Report: iPhone SE 3 to Feature 4.7-inch Display, 5G, and A15 Chip

BY Smidh

Published 21 Jul 2021

iPhone SE 2020 back

A new Nikkei Asia report corroborates some of the changes coming to the iPhone SE 3 refresh next year. It claims the iPhone SE 3 will be powered by an A15 Bionic chip, feature 5G courtesy of Qualcomm’s X60 5G modem, and continue to pack a 4.7-inch display.

The refreshed iPhone SE 3 is due to launch in the first half of 2022, presumably around March-April, since that’s when Apple usually launches a new iPhone SE model every few years. The iPhone SE 3 is not expected to pack any other major changes barring the ones mentioned above. It remains unclear if Apple will do away with the Touch ID-based Home button and switch to a different solution or stick to it.

The report also states that all iPhones due to launch in 2022 will feature 5G connectivity. It further claims that Apple will discontinue the 5.4-inch iPhone mini next year following poor demand and lackluster sales. The company pared back the production of the iPhone 12 mini due to this, and it will produce the iPhone 13 mini in limited quantities.

A new 6.7-inch iPhone Max model will replace the mini iPhone. This means Apple’s iPhone lineup in 2022 will feature two iPhones with display sizes of 6.1-inches and two with display sizes of 6.7-inches. The new 6.7-inch model will be positioned as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone Pro Max.

“It is pretty much decided that there won’t be a Mini next year, and there will be a relatively cost-effective version of the largest iPhone Pro Max instead. However, the designs for the detailed specifications for the four new models next year are not yet locked in,” one of the people with direct knowledge of the matter told Nikkei Asia.

As for the iPhone 13 series, the report states they will enter into mass production in August. Apple is currently expected to produce around 95 million units of the iPhones by the end of January, though this number could change down the line and is subject to further review.

[Via Nikkei Asia]