More References to Apple's Upcoming Low-Cost iPhone Appear Online - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

More References to Apple's Upcoming Low-Cost iPhone Appear Online

Further references to Apple's upcoming low-cost iPhone have appeared online, one on a Chinese e-commerce website and another on Verizon's smartphone trade-in page.

Apple iPhone 9 Listing on JD
Spotted by tech blog MySmartPrice, Chinese retailer JD.com has published a placeholder for Apple's so-called "iPhone 9" that includes a teaser image of a veiled smartphone, but other than that it lacks any particularly revealing specifications. On that basis, it could just as easily be the site's expectation that Apple's new low-cost iPhone is on the way based on circulating rumors.

The other reference to "iPhone 9" was highlighted by leaker Jon Prosser in amongst a list of smartphones eligible for Verizon's trade-in plan on the cellular provider's website.


We're covering these references merely for completion, since Apple's new low-cost phone is expected imminently, although it's apparently going to recycle the iPhone SE name used for Apple's previous dedicated budget phone.

Last week, a product listing for a Belkin screen protector on Apple's online store was updated to reflect compatibility with not only the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8, but also the "iPhone SE."

That product listing didn't reveal any further details about the device, which was previously dubbed the iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9, beyond supporting rumors that it will have a 4.7-inch display. The device is also expected to have an A13 chip, 3GB of RAM, and 64GB to 256GB of storage, with pricing estimated to start around $399 in the United States.

One rumor last week suggested the phone could be launched as soon as April 3. The date proved to be wide of the mark, but it doesn't preclude the possibility that we could see the device announced by Apple any day now.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:12 am PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. Labor Day is September 7 this year. The last time the holiday fell on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the last time Labor Day was on September 7 in a normal year was in ...

Top Rated Comments

83 months ago

If one is self-isolating and purchases this (or any) iPhone, how does (s)he activate it without going to a store? Ditto to pass along an existing phone to another person.

Asking for a friend. 😐
Why do you need to activate your phones in a store? I am in the UK and activating new phones at home is normal??
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsmilo Avatar
83 months ago
iPhone 9 makes sense to me if it is seen as an update of the iPhone 8 instead of the SE
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bchery21 Avatar
83 months ago
I rather they call it iPhone SE than iPhone 9. Using the number 9 seems a little backwards at this point.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
83 months ago

I rather they call it iPhone SE than iPhone 9.
I say it’s a bad idea to call this next iPhone the ‘iPhone SE’. There was only one true iPhone SE in a 4” form factor, and this next ‘iPhone 9’ model won’t be anything like it. I personally think it Would be confusing to the consumer if Apple use iPhone SE again, when they are really nothing alike.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
83 months ago

If one is self-isolating and purchases this (or any) iPhone, how does (s)he activate it without going to a store? Ditto to pass along an existing phone to another person.

Asking for a friend. 😐
You can call your carrier directly from a different/active phone used, and they just need a few pieces of information to activate the phone, where ‘Your friend‘ can switch the Sim card over to the new phone. [You generally don’t have to visit a carrier to activate a phone, at least not by any major North American carriers.]
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
83 months ago
I can’t believe how many typos are in this screenshot. At one point it actually says: "you must be select a Premium Unlimted plan to be eligbile".

Three typos in the space of 9 words. I’ve never seen copy that sloppy, so my guess is it’s a fake. But maybe nothing is getting proofed right now 🤷‍♂️
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors