If the latest speculation is to be trusted, we're still three months and one day away from Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 13 family announcement. Of course, that's not stopping one of the world's most reliable sources of "iRumors" from already revealing some of the key selling points of next year's iPhone 14 series and third-gen iPhone SE.
Despite Ming-Chi Kuo's excellent record when dealing with this type of information, everything we're about to tell you needs to be treated with the utmost caution and even a healthy dose of skepticism.
"Some" iPhone 14 models "may" revive Touch ID
Before sinking our teeth into the first of Kuo's two new predictions, we should probably point out that the analyst doesn't refer to Apple's late 2022 handsets as the iPhone 14 roster... just yet.
Instead, MacRumors simply reports that the current expectation is for the Cupertino-based tech giant to integrate under-display fingerprint recognition technology into "some" 2022 iPhone models.
In-display fingerprint recognition has been a thing on Android phones for a very long time
For all we know right now, that could include next year's iPhone SE upgrade, but as we'll detail below, that feels highly unlikely... to say the least. Interestingly, Apple is still expected to release a grand total of four iPhone 13 sequels in the fall of 2022, even though a mini-branded version is almost certainly not happening.
A 6.1-inch screen could be the new "mini" starting next year, while the 6.7-inch size will no longer equal ultra-high-end specifications.
That's because the iPhone 14 family should include two "compact" 6.1-inch members and two jumbo-sized 6.7-inch models, which most likely means the state-of-the-art screen-embedded Touch ID fingerprint sensors will be reserved for the two Pro variants.
The iPhone 12 mini hasn't exactly been a smash hit
Obviously, that's not etched in stone yet, and depending on things like production yields and component costs, Apple could still decide to expand the feature to a third model or further restrict it to just one.
For the time being, though, the smart money is on the company launching a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max with in-display fingerprint authentication. The same handsets could make the jump to a 48MP wide-angle lens, unlike the non-Pro 6.1 and 6.7-inch models, the latter of which is expected to "cost less than $900."
That may not sound incredibly affordable, but compared to the $1,100 and up iPhone 12 Pro Max, this iPhone 14 Max variant (not a confirmed name, of course) clearly needs to cut some corners, hence the expected missing Touch ID sensor.
Who's ready for the "cheapest 5G iPhone ever"?
In case you haven't realized, the spring 2020-released iPhone SE has yet to receive a sequel. This is unlikely to happen by "the first half of 2022", according to Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), but Apple plans to make this long wait worth it by equipping the next version with, drumroll please, 5G speeds.
Groundbreaking stuff, eh? All irony aside, it's definitely encouraging to hear the third-gen iPhone SE will be purportedly marketed as the "cheapest 5G iPhone ever", although that obviously doesn't necessarily mean Apple intends to match (let alone undercut) the best budget 5G phones available right now.
iPhone SE (2020)
All that the iPhone SE (2022) needs is to be cheaper than the $699 and up iPhone 12 mini 5G, and alas, in order to meet that goal, Apple reportedly wants to keep the second-gen iPhone SE design largely unchanged.
That means you can kiss both your bezelless and notchless dreams goodbye (at least on a tight budget), although on the bright side, we're pretty sure Apple will bring the aforementioned $699 price point down a notch... or ten when rehashing a five year-old design.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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