The iPhone SE is a great phone by all accounts. Not only is it powerful and compact, but at only $399, it is a bargain compared to the $799 iPhone 12.

After seeing what's inside the iPhone 12, some may be excited about the possibility of an upgraded iPhone SE next year, or even an iPhone SE Plus with a larger screen. But don't expect a release in early 2021.

The second-generation iPhone SE was released at the end of April 2020, but according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac), a new version is unlikely to arrive so soon. According to Kuo, due to the iPhone SE's strong sales and Apple's focus on the iPhone 12 series, we will not see the iPhone SE 3 until at least late 2021.

It is not a big surprise that the iPhone SE is selling so well. Aside from its low price and the fact that its small size appeals to those who dislike the current trend toward larger phones, it is also a very capable device: it has the same A13 bionic chip and neural engine chip as the iPhone 11, water resistance, TouchID, and excellent camera performance, It has a high-end glass and aluminum design.

Kuo's predictions were stated in an investor note on the prospects of Apple's supplier Genius Electronic Optical. However, Kuo is not so wrong that this does not appear to be coming to fruition.

If iPhone SE sales are strong, a new model will eventually be introduced. The first generation iPhone SE was released in March 2016, but Apple did not release the second generation until April 2020, more than four years later. In other words, there is no precedent for a one-year release cycle.

Hopefully, Apple is not going to make us wait until 2024 for the iPhone SE 3, but it is important to note that we do not know when the company will release a new iPhone SE; it may launch with the iPhone 13 a year later, or a few years later, when current SE It could be when owners really want something new.

Whatever happens, there will likely be at least a one-year gap between the SE and the successor Apple will release.