Price, release date, leaks and features

Apple is expected to release the iPhone SE 3 this year after its predecessor succeeded. Here is all the information we know about it so far.

Not surprisingly, Apple is one of the biggest players in the smartphone industry, given the brand’s impressive track record of attractive design, impeccable software and great features you’ll find on all of its devices.

Even if you’re not ready to part with a huge amount of money for a flagship phone, then iPhone SE 2released in 2020, is a very enticing prospect and one of the best mid-range phones to date, many of the phones we test still cannot completely remove him from the throne.

Rumors suggest that a sequel to this popular device will be released soon, so that’s all we know about the iPhone SE 2022.

Release date

There is no official release date for the iPhone SE 3, and its existence has not yet been established beyond a shadow of a doubt. However, some insiders have hinted that the release is scheduled for early 2022 – and therefore it is very likely that it will see the world for the first time at a future Apple event. March 8 at 10 a.m. PST (6 p.m. GMT).

“Peek Performance” is a mysterious slogan of the event, but it probably refers to the new iPad or iMac, upgraded by Apple Silicon, and not to the iPhone SE.

Organization of marketing research TrendForce first announced that the iPhone SE 3 will be released in the first quarter of 2022 and will be “the main tool to help Apple establish a presence in the market segment for the middle class 5G smartphones, ”while Bloomberg Mark Gourmeta source for all things Apple clarified that the event is likely to take place in March or April 2022. So it’s fair to say that we have some warning about this launch, but it still arrived a little earlier side of what we expected.

The device is likely to be available for purchase a week or so after launch. This is based on our experience covering past Apple launches. For reference, iPhone 13 the series was announced on September 14 and first became available for purchase on September 24.

Design

According to rumors gathered so far, there are two potential devices on the way: in addition to the iPhone SE, which will be released in 2022, there may be an iPhone SE Plus, so that’s what we know about both so far.

Rumor has it from a developer named DylanDKT (via AppleInsider) first suggested that the 2022 release would be only a slightly redesigned version of the current SE, without any major design changes, and that the next major update would only be released in 2024.

The same rumor seemed to be confirmed by Ross Young (above), who claimed that the later model would be called the “iPhone SE Plus”, and Mark Gourmet also said the 2022 update will be only a minor update. Therefore, it is safe to say that you should not expect a new look if you are in the mood for the event on March 8.

However, in the Plus version we could see something “different” – so to speak. The unusual oddity of the iPhone SE series, at least so far, is that they didn’t show a new design, but reworked previous iterations of the iPhone. The original iPhone SE was housed in a case iPhone 5Swhile the second generation model was based on the same design as the iPhone 8.

This time, show rumors to the major redesign of the iPhone SE Plus, which has the same case as the iPhone XRalthough this will make it much larger than previous series models, with a 6.1-inch screen rather than a small 4.7-inch display that has won the favor of those who prefer a more controlled phone. This will also mean that it will be the latest iPhone to have an LCD screen, as subsequent models have OLED technology instead. You can see the difference between the two types of screen technology in our OLED vs. LCD leadership.

However, it goes without saying that the internal characteristics of both devices will be significantly improved compared to the model released in 2018.

Specifications

The most interesting future specification, which is in line with the trend set by previous SE phones, is the latest silicon from Apple. A15 Bionic the chipset is expected to be included in the new device. You get incredibly fast performance with this chip, which is the same as in iPhone 13 Proand this of course will also include a 5G connection.

Renowned Apple analyst Min-Chi Kuo also reported a more complete list of specifications and even sales estimates. With large expected sales (up to 30 million units this year), the device will likely have three storage options (64GB, 128GB and 256GB), an A15 chipset on board and 5G support (both mmW and below) 6 GHz). As mentioned, the design will remain very similar to its predecessor, but in particular, Kuo does not mention any changes to the camera.

It may not be the kind of information that allows you to increase your heart rate, but it’s because the iPhone SE has never been about advanced technology. This is a mid-range device with good features and Apple software at a reasonable price, not a pioneer.

Camera

This is information about the camera of the new iPhone SE, and it suggests that radical change is unlikely.

One of the few sources we have seenfrom a Chinese site ITHhome, claims that the new phone will again have a single 12-megapixel rear camera; however, the actual sensor appears to be upgraded for better photo quality.

In our review of iPhone SE 2 we were very impressed with the quality of the daytime photography, which gave a lot of detail and rich but not overly saturated colors. However, we were disappointed by its lack of versatility and relatively poor night shooting capabilities. It seems like we’ll have to wait another generation until this first critique is addressed, but we’re crossing our fingerprints for improvement in the latter area because of this new sensor. If not Pixel 6which stood out in low light during our tests, may remain the best phone with a mid-range camera.

Price

The iPhone SE is usually priced modestly, which means Apple’s entry into the mid-range market rather than the expensive flagships it is best known for.

Back in 2020, the iPhone SE was launched with a base price of $ 399/419 pounds, and it should be assumed that the new one will most likely sell for the same amount. However, it all depends on whether we get just a modest update in 2022 or a major redesign (which may cost a little more).

The first hard evidence we came across regarding the price was provided by John Donavan of Loop Capital Markets (via Investors’ newspaper Business Daily), which claims that the next iPhone SE will cost from $ 300 (about 297 pounds or 355 euros), which will save $ 99 on the base model compared to the previous generation RRP. Given the modest upgrades of the new phone, this is both a plausible and a very welcome opportunity.

Trusted Take

It now seems that Apple is only counting on gradual improvements to the iPhone SE and is postponing a major redesign for two years. Price cuts are rumored to be great news, but it’s hard to be particularly excited about the modest changes in design, specifications and camera.

What’s more, I hope this timeout will allow them to reconsider the idea of ​​using an iPhone XR shell in the future that doesn’t quite fit the normally small and manageable iPhone SE frame; there are more valuable little smartphones, even among Android devices, and so the SE has to follow a proven formula to be a phone with a big price in a small package.