'iPhone SE 3' expected to launch in 2022 with A14 Bionic chip and 5G

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Apple's improved 'iPhone SE 3' is set to arrive next year

iPhone SE 2020 in hand showing the back of the phone
(Image credit: Future)

Apple is set to equip its upcoming "iPhone SE 3" with an A14 Bionic chip and 5G, with the budget smartphone expected to arrive as soon as early 2022.

According to insider sources speaking to news outlet DigiTimes, Apple's next iPhone SE could arrive as early as the first half of 2022. What's more, the entry-level iPhone will receive a major upgrade, with 5G connectivity and an A14 processor; making it a budget version of the popular iPhone 12. 

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo made the same claims earlier this year (via MacRumors), although don't expect a major design overhaul. As previously reported, display analyst Ross Young claims the next iPhone SE will feature the same 4.7-inch display found in the iPhone SE (2020).

Apple's budget iPhone is expected to offer 5G connectivity, which would put the upcoming SE model among the cheapest 5G smartphones available.

However, it will already face competition from Google's Pixel 5a and possibly even the upcoming Pixel 6. If Apple aims to keep the next iPhone SE's price down to $400/£400 while offering iPhone 12 power, the iPhone SE 3 will be a phone to be reckoned with. 

A 6.1-inch iPhone SE in the works?

Rumors suggest a 6.1-inch model is also in the pipeline, due to launch in 2023. What's more, it may offer a new design from the traditional SE models by using a hole-punch display as we see with most Android phones, rather than a notch. 

However, it is unlikely Apple will roll out another version of its SE so soon. Previous rumors suggest we would see an iPhone SE 2021, but this has been pushed back to 2022. The last iPhone SE launched in 2020 with great success, so a major update only a year later doesn't seem likely.

Still, there's room for a launch in 2021. The iPhone 13 is expected to be revealed at an upcoming Apple event around September, along with many other Apple devices including the AirPods 3 and a 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. As usual, Apple has yet to announce anything concrete, so only time will tell if any of these devices will be revealed. In the meantime, check out why we love the tech giant's other semi-budget smartphone, the iPhone 12 mini. 

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.