Reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has cast new doubt on the potential launch of an iPhone SE 2 with wireless charging or any other notable new features. In an interesting rebuttal to recent rumors, KGI questions the authenticity of recent claims for a few reasons.
Kuo specifically dismisses the likelihood that an iPhone SE 2 would feature any form factor change, 3D sensing features, or even wireless charging.
A one-off rumor at the beginning of the month claimed the updated iPhone SE would shift to a glass back (like iPhone 8 and iPhone X) and would similarly support Qi charging.
iPhone SE 2 rumors first started surfacing last summer when a report claimed a new model would come this year with an A10 chip — upgraded from A9 — roughly two years after the original model launched.
A second report surfaced out of the supply chain a few months later, suggesting the new iPhone SE would be made by Wistron in India and sold globally. That same report suggested a release in the first quarter of 2018 was expected.
More recently, Digitimes mentioned in a report largely about Apple’s iPhone X update plans that the rumored iPhone SE 2 would likely see a May or June release.
KGI believes Apple’s resources dedicated to the complicated iPhone X development and release make an iPhone SE 2 less likely. KGI also sees features like wireless charging as high end for now and not appropriate for the budget-friendly smartphone.
The firm does concede that an iPhone SE 2 could still come despite not being on their radar. KGI suggests a new iPhone SE with cheaper components or a slightly upgraded processor to run iOS 12 more smoothly could be in the cards for the second half of this year based purely on speculation.
While KGI Securities is down on iPhone SE 2 rumors, the firm does predict quite an interesting fall lineup of flagship upgrades including a new 5.8-inch OLED model, a 6.1-inch LCD model with Face ID, and an even bigger 6.5-inch OLED model.
The firm predicts the $700-$800 priced 6.1-inch LCD model with the new all-screen design could hit a sweet spot for potential upgraders not tempted by the $1000 and up iPhone X, although it may not feature 3D Touch and Portrait mode photography from the rear camera.
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