Skip to main content

Apple analyst predicts iPhone SE 2 with iPhone 11’s processor to arrive in 2020

Much maligned at the time of release for looking a little boring, the iPhone 8 could be making a triumphant return as the iPhone SE 2, according to esteemed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. What’s more, the return of the cheapest iPhone line could also be with us as early as the first quarter of 2020.

Apple iPhone 8 review plant
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

If this sounds a little familiar, it’s because it’s the exact same news that was reported by Asian newspaper Nikkei a month ago. Kuo’s predictions add more fuel to that particular fire, and add that the iPhone SE 2 would most likely be equipped with Apple’s latest A13 processor, 3GB of RAM, and will most likely start at 32GB of storage. Aside from those changes, the design of the phone would be identical to the iPhone 8, and would include a 4.7-inch display, complete with a Touch ID home button. It’s unclear whether 3D Touch would return.

Recommended Videos

With this in mind, it seems pretty obvious Apple intends the iPhone SE 2 to take over the iPhone 8’s place in the market. At the time of writing, Apple sells the iPhone 8 with 64GB of storage for $449 — and while the iPhone SE 2 would involve a drop to 32GB of storage, the improved processor and promise of longer software support would make the iPhone SE 2 a pretty strong option. This would be especially true if Apple were able to match the original iPhone SE’s $349 price.

But who would the iPhone SE 2 appeal to? Kuo expects iPhone 6 owners may be tempted with the cheaper package on offer. The iPhone 6 recently became the most recent casualty of software upgrade cycles, with the 2014 iPhone being locked out of upgrades for the most recent iOS 13 operating system update. Such consumers may not care about the latest hardware like Face ID and bezel-less designs, and as such, a cheaper iPhone with an older design may prove successful with them. Kuo certainly thinks so, and predicts Apple could sell between 30 to 40 million units of the iPhone SE 2 across 2a 020.

The iPhone SE 2 is without a doubt the longest rumored iPhone in history, and it seems it could finally be on the way. With both Nikkei and Kuo uniting behind an iPhone 8-like design and a release window, you should absolutely expect an Apple event to spring up in the spring.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Mark Jansen
Mobile Evergreen Editor
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
iPhone 17 Pro may get a wild, must-have accessory that beats a case
Render of iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro may get an unusual customization option, if an image showing a wild new accessory type is accurate. Instead of just wrapping your phone in a case or a skin, the iPhone 17 Pro’s distinctive camera module may support colorful panels to spice up the look of the phone, and make good use of all that blank space we expect to see around the cameras.

Anyone who has seen early renders of the iPhone 17 Pro’s possible design will have been struck by the large camera module on the back, which appears flat and houses three main cameras on the left, with a flash unit and another sensor on the right. The space between them is entirely unused, and that’s where the rumored panels come into play.

Read more
The iPhone should copy this Android phone’s shortcut button feature, here’s why
The buttons on the iPhone 16e

The iPhone is renowned for its ability to start entire trends and drive the smartphone industry in new directions. 

Beginning with the launch of the original iPhone in 2007, which transitioned the industry from resistive to capacitive touchscreens and eliminated the need for a stylus, the iPhone also defined the current smartphone with the introduction of the App Store and the app economy.

Read more
iPhone theft victim sues Apple. It sparks a new hope for others, too
The iPhone 16 sticking out of someone's pocket.

Smartphones are the center of our digital existence. Not just because they open the doors for communication and social connection, but also due to their role as gatekeepers of our financial and professional lives. 

Needless to say, a stolen iPhone can upend your life in many ways, but it’s even harder to recover those precious files stored on the device. A few victims of iPhone theft may finally have a chance, thanks to a lawsuit against Apple over not offering enough help in recovery efforts.

Read more