All signs point to Apple’s new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro series release having been a resounding success. Apple doesn’t share sales figures anymore, but the company’s solid earnings and insider estimates point to very solid unit sales. And then there’s the reception by the public to consider. Critics and end-users alike have been raving about the iPhone 11 non-stop, particularly about the iPhone 11 Pro phones and their dramatically improved cameras. After falling behind top rivals like Huawei and Google for the past few years, Apple finally stepped up its game and debuted a new triple-lens camera system that many argue is the best smartphone camera on the planet right now.
There’s a lot to love about Apple’s iPhone 11 series smartphones, and word on the street is that next year’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro updates are going to be massive. We’ve heard rumors of 5G support, 120Hz ProMotion displays, quad-lens camera systems, and a massive redesign with flat metal edges like the iPhone 5 and a smaller notch. But there are people out there who have a few specific complaints about the iPhone 11 series, and next year’s iPhone 12 handsets aren’t expected to address those issues. As it turns out, however, there’s a fourth new iPhone model set to be released next year, and we just got word from the world’s top Apple insider that the phone’s release is now mere months away.
Apple’s iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max are shaping up to be massive upgrades compared to this year’s iPhone 11 devices. But there are two things that should remain exactly the same: The phones’ sky-high price tags, and the presence of Face ID in place of Touch ID.
Touch ID first began to be phased out in 2017 with the release of the iPhone X. Then in 2018 and 2019, none of Apple’s new iPhone models had Touch ID. The feature was removed for two reasons: first, Apple wanted to use a new all-screen design, which meant removing the home button. Other smartphone makers have moved the fingerprint sensor to the back of the phone or embedded it in the screen itself, but those are both bad options where user experience is concerned — and that’s the second reason Apple bailed on Touch ID. It’s believed that the company may bring back Touch ID at some point on all of its iPhones, but not until in-display sensors with much larger touch targets are ready for mass production.
So, iPhone users looking to upgrade who don’t want to spend a lot of money or lose Touch ID have no choice but to buy an older smartphone. Apple still sells the iPhone 8 starting at $449, but it’s from 2017 so it lacks the power and many of the features available on newer iPhone models. That’s all about to change, however, because sources with great track records are reporting that Apple is finally getting ready to release a followup to the iPhone SE it first debuted in March 2016.
The new model — which has been referred to as the “iPhone SE 2,” though it’s not expected to actually launch with that name — is going to be a huge upgrade compared to the first-generation SE. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed in the past that the phone will have the same look and feel as the iPhone 8, but it’ll feature upgraded specs that put it on par with Apple’s iPhone 11 series phones. In fact, it’s basically shaping up to be an iPhone 11 stuffed into an iPhone 8 housing, with specs that include a 4.7-inch display, the A13 Bionic chipset, and 3GB of RAM.
Now, in a new note sent to investors that was seen by MacRumors, Kuo says the phone is on track to be released by the end of the first quarter in 2020. That means the iPhone SE 2’s release is now just 4 months away at the most. The analyst also reported that the phone will be available in three different colors including Space Gray, Silver, and Red, and it’ll likely have a base price of $399 for the 64GB model. Oh, and it’ll also still have Touch ID, which is a huge deal for many iPhone users who have been holding onto their old handsets for that reason alone.
