's looking like this particular iPhone SE with a larger display and no bezels or Home button could come out at a later date.
Display analyst Ross Young, for example, says that Apple is working on a 2024 iPhone SE that will feature a larger 5.7 to 6.1-inch display and a hole-punch camera, and it's this second model that could account for much of the confusion we've heard about iPhone SE rumors. Back in 2019, for example, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said there would be an "iPhone SE Plus" with a full-screen design, no Face ID, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the power button on the side of the device, but such a device did not surface and Kuo eventually abandoned this rumor in favor of supplying information about the upcoming 4.7-inch 2022 iPhone SE.
Kuo now believes that a larger version of the iPhone SE will launch in 2023, featuring an updated, bigger display and 4GB RAM. This 2023 iPhone SE would follow the 2022 iPhone SE, but other rumors point toward a 2024 release for this device.
According to leaker Dylandkt, a new iPhone SE coming in 2024 will feature an iPhone XR/11-style design, but with a slightly smaller screen size. It is also expected to include a Touch ID sensor embedded in the power button for a full-display design that does away with the Home button.
Chinese site MyDrivers has claimed that the next iPhone SE will feature an iPhone XR-like design with Touch ID built into the side button. The device will feature an LCD display, an A15 chip, and 5G connectivity, but this is not in line with rumors of a more simple design in 2022. It may be that the iPhone described by MyDrivers is the iPhone SE coming after the 2022 refresh.
