iPhone SE is reportedly gaining 5G next year, hole-punch screen in 2023

Iphone Se 2020 Hero (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

Display supply chain analyst Ross Young says iPhone SE will gain 5G in 2022.
A new hole-punch screen is said to be coming to a 2023 refresh.

Apple will refresh its iPhone SE and add 5G support next year, according to a new report by display supply chain analyst Ross Young. What's more, a 2023 refresh will also bring a new hole-punch display according to the same report.

Young currently works for Display Supply Chain Consultants and has a reasonable rate of success when talking about future Apple products. With that in mind, it's worth paying attention when the analyst says we can expect a new iPhone SE in 2022, but it won't get a new screen. Bar the same 4.7-inch screen, Young says the device will at least gain 5G support for the first time.

Apple LCD iPhone leak, we now hear the next LCD iPhone SE will remain at 4.7" in 2022. Some rumors that it may have 5G with Sub-6 GHz as well. Also hearing about a 6.1" version in 2023 with punch hole rather than a notch.Apple LCD iPhone leak, we now hear the next LCD iPhone SE will remain at 4.7" in 2022. Some rumors that it may have 5G with Sub-6 GHz as well. Also hearing about a 6.1" version in 2023 with punch hole rather than a notch.— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) April 1, 2021 April 1, 2021

The same report notes that Apple will switch to a new 6.1-inch screen in 2023 with a brand new hole-punch design rather than a notch. The current iPhone SE doesn't have a notch either thanks to its use of a Home button and Touch ID. It isn't clear if this means Face ID will be an option in the future, or not. That being said, we've heard similar reports of a hole-punch design coming to a future flagship iPhone, too.

Apple's iPhone SE is currently a great budget iPhone and arguably one of the best iPhones for kids. The more it improves with features like 5G, the better. It remains to be seen whether that will see a change in price, however.

Young's report does not mention anything about the rumored iPhone SE Plus, unfortunately.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.