Apple this year introduced a new generation of the iPhone SE, its most affordable phone. While the 2022 iPhone SE kept the same design as the previous generation, which is based on the iPhone 8, it seems that things will be quite different with the next model. According to YouTuber Jon Prosser, the next iPhone SE will have the same form-factor as the iPhone XR.
Prosser reported on the “Geared Up” podcast with Andru Edwards & Jon Rettinger (via AppleTrackr) that the next generation iPhone SE, also referred to as iPhone SE 4, will be “just an iPhone XR.” This implies that Apple will ditch the old form-factor of the iPhone 8 with huge bezels and Home button in favor of a more modern design with reduced bezels, notch, and Face ID.
While the current iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch LCD display, iPhone XR (which is no longer sold by Apple) has a larger 6.1-inch LCD display. iPhone XR also has some other advantages over the 2022 iPhone SE, such as a significantly larger battery.
Other details about the new iPhone SE remain unclear at this point. In the past, Apple has added its latest chip to the entry-level iPhone SE – the current model uses the same A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13. However, with rumors pointing to some iPhone 14 models keeping the A15 chip, the same may be true for the next iPhone SE.
As for the cameras, both the 2022 iPhone SE and the iPhone XR have very similar sensors with a single 12-megapixel rear camera with f/1.8 aperture and a 7-megapixel front camera with f/2.2 aperture. Of course, Apple could improve the camera sensors for the next iPhone SE, or at least add new software features like Night Mode (which remains unavailable on the entry-level iPhone).
iPhone SE getting bigger
On the other hand, fans of smaller phones may not be happy with the iPhone SE getting bigger. When the first iPhone SE was announced in 2016, Apple argued that it was made for people who like small phones. After all, the 2016 iPhone SE was based on the iPhone 5s. Even now, the current iPhone SE is much smaller than other iPhone models, except for the iPhone mini.
At the same time, demand for the 2022 iPhone SE has been quite low, suggesting that people are no longer interested in buying an iPhone with a design from almost a decade ago. The smaller screen also results in a smaller battery, which is a constant complaint from iPhone SE owners.
Replacing the current iPhone SE with a new iPhone XR-based phone that costs around $400 could turn the device into a hit.
We also don’t know when exactly Apple plans to introduce a new iPhone SE. Last time, it took two years between the launch of the second generation and the third generation iPhone SE. Until then, if you’re thinking of buying the current iPhone SE, there are some good deals on Amazon.
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