Credit: EverythingApplePro

It isn’t entirely clear what the upcoming entry-level handset will be called, but sources have taken to dubbing it the iPhone SE 2. But an “informed source” told Japanese site Mac Otakara that Apple may launch the device as the iPhone 9.

That may actually make a bit more sense than “iPhone SE 2,” since the rumored iPhone is expected to be more of a successor to the iPhone 8, with the same form factor and 4.7-inch display.

As far as the other details in Mac Otakara’s report, they pretty much back up what we already know about next year’s lower-cost iPhone.

iPhone 9 Rumors

The iPhone 9, or iPhone SE 2, is rumored to sport a 4.7-inch LCD display, bezels, an actual Home button and Touch ID. But Apple is expected to update the device with some modern upgrades, including an A13 Bionic chipset and 3GB of RAM.

It’s also rumored to retain a single-lens camera setup and, like Apple’s other recent handsets, will probably ditch 3D Touch in favor of Haptic Touch.

Rumors of a 4-inch form factor refresh have swirled the blogosphere for some years now, but it now looks like Apple has given up on that specific footprint in favor of refreshing its 4.7-inch line. That will likely result in some fans being disappointed by the lack of a smaller option.

iPhone 9 Price and Release Date

While the handset may not look like an iPhone SE, it will be priced similarly. According to the most recent report, the lower-cost handset could start as low as $399 for the 64GB model.

Reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has indicated that the device will come in Space Gray, Silver and Red and is slated to launch by the end of the first quarter of 2020.

Apple unveiled the original iPhone SE at a keynote in March 2016 and updated the storage size options the following March. Because of that, an unveiling sometime in March of next year may be the most likely timeline.

In addition to the low-cost handset, Apple is also expected to launch four other iPhones in the second half of 2020.