For a product widely expected to go official in a couple of months or so, the third-gen iPhone SE is certainly shrouded in an unusual amount of secrecy. While Apple's next-gen budget-friendly handset has been in the news for a really long time, its final design continues to puzzle even some of the industry's most prolific tipsters, which might keep us guessing until the very last minute.
Of course, some analysts and leakers are more trustworthy than others, so when Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the first-ever iPhone SE with 5G support will look pretty much the same as its 4G LTE-only predecessor from 2020, it's difficult to maintain our hopes for an iPhone XR or iPhone 11-style redesign.
But that's where David Kowalski, also known by his @xleaks7 Twitter handle, comes in, rendering in collaboration with a website called TenTechReview the iPhone SE (2022) of our dreams. Just check that bad boy out!
How credible are these images?
In short, not very credible. TenTechReview's report highlights that the notch "isn't still 100% confirmed", according to Kowalski's unnamed source on the inside, which probably means the "modern" design depicted here is in fact around 10 to 15 percent "confirmed" at best.
If that seems like an exaggeration on our part, you must not remember what this same exact source predicted for the sixth-gen iPad mini a year ago and how far from the commercial truth those particular renders proved.
We want to believe!
Once again, Xleaks7 is taking an optimistic approach to a somewhat conflicting series of rumors around an unreleased Apple device, making it hard for us to believe the outcome will be any different from the iPad mini 6. In all fairness, Kowalski has been proven right about a few other things in the past too, so although small, there is a chance his iPhone SE 3 intel will pan out in the end.
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If that happens, what we're looking at here is essentially a cross between the iPhone SE (2020) and 2018's iPhone XR rather than a carbon copy of the latter or an iPhone 11 clone. We're talking single rear-facing camera, no Touch ID button, no massive chin, and a "classic" wide notch to replace the outdated "forehead" and possibly bring Face ID technology to the table.
iPhone SE 5G specs, features, and pricing expectations
Still assuming today's leak is 100 percent accurate, the third-gen iPhone SE could squeeze a reasonably large 5.7-inch or so screen into the exact overall body of its 4.7-inch forerunner measuring 138.4mm in height, 67.3mm in width, and 7.3mm in depth (camera bump not taken into account).
That certainly seems doable... if Apple will indeed go with a notch and no fingerprint sensor on this spring's iPhone SE, which remains a big "if." Such a major redesign and the aforementioned integration of facial recognition technology could well add to a base price previously rumored to stay at the same $400 level as a couple of years back.
The second-gen iPhone SE is still great on the inside, really bad on the outside.
While this dreamy but sketchy new report stops short of tackling other iPhone SE 3 puzzle pieces, Apple's focus on 5G speeds and A14 Bionic processing power as key selling points (at either $400 or $500 and up) seems virtually etched in stone.
The same goes for an official announcement at some point in March, followed by an actual commercial release by the end of the same month or in early April, although those plans could always be impacted by global chip shortages and the incredible popularity of the iPhone 13 series, which may continue to be prioritized in terms of production over older and humbler "iDevices."
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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