All signs point to Apple debuting the first 5G iPhone SE next week at its March event. Apple sent out invites for the event on Wednesday but didn’t offer any details about what it has in store. That said, leaks have already spoiled most of the surprises. In fact, even with less than a week to go until the event, the leaks continue to spring.
iPhone SE 5G details revealed
On Friday, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared six predictions for Apple’s third-generation iPhone SE on Twitter. Some of the predictions might look familiar to anyone who has been keeping up with all the leaks. Others reveal information that we didn’t already know. Overall, Kuo paints a surprisingly full picture of the unannounced phone:
Unsurprisingly, Kuo believes that mass production for the 5G iPhone SE will begin in March. Presumably, preorders will open on Friday, March 11th and the phones will begin shipping a week later. That’s assuming Apple announces it on Tuesday, of course.
Kuo also believes that the new iPhone model will have a similar design to that of the current iPhone SE. There were some rumors that Apple would refresh the look of the SE in 2022, but the consensus now seems to be that the iPhone SE 3 will have the same 4.7-inch display as the 2020 model, as well as a Home button with Touch ID.
But Kuo’s tweet also contains two interesting revelations. Firstly, the analyst indicates that Apple will add a 256GB storage option to the 2022 iPhone SE lineup. As it stands, Apple only offers 64GB and 128GB options for the second-generation iPhone SE. The 64GB model costs $399, while the 128GB model runs for $449. If Apple sticks with the same pricing structure, the 256GB model will likely retail for either $499 or $549.
Furthermore, Kuo predicts that the new iPhone SE will feature support for both mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G connectivity. While much about the 5G phone had already leaked, this is the first confirmation we’ve seen about this specific detail.
What to expect at the Peek Performance event
In the past, Kuo has shared his Apple predictions in notes to investors. This is the first time that he has shared them publicly on Twitter. It’s unclear if this trend will continue or if this was a one-off experiment. Either way, Kuo remains a reliable source.
But as informative as Kuo’s tweet was, it didn’t include any details about the other devices Apple is set to reveal on Tuesday at its Peek Performance event. Beyond the 5G iPhone SE, we also expect to see a new iPad Air model. Rumors suggest that the 2022 iPad Air will have an A15 Bionic processor, 5G support, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera.
Additionally, Apple might also show off a new 13-inch MacBook Pro next week. As with the iPhone SE and iPad Air, a redesign doesn’t seem to be in the cards, but it might be the first laptop to feature Apple’s powerful M2 processor.
