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Apple's iPhone 9 is coming soon as '2020 iPhone SE' in red, white, black

Updated: Apr 03, 2020, 2:51 AM

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Apple's iPhone 9 is coming soon as '2020 iPhone SE' in red, white, black

UPDATE 2: Apple has announced the iPhone SE 2020 (aka iPhone 9). You can find all the details in our official iPhone SE 2020 news story.

UPDATE: Apple has listed a Belkin InvisiGlass Ultra screen protector as compatible with "iPhone SE / 8 / 7," adding more water to the iPhone SE (2020) naming scheme rumor mill. Original story below.

The iPhone SE name is back in Apple's accessory pages

The iPhone 9 announcement will finally put an end to months of conflicting reports and rumors. It's expected to take place in the near future but ahead of that 9To5Mac has obtained further information.

It won't be called the iPhone 9 or iPhone SE2

Apple’s upcoming smartphone has been referred to countless times as the ‘iPhone 9’ in recent months. Before that, many called it the ‘iPhone SE2,’ but new details shared by a highly trusted reader of 9To5Mac suggest both could be wrong.

The Tim Cook-led company is reportedly planning to market the new device as the ‘2020 iPhone SE’ when it hits shelves later this month. That means Apple will be positioning it as a direct successor to the original model.

Regardless of whether you think the new phone is worthy of carrying the iPhone SE name or not, Apple’s rumored branding strategy actually makes perfect sense from a marketing perspective.

The latest iPhone model is marketed as iPhone 11 and that number quickly shows customers it's newer than the iPhone XS/XR, iPhone X, and iPhone 8. But if Apple were to market its new device as the iPhone 9, some customers could be led to believe that it’s two generations older.

Greenlighting the iPhone SE2 name, on the other hand, doesn’t make much sense long-term. The reason being that numbers eventually make branding more confusing, and if Apple has no plans to update this particular hardware on a yearly basis, there is no need to add one.

Such a strategy has been successfully implemented by Apple on the iPad series in recent years. The extensive tablet lineup now receives refreshes around every 18-24 months.

Three colors, five cases, and a 256GB version

The same reputable source claims the 2020 iPhone SE will be made available in three colors at launch – White, Black, and PRODUCT (Red). These options look set to be paired with at least five official cases including Black and White Silicone cases, and a Leather version in Red, Black, and Midnight Blue.

Customers will have even more choice when it comes to choosing the storage variant. The 2020 iPhone SE is reportedly being planned in a 64GB variant, although like the iPhone 11, pricier variants with 128GB and 256GB of storage are said to be on the way.

9To5Mac unfortunately couldn’t corroborate the official 2020 iPhone SE pricing, yet countless reports have mentioned at $399 starting price in the United States. If true, that would make it $50 cheaper than the iPhone 8 it replaces.

2020 iPhone SE announcement and release date

Regarding the new iPhone SE announcement date, this is actually where things get confusing. Apple was originally planning to unveil the device at a March 31 event but was forced to shelve the plans over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 iPhone SE was then delayed until June before Apple made a U-turn and rescheduled a launch in April. Tipster Jon Prosser says the announcement will happen on April 15 and shipments should begin April 22.

9To5Mac, on the other hand, can’t corroborate this information. It says Apple is ready to start accepting orders very soon and suggests an announcement could even happen tomorrow, April 3, although that isn’t confirmed.

On a related note, there’s word Apple’s preparing a Plus-branded variant of the new iPhone SE. Unfortunately, Jon Prosser says mass production hasn’t finished, which means there is a chance it won’t be unveiled until a later date.