iPhone SE 2021 does not have a release date yet, but it may launch alongside the anticipated iPhone 13 in the second half of 2021.
iPhone SE (2020) comes with iPhone 11’s A13 Bionic processor
iPhone SE 2021 (not the official name) will not be launched in the first half of next year as was expected by the industry, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared. The highly popular iPhone SE (2020) that brought great performance at a relatively budget-friendly price had fans looking forward to a 2021 model. However, an alleged report by Kuo states that there may not be a new iPhone SE in the first half of 2021. The report states that there is stiff competition between four Apple suppliers for the anticipated iPhone 13's cameras that might hinder the production of a new iPhone SE.
According to a report by MyFixGuide citing Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, there will not be an iPhone SE in the first half of 2021. iPhone SE (2020) was released in April this year with internal hardware of the iPhone 11 in the body of an iPhone 8, with a few differences. It is the cheapest iPhone model available and became quite popular among the masses upon launch. Fans who were expecting a 2021 version of the iPhone SE in the first half of next year may have to wait longer.
The report states that Kuo believes the market underestimates the impact of the competition being faced by Taiwan's Genius Electronic Optical (GSEO), a company that provides camera hardware to Apple. There seems to be three other players – Largan Precision, Semco (Samsung Electro-mechanics), and a new firm named Sunny Optical. It is believed that due to this competition, Apple's production plans for the iPhone SE 2021 model will be hindered.
The report further adds that GSEO might lose orders for the ultra-wide-angle lens in the yet-unannounced iPhone 13 due to the competition. It is being estimated that while GSEO fulfilled 50 percent orders of the ultra-wide lens for iPhone 12, that number may come down to 30 percent for iPhone 13.
As of now, Apple has not shared any information on iPhone SE 2021 or iPhone 13.
Are iPhone 12 mini, HomePod mini the Perfect Apple Devices for India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.