New iPhone SE and iPad Pro with 3D sensing tipped for early 2020 release

By Christian de Looper Published November 16, 2019

The Mac recently got some love in the form of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro— and the iPhone SE and iPad Pro may be next. According to a new report from Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, the next iPad Pro iteration will be released in the first half of 2020, alongside a new version of the iPhone SE. The news was first reported by MacRumors.

The new iPad Pro is expected to offer a number of upgrades over the current-generation model. Notably, the device will likely have a rear camera capable of 3D sensing, which will work through a time-of-flight camera sensor, which can measure the time it takes for light to bounce off of objects, then generating a 3D map of an environment.

Recommended Videos

The overall design of the iPad Pro is likely to remain the same, or at least similar. The device got a redesign for its current generation, including having an edge-to-edge display and Face ID facial recognition. The device is available in two models — an 11-inch iPad Pro, and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Both models will likely get revamped, and will also include an upgraded processor.

The new iPhone SE will likely be very similar to what is currently known as the iPhone 8, at least in terms of design. It will likely offer a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, along with a 4.7-inch display on the front. Under the hood, the phone will include an Apple A13 chip and 3GB of RAM, giving it similar performance to the iPhone 11. The device will probably start at around $399, according to Kuo.

These predictions pretty much line up with what we’ve heard in the past, but Kuo’s confirmation of these details firms things up a little. Previously, a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman highlighted that both the iPad Pro and the iPhone SE 2 would get an early 2020 release.

It’s currently unknown what the new budget iPhone will be called, but many have been simply referring to the device as the “iPhone SE 2.” Given the iPhone 8-like design, the phone likely won’t resemble the original iPhone SE, which looked more like an iPhone 5. Because of that, Apple could end up giving it a different name entirely.

Christian de Looper

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…

Topics

Tablets

From lecture notes to design projects, I picked the right iPads that belong in your bag

Stop taking lecture notes on your phone and get one of these iPad and Pencil combos

Apple iPad Pro 2025 on a table

A semester’s worth of notebooks, printouts, and loose assignment sheets can turn your backpack into hefty luggage. This is where the iPad steps in, not by making your reading list shorter, but by making your academics less cluttered. Add an Apple Pencil, and the same tablet can handle handwritten lecture notes.

It's not all work and no play, as the iPad can double as a handheld gaming console or streaming device. But at the end of the day, the real question is, "Which one is right for you?" With the various models under its belt, Apple has an iPad for everyone. It currently sells four very different iPads and two relevant Pencil models, with compatibility changing depending on the tablet.

Tablets

Motorola may have built the iPad alternative Android users have been waiting for

The Moto Pad 70 could be the affordable tablet that finally gets the basics right

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

Motorola has revealed the Moto Pad 70, a new mid-range Android tablet with a large display, stylus support, 5G connectivity, and a sizeable battery.

The tablet will launch in India on August 8 through Flipkart. Its 12.1-inch 2.5K display, included Moto Pen, 10,200mAh battery, and 68W charging give it several features that could appeal to people considering Apple’s base iPad. However, the mid-range Dimensity 6400 processor means it is unlikely to match the iPad in raw performance.

Computing

Qualcomm is set to ratchet up chip prices in September, and your next gadget upgrade could bear the brunt

The price hike could touch every Snapdragon-powered device category.

The new Qualcomm Snadragon 8 Elite Gen 5

I want you to sit with this for a second. Qualcomm, the company whose Snapdragon chips sit inside your Android phone and tablet, your Windows laptop, your Meta smart glasses, your Galaxy Watch, and your wireless earbuds, reportedly sent a letter to every major customer telling them prices are going up by double digits.

The price hike will be in effect from September 1, 2026, a recent Bloomberg report claims. Essentially, all the companies placing their chip orders after that will pay a higher price.