The heavily rumored iPhone SE 2 could be nearing its release, that is if a new filing at a European regulatory agency is any indication.
The Eurasian Economic Commission has an Apple filing for 11 new iPhone models, which are expected to make their debut soon. One of these models is anticipated to be the iPhone SE 2, replacing the 2-year-old iPhone SE as the new low-cost option in Apple's smartphone lineup.
French blog Consomac is the first to report on this matter, hinting at a release in the near future. It's odd to see as many as 11 new model numbers, none of which has been used before for any existing Apple devices. They may be just slight variations of upcoming devices for different regions, but it remains unclear for now.
New iPhones At EEC
For those unfamiliar with the matter, the EEC is in charge of authorizing devices for Russia, Armenia, and other countries. Apple's filing with the EEC doesn't mention any specific model names, just numbers, but the EEC gave the green light for several iPhones to hit the market.
The EEC has a strong track record when it comes to providing accurate model information about Apple's upcoming devices, and it usually makes the filings public a few days or weeks before the products' release.
The same French blog found EEC regulatory filings for two iPad models back in February, ahead of the March release of Apple's sixth-generation iPad models. The timing of the latest filing indicates that an iPhone SE 2 could make its debut soon enough, and a spring unveiling would make sense.
iPhone SE 2 Coming Soon?
Apple launched its original iPhone SE on March 21, 2016, and hasn't released a refreshed model since. An upgrade seems long overdue, and rumors of an iPhone SE 2 have been making rounds for a good while now.
The original iPhone SE also made its debut on its own, in the spring, not alongside other iPhones revealed in the fall. If the company wants to follow a two-year upgrade cycle, and keep the lower-end model separate from higher-end releases, an imminent announcement seems likely.
iPhone SE 2 Rumors
Previous rumors indicated that the iPhone SE 2 would start shipping sometime in the first half of this year and come as a Made in India product manufactured by Wistron.
Rumors also hinted at an A10 chip and a number of other improvements, including a glass back like the iPhone X and the iPhone 8, to favor wireless charging.
Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, said back in January that Apple would not have the resources to come up with a new model now. The analyst added that if the company did release a new iPhone SE model this year, it would only be an iterative upgrade with minor improvements, not major enhancements such as wireless charging or 3D sensing. Nevertheless, a faster processor should still be in the cards, and it should be notably cheaper than Apple's higher-end iPhone models.
The existing iPhone SE is currently available at $349 or $449 in 64 GB and 128 GB configurations, respectively, and the iPhone SE 2 should come along the same lines, replacing the original model.
