Apple iPhone SE 3 enters production; Cheapest 5G iPhone to hit the market "mid to late" March

The iPhone SE 3 may be just a few weeks away! According to the latest leak, the iPhone SE 3 has only entered production in China and is said to hit the market "mid to late" March. No other information about the iPhone SE 3 has been leaked yet, but it is said to bring the same Apple A15 chipset as the iPhone 13 generation. It is also said that this will offer 5G connectivity, which is an evolution of the 4G-only iPhone SE which is currently available on the market.

Foxconn in China is said to have started the production of the iPhone SE 3, hiring dedicated staff for the same. Industry insiders suggest that the 5G-enabled iPhone SE could eat up the share of affordable 5G Android phones. That said, previous rumors have long suggested that the iPhone SE 3 will be essentially the similar iPhone SE that launched in 2022, except for the internal chipset. This will be the first time Apple's new iPhone SE hasn't come with a new design.

iPhone SE 3 enters production

While some rumors suggest that the iPhone SE 3 will be called the iPhone SE 5G, others hint that the phone carries the iPhone SE Plus. Apple did not comment on the iPhone SE 3 and its expected release date. However, leaks suggest a March 8 launch event that could see the launch of the iPhone SE 3, a new iPad Air, and a new MacBook Pro powered by Apple's M2 chip.

The iPhone SE 3 may retain the same 4.7-inch LCD screen complete with its thick retro bezels and a home button that houses the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. The front camera is also said to be the same 7MP unit, while the rear camera is expected to feature a 12MP sensor. No change from the 2020 model.

What we need to see is will Apple upgrades the battery capacity in the iPhone SE. The current generation 2020 iPhone SE with A13 chip only 4G barely manages to get through an entire day with moderate use. With a more powerful chip and a battery-draining 5G network, the iPhone SE 5G could have endurance issues.

However, the leaks also suggest that Apple is planning an all-new iPhone SE for 2023/2024. This one is expected to have a 5.7-inch screen and is said to be based on the discontinued iPhone XR. Some are also suggesting that it could be based on the iPhone 13 Mini, which is said to be discontinued from the iPhone 14 generation.