iPhone SE 3 could be years away, but an iPhone SE Plus might land first

iPhone SE 2020
The iPhone SE 2020 (Image credit: Future)

The iPhone SE (2020) is well over a year old now, so we had hoped we might see the iPhone SE 3 soon, but the latest leak suggests that’s not to be.

According to leaker Ross Young, the iPhone SE 3 has been delayed until 2024, so it might not land for years. Apparently when it does land though it will have a larger 5.7 - 6.1-inch LCD screen. That’s up from 4.7 inches on the iPhone SE (2020).

Young doesn’t say anything else about the phone, but if that size is accurate then we’d think it will probably sport a more modern design, with smaller bezels and no home button, more in line with the iPhone 13 than the iPhone 8 that the current SE is based on. Otherwise it could be a substantially large phone, and one that might look incredibly dated by 2024.

However, anyone who’s after a new affordable iPhone won’t necessarily have to wait that long, as Young adds that we’ll apparently see an iPhone SE Plus in 2022. This is said to have the same 4.7-inch LCD screen as the iPhone SE (2020) and the iPhone 8, but with the addition of 5G.

We’d expect more will change than just the connectivity options – at the very least we’d think a slightly newer chipset would probably be included to keep the iPhone SE Plus current, but Young doesn’t comment on that.

We would however take all of this with a pinch of salt. While Young has a solid track record, just the other day we heard that the next iPhone SE would launch in early 2022 but with a design based on the iPhone XR – which would likely mean a 6.1-inch screen. So that’s at odds with what Young says about the iPhone SE Plus. For now, it’s hard to say which – if either – leak is right.

Analysis: it’s not the first time we’ve heard about an iPhone SE Plus

Most iPhone SE rumors have been focused on the iPhone SE 3, but we’ve actually been hearing about an iPhone SE Plus since slightly before the iPhone SE (2020) even launched.

However, previous leaks had suggested the iPhone SE Plus would have a larger screen than the iPhone SE (2020), whereas Young reckons it will be the same size.

A larger display would fit better with the name, especially as Apple has previously used ‘Plus’ to denote larger screens, as with the iPhone 8 Plus for example. So there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding this phone, and we’d take everything we’re hearing with a pinch of salt until more concrete details emerge.

Via Phone Arena

TOPICS

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Read more
The iPhone 14 and iPhone SE on an orange background
iPhone SE 4 – 5 upgrades to expect, from a bigger screen to Apple Intelligence
iPhone SE 2022
Is this the iPhone SE 4? New Apple device seemingly appears in leaked images as revised release date emerges
Four iPhone SE 2022 phones on a pink and blue background
The iPhone SE 4 could surprisingly get this iPhone 16 feature – and that would make it an even better mid-range option
iPhone SE 2022
Leaked iPhone SE 4 dummy units tease the new design of Apple's most affordable iPhone
iPhone SE 2022
Apple's iPhone SE 4 might arrive as soon as next week, according to a new report
An iPhone SE 2022 in red, resting on foliage
Apple better not forget that the iPhone SE 4 is a 'Special Edition' or I’ll be very disappointed
Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Plus Review
The iPhone 17 Air could have an affordable price, and better battery life than you might have expected
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Apple iPhone 16 Pro on sky blue background with don't miss text overlay
Verizon has just quietly debuted its best iPhone 16 Pro deal yet - get it for free alongside a plan that costs just $25/mo
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background with big savings text overlay
Total Wireless' latest iPhone 16e deal gets you $300 off plus a cheap plan for a year
The Apple iPhone 16e held at a slant at a window
From iPhone to Android and (almost) back again – the iPhone 16e failed to lure me back to iOS
Latest in News
A man getting angry with his laptop.
Windows 11 bug deletes Copilot from the OS – is this the first glitch ever some users will be happy to encounter?
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung's latest software upgrade could mean Galaxy phones beat iPhones for gaming – but you can't get it yet
God of War 20th Anniversary Graphic.
Sony has unveiled some goodies to celebrate God of War’s 20th anniversary, but it's not the remaster I was hoping for
person at a computer
Many workers are overconfident at spotting phishing attacks
Apple iPhone 16 Plus Review
The iPhone 17 Air could have an affordable price, and better battery life than you might have expected
Some of the Avengers standing in a room without their costumes on in Marvel's Avengers: Endgame movie
'It's a new beginning': Avengers 5 and 6 directors tease what Marvel fans can expect from Doomsday and Secret Wars' plot – and how they will set up the MCU's future