Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPhone SE that's set to be released in 2022, and a new rumor from display analyst Ross Young suggests that Apple will call this device the "iPhone SE Plus" even though it's not going to be getting a bigger display.
Young says the upcoming iPhone SE will feature the same 4.7-inch LCD display that's available in the current version of the iPhone SE, which itself adopted the display size from the now-discontinued iPhone 8. This is in line with prior rumors that we've heard about the device, all of which have indicated that Apple is planning to stick with the 4.7-inch form factor.
Back in 2019, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple was working on an "iPhone SE 2 Plus" with a larger display for release in 2021, but no such device has materialized. Kuo later walked back these claims, and all of his latest iPhone SE information has indicated that the next-generation version will have the same screen size as the current model.
We now hear the next LCD iPhone will be introduced in 2022 and called the SE Plus with the same 4.7" LCD as the 8 along with 5G. We hear the iPhone SE3 with a 5.7" - 6.1" LCD is now pushed to 2024. https://t.co/9gxiAAk8Yi — Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) October 25, 2021
Kuo has also claimed that the upcoming iPhone SE will have 5G support, a rumor reiterated today by Young, so it's possible the "Plus" moniker could perhaps be referring to the faster connectivity. Apple has traditionally used "Plus" to denote a larger screen size with the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 8 Plus, but "Plus" was abandoned after the iPhone 8 and larger-sized iPhones are now "Pro Max," so Apple may be planning to recycle the Plus name.
We've heard little about the iPhone SE aside from the rumors about a 4.7-inch display size and 5G connectivity, so it may not have much to offer in terms of feature improvements. It's also expected to get a new A-series processor, and it will be Apple's most affordable 5G iPhone when it launches.
Young also believes that Apple is working on a larger version of the iPhone SE that will come out in the future. This device is expected to feature a 5.7-inch to 6.1-inch LCD display with a hole-punch camera, and Young claims it will launch in 2024, with Apple having pushed its target release date back from 2023.
A recent rumor from MyDrivers suggested the next-generation iPhone SE would feature an iPhone XR-like design with Touch ID built into the side button, but this is not in line with the majority of the rumors that we've heard about the model coming in 2022 and it sounds more like the 2024 iPhone SE that Young mentions.
