To gain more market share and remain competitive in the mobile phone market, Apple knows it must expand its catalog again and again by continuing to invite itself into the mid-range. The iPhone SE has met with great success, why not continue this epic with the iPhone SE 2 (iPhone 9)?
New information confirms the rumors that we have already heard and addressed more specifically in this same article. Although nothing has been confirmed to date, we are starting to take speculation on the price and the likely launch date of the smartphone a little more seriously.
Launched in April 2016, the iPhone SE disappeared from the Apple catalog in 2018. However, this device has had phenomenal success during its career. The reason was simple: the smartphone offered a solid performance at a much more affordable price than its other iPhones. In 2020, the Cupertino company could, therefore, take the same recipe for its new iPhone SE 2. The generally well-informed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicates that Apple would think of selling between 30 to 40 million of this new smartphone during the year.
Home button – Bionic A13 processor like iPhone 11
According to Cnet.com, Apple would work not only on an iPhone 9 or iPhone SE 2 to replace the iPhone 8 but also on a larger iPhone 9 Plus. The rumors reported deliveries of equipment for the manufacture of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch smartphones. The presence of this type of material in the supply chain would provide evidence that this iPhone 9 Plus could eventually replace the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus.
But the big news could be that Apple’s low-cost smartphone could work with a Bionic A13 chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. It would also have a Home button that was introduced with the iPhone 7 and kept on the iPhone 8. Remember that this button uses the Taptic Engine (Taptic Engine) to simulate clicks and reduce hardware failures. This choice could, therefore, make the iPhone 9 more attractive to those who still use older models such as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 since some people prefer not to spend money on high-end smartphones.
If these rumors are confirmed, the new iPhone will combine several characteristics of the brand’s historic ranges. Scheduled for spring, the release of this model would follow a commercial strategy aimed at offering its loyal buyers a mixture of new features (a powerful, fast and efficient phone thanks to an excellent processor or even free AirPods) and vintage (the Home button, size, design).
An expected price of $ 399
According to Fast Company, a rate of $ 399 is to be expected. This same amount has been cited several times in recent months and seems to correspond to the strategy of the Californian group for this type of model from the standard range. At 399 dollars, and with taxes, the iPhone SE 2 / iPhone 9 should be sold in Europe from 489 €, if we follow the usual practice of the Californian giant. Recall that the firstborn in this range: the iPhone SE had been launched from 489 euros (16 GB) and 589 euros (32 GB).
The tariff could also allow Apple to strengthen its market share in countries like India and China, strategic markets where iPhones remain popular despite the many local manufacturers using Android.
Production in February 2020 for an expected release in March 2020
While its iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max models are enjoying real success Apple continues to be long-term by offering a low-cost version whose design will be similar to its iPhone 8. According to information reported by Bloomberg, the marketing of this smartphone seems to be accelerating. From now on, the iPhone SE 2 will return to the production phase in February. It has been said that the coronavirus epidemic may possibly delay the launch of the iPhone SE 2, but the Apple brand has yet to comment on the matter. We can, therefore, expect a launch in March as Apple used to do.
It will be the second time after the release of the iPhone SE in 2016 that Apple has opted for the marketing of a low-cost phone. At the time, the iPhone SE was sold in the United States at $ 399, which had positioned this smartphone as the most affordable iPhone. Currently, the iPhone 8 whose design will be similar to the iPhone SE 2. The price of the new phone should, therefore, be attractive in an increasingly competitive low and mid-range market.
The iPhone SE 2 will be Apple’s first low-cost iPhone in 2020, as the brand plans to release more phones in the fall. This strategy aims to play on all fronts in order to offer a more varied range of models and prices. It is a question of preparing the minds before the next arrival of more high-end products with 5G and 3D cameras.
iPhone SE 2: technical characteristics
| Brand | Apple |
| Model | iPhone SE 2 / iPhone 9 |
| System | iOS 13 |
| Screen | 4.7 inch LCD |
| Processor | A13 |
| Graphics chip | Apple GPU |
| RAM memory | 3 GB |
| Internal memory | 64/128 GB Memory extension: microSD reader (no) |
| Camera | rear: single sensor |
| Connectivity | – |
| Sensors | – |
| battery | – |
| Dimensions | – |
| Weight | – |
| Other | Touch ID reader |
| Price at launch | 399 dollars |
Regarding the specifics of the product, it seems that this smartphone has a 4.7-inch screen, and at least in appearance it could closely resemble the current iPhone 8, with a Touch ID sensor. It will be equipped with the same A13 chip as that available on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro and would have 3 GB of RAM. To be able to offer a rather low sale price, Apple should use a single-lens rear camera, but we don’t know more. It could be offered with 64 and 128 GB of storage, and the colors expected so far are gray, silver and red.
The new iPhone should be a perfect option for those who previously had an iPhone 6s or iPhone 7, as the SE 2 should be quite similar. This smartphone could also appeal to those who are looking for a mid-range Apple mobile, who like Touch the Touch ID and who prefer smaller formats, which can be held in one hand, even if it should not be as small as iPhone SE.
Possible free AirPods
As we have pointed out several here, the iPhone SE 2 (aka iPhone 9) should be launched this year as the brand’s low cost. The question now is to know what are the comparative advantages that this smartphone brings given the huge offer of mid-range products that exist. Part of the answer seems to have come from the Korean retail store, Mysmartprice, which suggests that the phone could include the very innovative and popular Apple Airpods.
This news could be a winning bet for the American giant in terms of the global success of the Airpods. It could thus make the difference by allowing the general public to use these headphones usually reserved for owners of much more expensive telephones. You could then, for a very affordable price, both listen to music with very high-quality headphones and take photos with a very good camera.
For the moment, it is not clear if this is a specific offer for the Korean market or if Apple’s American customers will also have access to these technological jewels. In any case, rumors are rife as those announcing that the iPhone SE 2 would have a slightly larger screen of 5.4 inches and a fingerprint button integrated into the power button. Let us, therefore, remain attentive to the development of the file.
As a reminder, AirPods Pro and AirPods are expensive products. Even if they are among the best wireless headphones on the market and their battery lasts a long time, you will have to pay the price to acquire them. The possibility offered to be able to use them with the new iPhone SE 2 would, therefore, be a boon. Case to follow.
The effects of Coronavirus on the start of production
The coronavirus which has already caused the death of several hundred people seems to be able to disrupt or even interrupt the production of the iPhone SE 2 which will start in February. Like the majority of the brand’s smartphones, this new Apple model is produced in China. The phones are produced by Foxconn in Zhengzhou and assembled by Pegatron in a factory near Shanghai. The two sites are located 500 kilometers from Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus. According to comments collected by Mark Gurman published in Bloomberg, distance does not protect you in the event of such a strong pandemic despite drastic public health measures. According to the senior industrial analyst contacted by Bloomberg:
If there is a major problem with raw materials, the manufacturing, assembly, testing and shipping of new phones will be disrupted.
This new concern comes as the American giant asked its suppliers to increase productivity by 10% in response to the ongoing epidemic. In addition, Apple is aware that cases of coronavirus have been detected in the province of Henan where Zhengzhou is located. According to Bloomberg, who quotes Matthew Kanterman, the increase in the number of people infected in this region could lead to Foxconn or the government to close the factories to prevent further contamination. As for Foxconn, the Apple supplier is reassuring:
We can confirm that we have measures in place to ensure that we can continue to meet all global manufacturing requirements.
While a team of British and American scientists has tentatively predicted that the virus could infect more than 190,000 people in China by February 4 (in comparison the seasonal flu virus causes between 140,000 and 810,000 per year), Apple plans to adopt a new strategy to anticipate falling sales and production delays. Not only does the brand intend to face the decline in sales of the iPhone 11, but it wants to reduce the potential losses linked to production delays in an economic context still uncertain in terms of imports and exports from China. As a reminder, Apple has publicly engaged in the fight against Coronavirus from the hand of Tim Cook.
Screen and processor
Already in recent weeks, rumors about the arrival of the iPhone-SE-2 have been expressed, but they are now becoming more concrete. The high number of rumors could, in fact, enter a dissemination plan for 2020. As a reminder, the first iPhone SE did not arrive on the market, like the usual iPhone in September, but in spring 2016.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, once again, presumes that the iPhone SE 2 would ship a technical data sheet similar to the iPhone 11, including the A13 processor. These speculations are not new, they are now only consolidated. More recent are the rumors surrounding the form factor. Apple would have placed a large order at LG Display to produce liquid crystal displays, which also clarifies the technological problem: no OLED for the iPhone on a low budget. This leaves Apple a chance to reach a price level close to 400 euros. Finally, the iPhone SE 2 would also have new antennas, more efficient than those used at the time by the iPhone 8.
Design similar to iPhone 8
In order to make some savings and be able to offer an affordable device, Apple would, therefore, have decided to use a design already validated and above all already profitable. The new iPhone SE 2 would thus be based on the design of the iPhone 8. In addition to the price, this design still appeals to many users, especially those with the iPhone 6 and 7 generations (100 million people still use a model of the iPhone 6 series) which do not appreciate the style established by the iPhone X.
That said, it is not because the device would offer an “old” design that the new iPhone will not offer a modern datasheet. The iPhone SE 2 would, therefore, have a 4.7-inch LCD screen, the latest processor from Apple, the Bionic A13 chip, accompanied by 3 GB of RAM. This device would carry a Touch ID fingerprint reader. A more accessible version of Face ID, Apple’s facial recognition system, should not be there.
And you, would you buy an iPhone SE 2?
