Apple iPhone SE 3 | Rumours, Leaks and Expected Price

The iPhone SE is Apple’s budget iPhone model, and we’ve so far seen two iterations of the phone since its first launch in 2016. Now, all everyone is talking about is the iPhone SE 3, which is expected to launch soon. That’s according to the Taiwanese research firm TrendForce which places the date of launch anywhere between January to March. This report lines up with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s predictions. As per his report, Apple was likely to introduce the third generation of the iPhone SE in 2022 and possibly in the first quarter of the year.

The first generation iPhone SE debuted on March 31st 2016, while the second one was released on April 24th 2020. Given this trend, we suspect the iPhone SE 3 will likely arrive by the end of March. It probably won’t be called the iPhone SE 3 if history is anything to go by. The second-gen variant was called the iPhone SE (2020), and Apple will probably stick to this naming convention. So perhaps it will be called the iPhone SE (2022). This range of phones has proved to be the best budget iPhones from the tech giant (iPhone SE 3 what to expect), delivering impressive hardware and software in a compact size. Can Apple outdo itself? Let’s take a look at what the rumour mill has to say about the iPhone SE 3’s technical specification.

For more information, check out our blog; all you need to know about the iPhone SE 3 that covers in-depth insights.

Price

There are no solid rumours on the expected price of the iPhone SE 3 just yet. At launch, the first-generation iPhone SE had a starting price of $749, and so did the iPhone SE (2020). The price of the iPhone SE 2020 starts at $389 in Australia. That said, Apple will likely stick to this price point. If not, it will probably be slightly higher. 

Design

The iPhone SE lineup doesn’t have the most innovative design, well compared to others in the current iPhone range. It will be interesting to see if Apple revamps the design for a more modern, fresh look. There aren’t any rumours to corroborate this, and Kuo strongly believes that Apple will maintain the original iPhone SE design. This means it will probably come with chunky bezels at the top and bottom just like the original and a physical home button with Touch ID. The possibilities of a design makeover aren’t completely out of the question. But we can only wait to see if that happens. 

Display

Since we aren’t expecting a lot of changes in the design compartment, there are likely to be little changes in terms of the display as well. It is rumoured that the iPhone SE 3 will come in the same 4.7-inch screen as the current model. Apple isn’t expected to upgrade the screen to an OLED, and thus the phone will likely feature the standard LCD display. It would be nice if Apple opted for an OLED display instead, as this would culminate in a phone display with richer contrasts and inkier blacks. Besides, phones within the same price range already have OLED, so sticking to LCD would rather be a disappointment. 

Performance and Connectivity

As with most new phone releases, the iPhone SE 3 will probably feature 5G connectivity. Being the next generation of wireless cellular technology, 5G will be the standard going forward. So it only makes sense that Apple’s budget model comes equipped with 5G. 

We are likely to see a spec bump in the processor department as well. At the moment, the iPhone SE comes with an A13 Bionic chip, just like the second hand iPhone 11 series. While it offers impressive performance, we certainly wouldn’t mind better, and fortunately, all rumours point to that possibility. Reports by Kuo indicate that the iPhone SE 3 will come with the A15 Bionic chip, the same as the iPhone 13 range. This is to be expected as the iPhone SE has always featured the same chip as the current generation mainline. 

Storage

This is one area that Apple can indeed do a lot better. Storage for the current model starts at only 64GB coupled with a measly 3GB of RAM. It would be great if this phone came with at least 128GB of storage and better RAM. 

Camera

Not much has been said about the iPhone SE 3’s camera. The iPhone SE 2nd generation sports a single 12MP camera with an f/1.8-aperture lens. If Apple sticks to the iPhone 8 chassis for this phone, they might stick to the single rear camera set-up. An upgrade in the camera department would certainly be a welcome addition. We would also love to see them making some upgrades to the 7MP front-facing camera. 

The iPhone SE range is the most budget-friendly route into Apple’s ecosystem. But even with the cheap price tag, Apple hasn’t made too many compromises. You can expect a high-performing phone that’s almost as powerful as a flagship iPhone. If you have been planning on buying a new phone, maybe you can wait until next year and get the third-generation iPhone SE instead. 

Read More:

iPhone SE 2020 2nd Gen Review