The iPhone SE has always been a strange model, but one that had more power than its shape suggests. The current model is just as powerful as the iPhone 13 models, but still looks more like an iPhone 8.
This also seems to be the reason why many users shy away from the base model in Apple’s lineup and opt for more attractive alternatives from the competition. It is possible that Apple will replace this outdated design with a slightly more modern design next year.
The next iPhone SE will replace the outdated design with a slightly more modern one
RUMOR: The iPhone SE 4, likely coming next year, will essentially be a rebranded iPhone XR 👀📱
Expect a 6.1-inch display with Face ID, 12MP rear camera and IP67 water and dust resistance. pic.twitter.com/eC7Di0WD3B
— AppleTrack (@appltrack) August 30, 2022
According to rumors, Apple will abandon the current iPhone SE design with TouchID home button and 4.7-inch screen LCD in favor of a model based on the old iPhone XR starting in 2023.
At the time of its release, the XR was a huge success in the market, offering the iPhone X design with a notch and a larger screen size at a cheaper price. One of the sources for this information is Ming-Chi Kuo, the Taiwanese analyst who specializes in the Apple business. Another source is Jon Prosser, himself creator of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, who hinted in the podcast Geared Up that he has information about such a phone.
The iPhone SE 2023 could retain Apple’s current A15 processor or a new revision in the form of the A16 with a 6.1-inch screen and 4 GB RAM. Basically, the new SE would be a sort of iPhone 14 in an older body, with a single camera on the back and probably a LCD screen instead of an OLED panel. It would also be the first SE with FaceID, making the iPhone 2022 SE the last model with a fingerprint sensor in Apple’s lineup.
Another advantage of next year’s model would be a larger battery with almost 3,000 mAh. The iPhone XR and iPhone 11 were considered phones with high battery life, and the biggest drawback of the SE models over time has been low battery life. So Apple has the opportunity to offer a high-performance smartphone with a slightly more modern design and high autonomy at an affordable price in 2023. Since rumors say that the SE 2023 model will also start with 128 GB, the price of the current base model of $429 will be raised.