Apple Rumored To Announce New iPhone SE In Late August Despite Previous Reports

Earlier this week, analyst Pan Jiutang predicted that Apple’s iPhone SE won’t have a sequel this year. However, a new sketchy report has surfaced claiming that Apple will launch a new iPhone SE model in late August.

The new rumor was originated by the French language blog iGeneration, which cited an anonymous source. This source claims that Apple is planning to spread out its iPhone launches by holding an event in late August for its next-generation iPhone SE.

The author of the iGeneration article, Mickaël Bazoge, says that he got the the information from a “new source,” MacRumors has learned. Bazoge also said that he was skeptical about the information given to him, but says that the new source “seems reliable.”

The report also claims that the new iPhone SE might be cheaper starting at €399 in Europe. The current iPhone SE sells for €489 in the region.

READ: Apple iPhone SE To Be Discontinued, Analyst Says​

The timeline of this new rumored iPhone SE seems pretty farfetched considering that Apple has never introduced a new iPhone model in August. Apple has almost always debuted new iPhone models during its June and September events. The only exceptions were the iPhone 4S, which was introduced in October 2011, and the original iPhone SE, which was announced in March 2016.

Back in November 2016, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that it was unlikely that Apple would release a new iPhone SE in the first half of 2017. That of course turned out to be true, but Kuo hasn’t given out a new prediction on the product yet. Kuo has often been reliable with his predictions.

This new source also contradicts the prediction of a more trusted analyst. China-based analyst Pan Jiutang said on Weibo this past Sunday that the iPhone SE might not be refreshed by Apple. “If you are nostalgic about the small screen, buy a iPhone SE or iPhone 5c now. The future Apple iPhones should not be less than 5.5 inches, and the iPhone SE will not have a newer version,” he said.

When Apple announced the iPhone SE last year, the tech giant admitted that there were still a lot of people who preferred smaller phones. The iPhone SE features a 4-inch Retina Display with a form factor and design that’s similar to the iPhone 5S. However, the SE model features hardware specs that are similar to the iPhone 6S

READ: iPhone 8 Release Date, Price: JPMorgan Says 'iPhone Pro' Will Launch On Time But Cost How Much?​

If Apple does release a next-generation iPhone SE, then it would be very likely to have specifications that are closer to the iPhone 7. The problem here is that if the new iPhone SE is nearly as powerful as the iPhone 7, it might cannibalize Apple’s other new iPhones.

The current iPhone SE is Apple’s cheapest iPhone with a starting price of just $399 for the 32GB model. A newer model with the same or possibly even cheaper price tag could endanger the marketability of Apple’s newer models. Apple is currently rumored to release three iPhone models this year: the iPhone 7S, iPhone 7S Plus and the 10th anniversary iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 is currently rumored to arrive with a $1,100 price tag.

This new rumor should be taken with a huge grain of salt since this “new source” doesn’t even have a proven track record yet. This same source also claims that the iPhone 8 will be announced in October due to rumored delays. This also contradicts JPMorgan Apple analyst Rod Hall, who recently claimed that the iPhone 8 will launch on time this September.