iPhone SE 5G on track for early 2022 launch, will be a chipset upgrade only!

What will the next iPhone SE be like? For the majority of time, rumours have suggested a rerun of the iPhone 8 design with Apple's newest chip. For existing iPhone SE users, that means no major change other than the performance. One of the latest tips once again confirms the same – the iPhone SE in 2022 will simply get a chip upgrade.

Rest of the features and specifications are said to remain identical. That means you could see the compact 4.7-inch display, those classic display bezels, the return of Touch ID, and probably a single 12MP camera on the back. The report from TrendForce suggests that it could launch as early as Q1 2022, which hints at a March 2022 launch.

iPhone SE 5G set to release early 2022

For the longest time, rumours have talked about the next-gen iPhone SE changing almost nothing from the current-gen model. The current-gen model, known as the iPhone SE 2020, was announced in mid-2020 and brought back the iPhone 8's compact design from dead. It got the iPhone 13's 7nm A13 chip but retained rest of the specs.

Back in 2020, the iPhone SE was a compact powerhouse. However, critics and buyers (including myself) complained about its battery life; the phone can barely last a day on a single charge. However, for its current price of ₹30,000, the iPhone SE offers some high-end features like IP67 water and dust resistance, wireless charging, and access to the latest iOS updates.

Rumours had also suggested at the possibility of Apple reviving the old iPhone XR as the next-gen iPhone SE. However, that seems highly unlikely given that the iPhone SE across generations has stayed a compact iPhone than the mainstream models.

The report also mentions the obvious launch of the four mainstream models later in the year, expected to be called the iPhone 14 series. What remains to be seen is whether Apple ditches the iPhone Mini variant from next year's lineup. Apple analysts and tipsters have reported poor sales of the iPhone 12 Mini and Apple's plans to discontinue the compact 5.4-inch model after the iPhone 13 generation.