While tech and gadgets are not susceptible to coronavirus in the same way the people are, the outbreak is still having a major effect on some major brands. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to include Apple and its upcoming mid-range phone, likely named the iPhone SE 2.
MacRumors has seen a new investor note, written by the reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, that states that the iPhone SE 2, expected to launch at some point in mid-March, is still on track for its release in the first half of 2020. There is some ambiguity in this wording, as it could mean that the March launch may happen a little late, but it could also just refer to the date the phones hit store shelves.
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Kuo’s note mostly refers to smartphone camera lenses, which reveals that the iPhone SE 2 will use a 6-element plastic lens, rather than the more sophisticated 7-element lenses. This makes sense since the iPhone 8, the chassis of which the iPhone SE 2 is rumored to be using, also used a 6P lens.
The iPhone SE 2 (also known as the iPhone 9 depending on the exact source) won’t be all old tech however. The rumors we’ve heard so far, many also coming from Kuo, say it will use a modern A13 Bionic CPU like the iPhone 11 series, and could get a new side-mounted Touch ID sensor on the SE 2 Plus variant. The SE 2 will be Apple’s first cheap iPhone since the original iPhone SE, and is expected to cost around $400, far less than the iPhone 11.
Other rumors from Apple’s supply chain have said that the next premium iPhone, the iPhone 12, will see delays due to production hold-ups, but that the new phones will still make their expected debut date in September.
