iPhone SE 2018 Release Date & Rumours

​Is Apple going to launch a successor to the very popular iPhone SE later this year. Will this year's Apple iPhone event (expected in mid September) be a blockbuster where they announce four different devices?

A successor to the iPhone SE has been expected for sometime now but hasn't materialised, WWDC has been and gone without an announcement, as have iPad events and there's been no sign. However, it sounds as if a launch may now be imminent.

Now, this was from back in April, and we haven't seen it launch yet, but there do seem to be sufficient clues indicating something is coming. (Whether it really was in mass production back in April, that I think may not have bee true).

Specs

Rimours suggest a glass back with an A10 chip (not the A11 in the iPhone X and iPhone 8 - remember - Apple need to keep costs down).

There's also speculation that there'll be wireless charging on-board.

Will there be a notch? Yes if you believe an apparent CAD render from a case manufacturer, no, if you beleive the render above. On balance we think this will be notch-less. Keeping the screen notch-less keeps manufacturing costs down and differentiates between the higher spec models (particularly if the successors to the iPhone 8 come with notches).

The apparent video leak

Personally, we don't believe this one at all. It looks like a slightly disguised iPhone X in a case. If Apple are aiming to do something at the lower cost end of the market, we can't see them including FaceID (keep that exclusive at the higher end) or a minimal design such as that on the iPhone X.

We expect a pared back design, lower powered chips and none of the higher end features on the iPhone X - otherwise their costs are going to rise and the whole SE range becomes pointless. We also expect them to maintain a smaller 4" screen size - another key factor as to why some people love the SE, not everyone wants a 5-6" phone.

Headphone Jack

Will the new iPhone SE have a headphone jack? On the one hand Apple are certainly moving away from the headphone jack in their quest to make their devices ever smaller and thinner, however given the iPhone SE is Apple's value option, they aren't going to be under the same pressure to achieve iPhone X levels of thinness. Additionally, pricing the device low but expecting consumers to replace wired headphones with wireless or headphone adaptors may put potential purchasers off. On balance, we expect the iPhone SE to be Apple's final headphone jack holdout - at least this time.

Pricing

Right now, you can grab the iPhone SE in the UK for around £249 (Carphone Warehouse). There is no way a new Apple device will launch at this price so expect around the £399 mark for the new one if and when it's released.

Expect pricing when it is released to be pretty keen - the iPhone X didn't sell as well as either Apple or the networks expected - it really is a pretty aspirational devices at an extremely aspirational price point. The iPhone 8s weren't so different from the models they replaced. Expect the iPhone SE to really address that end of the market - those who want an Apple device but don't want to pay too much for it.

Whether you'll also need to add on wireless charging accessories, dongles and other Apple extras is anyone's guess.