Well-respected Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple plans to released a lower-priced iPhone 8-like “iPhone SE 2” during the first quarter of 2020.
In a research note from TF International Securities (via MacRumors), Kuo said the new handset will be similar in form factor and specs to the iPhone 8. He says the new device will boast an A13 chip and 3GB of RAM:
We forecast that Apple will launch the more affordable iPhone SE2 in 1Q20. For the most part, the form factor design and hardware spec are similar to iPhone 8’s. The most significant hardware spec upgrade will be the adoption of the A13 processor and 3GB LPDDR4X. iPhone SE2 will likely increase iPhone’s market share and benefit Apple’s promotions for service and content. We expect that the iPhone SE2 shipment will reach 30–40mn units in 2020.
Kuo sees the new handset as being the “key growth driver” for Apple in 2020, as it will be the “best upgrade choice” for an estimated 100 million remaining iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users. He sees those users as having a low interest in such features as Face ID and multiple camera lenses.
Kuo’s prediction jibes with previous reports – including a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Debby Wu – that claimed Apple is planning to release a new iPhone 8-like low cost device next year. The reports claimed the new device would have a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID button.