The so-called iPhone SE 2 is set to get an improved antenna

By Oliver Haslam
published

Mario Kart Tour on iPhone 8
Mario Kart Tour on iPhone 8 (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • A replacement for iPhone SE is expected early next year.
  • Analyst Kuo says it will include a new and improved antenna design.
  • Mass production will begin in early 2020.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has become the go-to source for news on iPhone SE 2. And while we're still not sure that's what it will end up being called there seems to be little doubt it's going to arrive. Now Kuo says it'll have a fancy new antenna when it does.

In a new note picked up by MacRumors Kuo says that two companies will begin supplying new antenna components in early 2020. That would allow the phone to be released before the end of the first quarter of the same year.

The antenna will be a new design that's said to improve wireless transition. The liquid crystal polymer antenna (LCP) will be provided by Career Technologies and Murata Manufacturing, according to the report.

Kuo has been beating the iPhone SE 2 drum for weeks. At this point we're fairly confident that the phone will look like an iPhone 8, complete with Touch ID. But it will gain the same Apple A13 chip that powers iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. 64GB and 128GB storage options are anticipated, with Space Gray, Silver, and Red being the three color options.

Kuo has previously suggested a $399 starting price for the new iPhone. Whatever it ends up being called, it's likely to be competing with Google's Pixel 3a and, presumably, Pixel 4a at some point.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

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.

2 Comments
  • If that means 4x4 mimo then great. I like my XR buts it’s reception in NYC’s subways is horrible compared to my old LG v30
  • Not sure the 4x4 MIMO would make much of a difference if it’s the same as the iPhone XS. The antenna design on the iPhone XS isn’t great. The reception on my iPhone XS is garbage compared to older iPhones and my Pixel 2 or Nexus 6P. It seems Apple has just had horrible antenna designs lately.