The iPhone SE 2020 is arriving later this week, but Apple already has an iPhone SE Plus in the works. Update: A new report says that a larger-screen iPhone SE will debut next year. More details below.
Although the $399 iPhone SE is still in the pre-sale stage, it's seems Apple will flesh out its refreshed, non-flagship tier with a larger option. The company has killed off the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, so it makes sense it would offer some sort of replacement for the latter.
- The best iPhone SE 2020 deals right now
- Check out our revised best phones rankings
A big-screen iPhone SE Plus with an A13 chipset and Touch ID sounds like it would sell itself, provided the price was under $500. The buzz of such a smartphone comes from none other than YouTuber Jon Prosser, whose long series of leaks leading up to the iPhone SE release gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect before Apple's official announcement.
On Twitter, Prosser teased a second iPhone SE model, saying "Should have some iPhone SE Plus news for you soon," accompanied by the ever-implicative, sideways-looking eyes emoji.
Should have some iPhone SE Plus news for you soon. 👀April 18, 2020
In response to a follow-up question, Prosser told another Twitter user that they shouldn't cancel their iPhone SE pre-order, suggesting the iPhone SE Plus will not debut near the iPhone SE's April 24 release date.
And we're likely less than 6 months out of the iPhone 12 launch, so it's unclear if another new phone could hit shelves before then.
In fact, Apple has reportedly postponed a larger version of the iPhone SE until the latter part of 2021, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo via MacRumors. That's a long time to wait for an affordable big-screen iPhone. So you may want to check out the discounted iPhone XR in the meantime.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus came out in 2017, meaning Apple sold both for about 3 years. They were powered by the A11 chip, which has grown dated compared to the new A13.
Because the iPhone SE melds the Apple's latest chipset with the iPhone 8's design, it's reasonable to believe the iPhone SE Plus will adopt the iPhone 8 Plus's form. If that's the case, we'd be looking at a 5.5 display between a large forehead and chin with a Touch ID/home button.
With the iPhone SE Plus, we could also see a longer battery life and better camera performance. The iPhone 8 Plus had 11 hours of battery life and a second telephoto lens, while the iPhone 8 lasted just under 10 hours and only had a single 12-MP rear lens.
That's not to say Apple will completely recycle its iPhone 8 methodology for the iPhone SE, but if Prosser is correct it appears the company is heading in that direction.
