iPhone 9 is coming (and you'll love the price) - National Interest Online

Between an impressive presentation by Samsung during the Unpacked Event this year and the persistent problems in the corona- related supply chain in China, Apple released a couple of weeks of difficult to approach a busy launch season. Apple's full plans for 2020 are yet to be announced, but a steady stream of leaks from industry experts familiar with Apple's manufacturing process has given us a rough overview of what to expect from this year's flagship iPhone. At the same time, there is growing evidence that Apple is preparing to launch a successor to the popular iPhone SE and may arrive earlier than you might think.

We know that from the rumor "iPhone SE 2".

The original iPhone SE was launched in 2016 and received positive reviews and good sales . The SE project was led by a clear design concept: take advantage of the agile performance and battery life that made the iPhone 5S a bestseller, including a 4-inch screen format and cut the price down to $ 399. In fact, the SE's affordable combination of performance and autonomy has proven so convincing that it remains one of the best compact smartphones on the market, especially at the booth with a big discount of $ 130 to $ 200 per person major retailer still sell.

It's only natural that Apple is trying to capitalize on the SE's success, and Apple's respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that a new compact model is planned for the first quarter of 2020. There has been overwhelming evidence of a release in March 2020, but it remains to be seen how exactly Apple's plans will be affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

First, the new phone is unlikely to be called "SE 2". According to an "informed source" who spoke to the Mac Otakara blog, a nickname for "iPhone 9" is more likely. It is generally believed that the screen size increases to 4.7 to 4.9 inches, while thanks to the reduced glasses, a very compact form factor is maintained. Other very likely specifications are the same A13 chip as on the iPhone 11, which guarantees smooth performance like silk for years.

There will be a few cuts in the corners to keep this phone on Apple's $ 399 MSRP. The iPhone SE2 / iPhone 9 will likely be equipped with 3 GB of RAM, which is a significant reduction compared to the 4 GB of the iPhone 11 series. 3 GB can be a misery for Android, but it's still perfectly powerful Apple's highly efficient iOS 13 software with no performance issues. In addition, the face recognition system "Face ID" of the latest flagship models from Apple is likely to be replaced by the old fingerprint sensor "Touch ID", which is integrated into a physical start button. After all, the next rear-view camera with a lens on a compact phone is probably far below the current configuration with two cameras of the iPhone 11 with ultra-wide-angle and night mode.

There are two things to keep in mind with these commitments: First, they look pretty cute given all the other features the iPhone SE2 / iPhone 9 offers at a very competitive price. Second, they talk about what could become a realignment of Apple's sales strategy in the coming years. While the Samsung Galaxy range of prices continues to increase, especially in the transition from the S10 to the 2019 series to the 2020 series to the S20, the publications of investment and technology see an opportunity for Apple itself to be the best option to renew the value of the middle and higher levels supports the smartphone market.

Mark Episkopos often contributes to national interest and is a research assistant at the Center for National Interest. Mark is also a graduate student in history at American University.

Picture: The iPhone SE will be exhibited at an event at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California on March 21, 2016. REUTERS / Stephen Lam.