Barclays analyst Tom O’Malley and his colleagues lately traveled to Asia to satisfy with varied electronics producers and suppliers. In a analysis notice this week, outlining key takeaways from the journey, the analysts mentioned they’ve “confirmed” {that a} fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch in direction of the top of the primary quarter subsequent yr. Consistent with earlier rumors, that timeframe suggests the brand new iPhone SE will likely be introduced in March, similar to the present mannequin was in 2022.
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is predicted to have an analogous design as the bottom iPhone 14, with rumored options together with a 6.1-inch OLED show, Face ID, a more moderen A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear digital camera, 8GB of RAM to allow Apple Intelligence help, and the previously-mentioned Apple-designed 5G modem.
Apple is rumored to have been working by itself 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, a transfer that can enable it to scale back and finally get rid of its dependance on Qualcomm. Earlier this yr, Apple prolonged its 5G modem provide settlement with Qualcomm for iPhone launches by means of 2026, so Apple nonetheless has loads of time to finish the transition to its in-house modem. Together with the fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo beforehand mentioned the so-called “iPhone 17 Air” can have an Apple-designed 5G modem.
It’s unclear if Apple’s first 5G modem would unlock any shopper advantages in comparison with Qualcomm’s modems, comparable to quicker speeds.
In 2017, Apple sued Qualcomm over anticompetitive practices and $1 billion in unpaid royalty rebates. The 2 corporations settled the lawsuit in 2019, and Apple acquired nearly all of Intel’s smartphone modem enterprise that very same yr. That buy supplied Apple with a portfolio of cellular-related patents to bolster its growth. In one other 4 months from now, it looks as if we are going to lastly see the fruit of this labor.
Apple introduced the third-generation iPhone SE throughout a web-based occasion on March 8, 2022. The machine seems much like the iPhone 8, with outdated options comparable to a Contact ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels across the show. Within the U.S., the iPhone SE presently begins at $429, however the brand new mannequin would possibly see not less than a slight worth enhance.
