Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Mobile
  4. News

A new iPhone SE with 5G is coming in 2022, but it may have the same old design

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

Apple isn’t abandoning the iPhone SE line and is set to revive its most affordable phone model in 2022, according to a new report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In notes described by MacRumors, Kuo says a new iPhone SE will be coming in 2022. Buyers interested should not expect a redesign — instead, it will keep the same iPhone 8-style look as the 2020 iPhone SE. While that design is pretty tired at this point, there are other internal changes to keep things interesting.

Recommended Videos

Its biggest upgrades will be 5G support and a new processor, likely to be the yet-unnamed successor to the A14 Bionic processor found in the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. Apple introduced 5G to the lineup with the iPhone 12 in 2020. As a result, people interested in picking up a cheap iPhone — either an older model or an SE — would be out of luck. A 5G-capable iPhone SE would rectify that. When it comes to pricing, this is said to be the “cheapest 5G iPhone ever,” undercutting the $699 iPhone 12 Mini (which we suspect isn’t long for this world).

An updated iPhone SE lets Apple keep a lower entry point to the lineup, while standardizing on 5G.

The previous iPhone SE 2020 was a well-received phone, with our review finding it to balance a compact design, a powerful camera for the money, and all the benefits of full-powered iOS software for just $400. A follow-up phone with modern technology in 2022 could serve to rival Android phones in the sub-$400 market and lure more buyers over to Apple’s side.

The iPhone SE 2022 isn’t the only iPhone that analysts have shared predictions about. The iPhone 12S is reportedly coming this year with a new 120Hz display and a more powerful processor at the same pricing as last year’s model, and some reports say that Apple may bring a Pixel 5-like design to the iPhone SE in 2022.

There have been additional reports that Apple has been considering an iPhone SE Plus with a 6.1-inch display. This would be based on the iPhone 11 design in the same way the iPhone SE mirrored the iPhone 8. Kuo had earlier predicted that it would be arriving in the first half of 2021 before a reported delay, while JP Morgan Chase, as reported by GizChina, had it pegged for a 2022 release. With the smaller iPhone SE now said to be coming in 2022, it seems reasonable to expect an iPhone 11-inspired iPhone SE to be pushed back to 2023.

Michael Allison
Michael Allison
Former Mobile News Writer
A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
Topics
I went hands-on with Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. It’s peak foldable in an old garb. 
It may not look like a fresh start, but underneath the familiar chassis, there's plenty of thoughtful engineering tweaks.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Samsung just wrapped up its glitzy Unpacked event, revealing three new foldable phones and a pair of smartwatches. While my heart flutters for the pocketable Galaxy Z Fold 8, it’s the Ultra variant that truly feels like a refinement. Interestingly, when you look at the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for the first time, you might mistake it for the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Both of them look identical, and Samsung has not made any visible changes on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for it to stand out from its predecessor. Color options, obviously, are fresh this time around, but there are a few changes that have been made under the hood, and they make this phone feel like a practically rewarding iteration.

Read more
Fold 8 Ultra vs. Fold 7: Upgrades across the board, but is the Ultra really worth the upgrade?
From battery capacity to camera hardware, here's a full comparison between the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 7, and whether upgrading actually makes sense.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Fold 7

Foldables age differently than regular smartphones or flagships. But why do I say this? It's the hinge and the foldable aspect that wins buyers over in the first place, not the specifications that get outdated every single year. That's precisely why anyone still carrying last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 is asking a fair question today: does Samsung's freshly unveiled Z Fold 8 Ultra genuinely earn an upgrade, or does the Fold 7 still hold its ground?

And for shoppers who skipped last year's model entirely and are weighing their first foldable purchase, the calculus is totally different. A now-discounted Fold 7 might undercut the Ultra by a considerable sum, and that could matter to those looking to spend on the form factor, not the latest specifications. 

Read more
Samsung makes it easier to run multiple apps on Galaxy Z Flip 8’s cover screen
Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 8 now runs 16 apps on its cover screen.
Galaxy Z Flip 8 cover display

Samsung is finally making the Galaxy Z Flip's cover screen much more useful. With the new Galaxy Z Flip 8, you no longer have to rely on workarounds to access more apps without unfolding the phone. Instead, Samsung has expanded native support on the FlexWindow, allowing 16 apps to run directly on the outer display and also making it much easier to launch virtually any other app.

The update addresses one of the biggest complaints Flip users have had for years and brings Samsung up to the level of rivals like Motorola, whose Razr series has long offered a more flexible cover screen experience.

Read more