The iPhone 14 is getting all the attention from Apple rumors, but it's not the only big phone to come out in Apple's 2022 schedule. A new version of the iPhone SE, which many are calling the iPhone SE 3, is expected to launch next year, even before the iPhone 14 sees the light of day. And it's a bigger deal than you think.
Next spring will mark the second anniversary of the launch of the 2020 iPhone. And if that phone arrived four years after the original iPhone, there's every reason to believe Apple won't be waiting that long to release its successor this time around. .
The reason ? While the iPhone SE is often overlooked, it's still an important part of Apple's smartphone lineup – the rare Apple product that's significantly more affordable than Apple's other offerings. And what Apple ultimately does with this version of the iPhone SE will speak volumes about its efforts to conquer the one segment of the smartphone market where it doesn't reign supreme.
iPhone SE 3: What we know so far
The iPhone SE 3 – or rumored iPhone SE Plus, you want to believe – is expected in the first three months of 2022. See Article: Star Wars Galaxy's Edge VR Part 2: Review and Interview. In fact, the latest rumors from Apple's supply chain suggest that the iPhone SE components have been ordered, putting Apple's new phone on track for a spring launch.
As with the latest iPhone SE, we're expecting a device with the latest chipset from Apple's current flagship phones. It would be the A15 Bionic, which equips the entire range of the iPhone 13.
Camera rumors are less definitive, but Apple could continue to use a single lens, as it did with the current iPhone SE, to differentiate this phone from its flagships while keeping costs down. The iPhone SE could also come with a dual-lens setup — a main camera and an ultra-wide-angle lens — but with the optics of the iPhone 12 instead of the iPhone 13. (The iPhone 13 has a larger main sensor to let in more light).
It's possible that the iPhone SE 3 will retain the design of the current iPhone SE, which carries over the design of the older iPhone 8, including its Touch ID button and chunky bezels. There is also a rumor that Apple might opt for a larger 6.1-inch screen that mimics the look of iPhone XR/iPhone 11/iPhone 12. In this scenario, Apple might release an iPhone SE first more compact, then a larger version next year.
iPhone SE 3: a more competitive market than before
Cheap versions of the flagship phones were available before the iPhone SE was released in 2020. The Google Pixel 3a, for example, beat the iPhone to market by about a year. Related: Android 12L Beta 1 is now available for Google Pixel phones. But it's safe to say things have escalated considerably in the nearly two years since the iPhone SE sequel became available.
Related to this article: Is it a good idea to have an Internet blog?Samsung has made serious efforts to beef up its mid-range Galaxy A phones to the point of making them perfectly acceptable alternatives to entry-level flagships. OnePlus has tried to reconnect with its roots as a budget phone maker through the Nord line of budget phones that also feature more premium features like fast-refreshing screens.
Then there are the Pixel A series phones, which have had two updates since the iPhone SE was last released. The latest version – the Google Pixel 5a – sets the standard as the best camera phone under $500. It has dual rear cameras, night mode for low-light photos, and 5G compatibility — all features that the current iPhone SE is sorely lacking.
Apple therefore has some catching up to do. The iPhone SE's final specs will tell us how seriously Apple takes this challenge — and whether it sees budget phone buyers as a significant part of its audience going forward.
Why is the iPhone SE 3 important?
How will we know the answers to the above questions? Keep an eye out for four key factors in preparing for the iPhone SE 3 to release in early 2022, and what Apple will actually announce when it's ready to show off the phone. Also read: Tesla Model 3 owner says Tesla cut quality for 2022.
iPhone SE 5G compatibility: Obviously Apple is going to include 5G support on the next iPhone SE. All iPhone models released since the launch of the iPhone 12 family in 2020 offer 5G, and there's no going back. We expect the iPhone SE 3 to do like other Apple 5G devices and support millimeter-wave and sub-6GHz 5G networks.
The main thing here is to have a cheaper iPhone capable of connecting via 5G. Currently, the cheapest 5G-ready iPhone is the iPhone 12 mini, which retails for the discounted price of $599. Ideally, the iPhone SE 3 will lower the cost of your iPhone's 5G compatibility even further.
Phone size: The appeal of the iPhone SE hasn't just been its low price; it's also one of the few compact phones in a world where the demand for bigger and bigger screens continues to grow.
Compact phones, on the other hand, remain a niche market, as Apple learned from the relatively lukewarm sales of the iPhone 12 mini. Although Apple has always included a mini option in the iPhone 13 lineup, rumor has it that this will change next fall, when a larger iPhone 14 Max will join the regular iPhone 14 among the lesser flagship options. expensive.
So whatever iPhone SE Apple launches next year could be the only compact phone in the company's lineup – if the iPhone SE 3 features the same design as its predecessor. If Apple opts for a bigger screen, it would be a clear sign that the phone maker has decided that the era of small phones is truly over.
Related to this article:The new Tesla Model Y Performance is equipped with a super fast AMD Ryzen chipCamera setup: For a while, phones like the iPhone SE and Pixel 4a proved that two lenses weren't necessarily better than one. The Pixel 5a changed that, however, and its dual-lens setup easily makes it the go-to camera phone for bargain hunters.
We can't wait to see if Apple responds by adding a second lens to the iPhone SE. At a minimum, adding Night mode support is a necessity if the iPhone SE is to compete with other low-cost camera phones.
Price: And here comes the ultimate question: how much will the iPhone SE 3 cost?
Not that Apple looks to other phone makers for its benchmarks, but the Pixel 5a costs $449. That's a $100 increase over the Pixel 4a, but Google's new budget phone adds expensive features like that second lens and 5G support. If Apple makes similar changes to the iPhone SE, you could easily see its price increase from the $399 that Apple currently charges.
But then again, Apple doesn't like to replace a phone with a more expensive model unless it absolutely has to. Take the iPhone Pro models, for example, which have been hovering at $999 for a few years now. We could see Apple finding a way to keep the iPhone SE at the $399 price that people are used to paying, especially since the current $499 cost of the iPhone 11 doesn't leave a big cap. for a possible price increase.