iPhone SE 2 release date, price news: Second-gen launching June 2018 with no Face ID

The iPhone SE in different color variants, to be succeeded by the rumored iPhone SE 2.Apple website

Apple might launch the successor to its size- and budget-friendly iPhone SE this June. The latest rumor posits that the iPhone SE 2 will debut during the tech giant's Worldwide Developer's Conference 2018, rocking a fresh set of specifications.

The claim comes from Chinese publication QQ which expects a bigger 4.2-inch second-generation model to retain the Touch ID and the physical Home button, as opposed to adopting the newest biometric authentication tech called Face ID. Apple will likely use an A10 processor as well, coupling it with a 2-gigabyte RAM and 32 GB or 128 GB storage. There is no mention of wireless charging, although earlier reports suggested that the phone would have a glass back support such technology.

iPhone SE 2's release is a possibility but patrons should not get their hopes up yet. Not only does the source have zero track record in accurately predicting Apple's plans, reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also said before that an updated iPhone SE in 2018 is unlikely as most resources of the company are currently dedicated to the development of the complicated iPhone X. There are no reports in the supply chain about such a device as well, suggesting there is either no iPhone SE 2 or it will not have any major design changes.

So far, there are only three iPhones expected to hit the shelves this year: a 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch OLED models and a 6.1-inch LCD variant. The first is reportedly considered as the "iPhone X Plus," taking the general size of a Plus-sized iPhone while the second one will roughly be similar in size to the current iPhone X. For comparison, the current iPhone 8 boasts a 4.7-inch screen, the iPhone 8 Plus is 5.5 inches, and the premium iPhone X has a 5.8-inch screen.

While the iPhone SE 2's appearance at WWDC 2O18 is uncertain, patrons can expect updates for iOS, watchOS, macOS, and tvOS. The event does not have a specific date yet but it will likely be held from June 4 to June 8 at San Jose Convention Center in California.