There might not be an iPhone SE 2

While it’s looking likely that Apple will release three ‘main’ iPhones this year, there’s been disagreement on whether an iPhone SE 2 will also see the light of day, and it’s now looking less likely than ever.

Speaking to Forbes, case maker Olixar claims that sources have ‘confirmed’ that the upcoming iPhones will all be big, with the rumored 5.8-inch iPhone XI, 6.5-inch iPhone XI Plus and 6.1-inch iPhone 9 (which will probably be the closest thing to a budget option) being the only models we’ll see this year.

Olixar is apparently confident enough in this information to have begun working on its official line of accessories for the upcoming range, so that’s bad news for anyone hoping for a smaller iPhone.

A small chance of a small phone

That said, it’s worth noting that just last month Olixar had been under the impression that there would be an iPhone SE 2 (or possibly an iPhone XI Mini, depending on whether it got redesigned in line with the X range). So we’d take this new information with a pinch of salt.

On the other hand, as Forbes notes, Olixar has accurately leaked plenty of phones in the past, including the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 7, so it is worth listening to.

The new rumor also chimes with a much earlier claim from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who as far back as January claimed Apple wouldn’t have the capacity to make an iPhone SE 2 this year, and he has a good track record with Apple leaks.

So we’d say it’s looking unlikely but remains a possibility. If the iPhone SE 2 does still launch this year it will probably be in September alongside the iPhone XI range, so you’ve probably got at least a few months to wait.

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.

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