Starting at just $449, the iPhone 8 is the cheapest iPhone you can buy from Apple right now. It’s also the only phone that Apple sells with Touch ID still on board. However, that iPhone features two-year-old hardware, which isn’t ideal for everyone. You could go for the more expensive iPhone XR ($599) or iPhone 11 ($699) instead, as long as you don’t mind switching to Face ID, getting used to a bigger phone size, and paying slightly more. Or you could just wait, as Apple’s next affordable iPhone seems to be on the way.
Following rumors that suggested the iPhone SE 2 will actually feature iPhone 11 hardware inside an iPhone 8 body, a new story out of Korea claims that Apple is already testing parts for the upcoming handset.
Specifically, The Elec says that it’s LG Display that’s going to supply LCD screens for budget iPhones, identifying these devices as the successors to the iPhone SE handset. The report doesn’t offer any iPhone SE 2 specs, but does say that the phone is scheduled to be released early next year.
Industry sources claim that the LCD panels are going through last-minute quality checks and that the initial orders will be small in size. It’s unclear what “small” means at this time. A previous report suggested that a 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2 could help Apple sell even more iPhones next year. A powerful, more pocketable iPhone may attract plenty of buyers, especially those who have been waiting to replace their aging iPhone SE models.
The Elec also says that LG hasn’t shown much interest in components for budget models, although the company might not be able to afford to pick and choose orders, especially from Apple. Previous iPhone LCD panel orders for high-end models were more significant in size, the report notes, but that era might be over.
