Apple Regulatory Filings Suggest iPhone SE 2 Could Launch Soon

Rumors of Apple releasing an iPhone SE 2 have been circulating for months now, and now more proof has surfaced online suggesting that they could be true. Regulatory filings for unnamed iPhone models have been discovered in the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) database and they could be referring to the next-generation iPhone SE.

The regulatory filings were first discovered by the French website Consomac. The filings didn’t give out specific model names, but it did show the model numbers A1920, A1921, A1984, A2097, A2098, A2099, A2101, A2103, A2014, A2015 and A2016. None of Apple’s previous iPhones carried any of these model numbers, suggesting that these are brand new devices. The devices are also listed as running iOS 11 when they start shipping. AppleInsider believes that this may just be shorthand referring to the main generational release and that these devices could run a newer version of iOS 11, possibly iOS 11.3.

Speaking of release, these devices are speculated to launch very soon. When new devices appear in the EEC database, it usually means that they are shipping as soon as the following month. 9To5Mac pointed out that the regulatory filings were published just yesterday. This means that these new iPhones might be unveiled in May or June.

Based on everything that’s available so far, it seems very likely that the models described in the filings could be referring to the iPhone SE 2. The device in the regulatory filings can’t be the iPhone 11 since that won’t be unveiled until September, which is Apple’s typical launch date for its flagship handset. There also doesn’t appear to be reliable reports about a different variant of the iPhone X. The most logical device at this point is the iPhone SE 2.

The original iPhone SE was launched back in March 2016. Releasing a successor to the handset two years later seems appropriate and Apple still doesn’t have a current-generation low-cost iPhone model. Introducing the iPhone SE 2 also seems like something that consumers would want since not everyone can afford the $999 iPhone X.

The EEC database has been a reliable source for information on Apple’s upcoming products so far. The EEC database posted filings for the new 2018 iPad about a month before it was officially announced by Apple during its “Field Trip” event last month, as pointed out by VentureBeat.

The iPhone SE 2 specs are rumored to include the A10 processor and 2GB of RAM. Its design will be similar to its predecessor, but it will have a larger 4.2-inch display. The device is also said to arrive with a glass back and will have support for Qi wireless charging, like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.