Apple will reportedly have a cheaper iPhone that looks like the 8 next year

The iPhone SE 2 appears to be happening, but it won't look like the iPhone 5.

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Eli Blumenthal

Oct. 3, 2019 9:24 a.m. PT

2 min read

The iPhone SE, left, next to the iPhone 8.
César Salza/CNET

Update, April 22: Read our iPhone SE 2020 review. Original story follows.

Those looking for a better, cheaper iPhone may find what they're looking for early next year. According to a new report from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities, the iPhone-maker is indeed prepping a new phone for the "first quarter of 2020."

Kuo's latest report, shared by 9to5Mac, claims that the phone will resemble the iPhone 8 but have an A13 processor similar to the iPhone 11 series and 3GB of RAM. It will keep the home button and Touch ID fingerprint sensor, with the phone targeted at iPhone 6 users who want the latest iOS 13 features but don't want to spend a fortune to upgrade.

Apple's latest software, which came out last month, requires an iPhone 6S or later. Apple currently sells the iPhone 8 starting at $449, but could presumably price this SE-like successor even lower. The first iPhone SE , which came out in 2016 and featured many of the same internal specs as the then top-of-the-line iPhone 6S, was initially priced at $399.

As the report notes, the new SE could be a possible way for Apple to appeal to those who want iOS 13 features and services like augmented reality and Apple Arcade, neither of which will work on the iPhone 6.

It's unclear if the next iPhone SE will keep the iPhone 8's 4.7-inch display. The original SE, with its 4-inch display, found a strong following from Apple users looking for a smaller iPhone.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.