Apple will launch the iPhone SE 2, a more affordable phone, early next year, with the starting price at only $399, longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities predicted.
In a report released on Sunday, Kuo said the iPhone SE 2 will have an A13 CPU, 3GB of RAM and 64/128GB of storage — all of which is quite good for an entry-level phone, given that it's the same as on Apple's latest iPhone 11.
The iPhone SE 2 also won't have 3D touch, which is hardly surprising given that Apple's new iPhone 11 doesn't have it, either, according to Kuo.
The original iPhone SE was discontinued in September last year, leaving people who prefer such compact, 4-inch form factor and affordable price with no other choices.
The new iPhone SE 2 likely won't be that small — Kuo claims it'll be similar to the iPhone 8, which has a 4.7-inch screen — but it should be a decent upgrade for people who still use, say, an iPhone 6 or 6S.
Kuo predicted the SE 2 will launch for $399. Considering the original iPhone SE launched in 2016 for $399, the starting price Kuo predicted would make sense.
As cnTechPost mentioned 10 days ago, in his previous report Kuo predicted Apple will launch the iPhone SE 2 in the first quarter of 2020.
Ming-Chi Kuo says iPhone SE 2 will come at lower price in 2020
He said at the time the price will be lower than before, making it much more attractive to consumers, without elabrating. Its shipment in 2020 will be around 30-40 million, the report added.
Kuo predicted there will be around 100 million iPhone 6 users who will be potential buyer for the iPhone SE 2, as the iOS 13 is unavailable for the iPhone 6.
Kuo is an analyst at TF International Securities, a financial services group in the Asia-Pacific region. He gathers intelligence from his contacts in Apple's Asian supply chain, translating the information he gleans into research notes for clients.
His research notes often provide a solid look at Apple's future plans and while he is not always correct, his predictions on future Apple products are accurate enough to make him one of the most reliable sources for Apple rumors. Kuo previously worked for KGI Securities, Concord Securities, and DigiTimes.