In brief: Apple will host its spring 2020 product showcase on March 8. Analysts including Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities expect Apple to announce a new version of its iPhone SE during the event that ups the ante in the entry-level iPhone segment.
In a recent post on Twitter, Kuo said he expects the new iPhone SE to enter mass production this month. The handset will feature a form factor similar to the current iPhone SE, Kuo added, and be offered in your choice of white, black or red colorways.
The current-gen iPhone SE utilizes large top and bottom bezels, and still features a Home button with Touch ID support. Imagine an iPhone 8, but with modern internals.
Some predictions for the coming new iPhone SE:
--- 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 4, 2022
1. Mass production in Mar'22.
2. Estimated shipments of 25-30 mn units in 2022.
3. Storage: 64/128/256GB.
4. A15 & 5G support (mmW & Sub-6 GHz).
5. Casing: white, black, and red.
6. Similar form factor design to current SE.
The analyst further noted that models will be sold with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage, and all variants will be powered by Apple's A15 Bionic SoC and support 5G connectivity (both mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands) .
Apple's second-gen iPhone SE starts at $399 with 64GB of storage. If we had to guess, the new model will likely land in the same ballpark.
As for the tweet itself, it's a bit unusual considering it is the first from the account since it was created in 2011. There is no verified badge, but Kuo has since confirmed to multiple publications that he is indeed the owner of the account and the author of the tweet in question.
Apple's media event is scheduled for March 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific and will be available to stream live via Apple's website or through the Apple TV app.