'iPhone SE 2' uses new flexible LCP antenna design claims Ming-Chi Kuo

Posted:
in iPhone edited December 2019
The 'iPhone SE 2' will feature an updated antenna design that should improve how the smartphone transmits data to cellular networks, TF International Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo claims, with the smartphone likely to arrive in early 2020.

The original iPhone SE
The original iPhone SE


Evolving previous information about Apple's use of Liquid Crystal Polymer from earlier in 2019, Kuo claims that a successor to the popular iPhone SE will use a the technology to replace older materials. An LCP-based antenna can, according to an IEEE abstract, provide improved gain up of up to 5.1 decibels, as well as fitting within a flexible package that could help with manufacturing the mobile device.

In the research note to investors, seen by AppleInsider, Kuo believes that existing Apple supplier Murata is lined up to provide antenna components to Apple for the "iPhone SE 2" in early 2020. Use of the existing supplier and other factors could lead to a launch of the model by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2020 -- a claim that Kuo has made before.

LCP is a low-cost organic flexible substrate and has a few unique electrical properties that make it desirable for antennae. It behaves consistently across the entire radio frequency range, it has very low loss, making it useful for mmWave (5G applications). It also has a low thermal expansion coefficient, making it stable across temperatures. These design qualities make it suitable for a broad range of applications, from RFID tags to phones.

Kuo has made multiple pronouncements on the existence of a second-generation iPhone SE throughout October, including claiming the device won't be the same size as the original and have dimensions similar to the iPhone 8. The analyst currently believes the "iPhone SE 2" will have an A13 processor with 3 gigabytes of memory, will ship in 64GB and 128GB capacities, and will be priced from $399.

The "iPhone SE 2" will also be a "key growth driver" for Apple in 2020, with shipments of between 2 million and 4 million units per month anticipated, with 30 million sold by the end of 2020.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,948member
    would be lame to change ff. such a great design. or make it more like 4/4s that way you have the advantage of glass back. jimp 🥴
    twhitefordbaconstang
  • Reply 2 of 24
    jce10jce10 Posts: 36member
    If I wanted iPhone 8 dimensions, I would've bought an iPhone 8 long ago.

    Really wish Apple would stop associating price tiers with form factor size.

    This coming from someone who bought the most expensive SE model after they popped up as "new" clearance items earlier this year.
    twhitefordbaconstangmacguirune66GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 3 of 24
    I used an iPhone 7 for a month and went back to my SE.
    I broke my SE and used an 8 for about a month and bought another SE.
    The size is perfect for me. I have an iPad and MacBook at home.
    GeorgeBMaccornchip
  • Reply 4 of 24
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    baconstangrune66GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 5 of 24
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    jce10 said:
    If I wanted iPhone 8 dimensions, I would've bought an iPhone 8 long ago.

    Really wish Apple would stop associating price tiers with form factor size.

    This coming from someone who bought the most expensive SE model after they popped up as "new" clearance items earlier this year.
    Right?! I want a 16" MBP for 11" MBA prices.
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 6 of 24
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    Markets like India are my first guess.
    Chidoro
  • Reply 7 of 24
    I just fired up my 'back up' SE.  I've been leaving the old one on iOS 10 because there are apps I need for work that are 32 bit and there are no replacements.  Now that phone is WiFi only.
    The 'new' one I bought last year (for $160) is now my phone with cell service.  I kind of like having 2 devices.  The WiFi one doesn't get disrupted if I get a call.

    If Apple would release a premium phone of the same dimensions, I'd jump on it.  I like my portables small (SE and MBA 11") and the non-portables not-so-small (iMac 27" + second 4K monitor).

    twhiteford
  • Reply 8 of 24
    are they meaning a 6s as opposed to an 8?
  • Reply 9 of 24
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,357member
    jce10 said:
    If I wanted iPhone 8 dimensions, I would've bought an iPhone 8 long ago.

    Really wish Apple would stop associating price tiers with form factor size.

    This coming from someone who bought the most expensive SE model after they popped up as "new" clearance items earlier this year.
    #MeTooSE2  :D  I'm happy with my SE and an incremental upgrade would make me very happy. I'm not asking for a flagship phone in SE2 garb. Just something contemporary that will carry it through a few more OS upgrades. I wouldn't say no to some improvement in the screen area either. Timmie can you hear me??

    Yeah, I'd pay large money for a full boat, as much as can be shoe-horned in SE2 – in SE couture. 


    are they meaning a 6s as opposed to an 8?
    As yours is the only mention here of the 6s, I'm guessing everybody who says 8 means 8, unless I'm not understanding your question.

    If Apple would release a premium phone of the same dimensions, I'd jump on it.  I like my portables small.
    Yep.

    baconstangcornchip
  • Reply 10 of 24
    Apple is skipping decent size screen devices because people don't spend so much time using content on these and so we are not as valuable as users. It's all about money for Apple it seems. They offer a ridiculous amount of different devices but none to satisfy the huge amount of users that don't want a brick in their pocket.

    It's such a pity.
    twhitefordbaconstang
  • Reply 11 of 24
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    rune66 said:
    Apple is skipping decent size screen devices because people don't spend so much time using content on these and so we are not as valuable as users. It's all about money for Apple it seems. They offer a ridiculous amount of different devices but none to satisfy the huge amount of users that don't want a brick in their pocket.

    It's such a pity.
    That’s definitely not why. 
    macguiChidoroGeorgeBMacStrangeDays
  • Reply 12 of 24
    ChidoroChidoro Posts: 4unconfirmed, member
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    Because you don’t try and have a factory begin building a now defunct model, you use an old chassis with some binned parts and sell it on the cheap, like the original se did.

    its all about costs. This antenna sounds, both, better and cheaper. That’s why it’s a possible update.

    A redesigned 5 chassis will never happen. It’s off the factory floor for good.
    StrangeDaysfastasleep
  • Reply 13 of 24
    YP101YP101 Posts: 160member
    Unless Apple make original form factor of SE with face id and full screen like XR or 11 also nfc for Apple pay, I won't buy.
    I need smaller phone.
    The battery time, I can deal with extend case battery.
  • Reply 14 of 24
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    YP101 said:
    Unless Apple make original form factor of SE with face id and full screen like XR or 11 also nfc for Apple pay, I won't buy.
    I need smaller phone.
    The battery time, I can deal with extend case battery.
    I don't think that's possible without making the Face ID tech smaller so that the notch so the "ear" text can still be displayed, but then I see there's a rumour that the 2020 notch will be smaller so perhaps they will do that for an iPhone SE 2.
  • Reply 15 of 24
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Shrug...
    Upgrading a 4G antenna?   Isn't that like putting a new saddle on a dead horse?
  • Reply 16 of 24
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Chidoro said:
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    Because you don’t try and have a factory begin building a now defunct model, you use an old chassis with some binned parts and sell it on the cheap, like the original se did.

    its all about costs. This antenna sounds, both, better and cheaper. That’s why it’s a possible update.

    A redesigned 5 chassis will never happen. It’s off the factory floor for good.
    While I agree with you on using existing production lines, parts and tooling to produce a high quality, low priced phone -- that does not jive with previous reports that the SE2 will be using Apple's latest SoC, the A13.   But those reports make little sense to me:   Why would Apple drop an state of the art processor into an obsolete design?  (Especially as the power of all processors for the past 3 years have exceeded the needs of the majority of users).
    baconstang
  • Reply 17 of 24
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Chidoro said:
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    Because you don’t try and have a factory begin building a now defunct model, you use an old chassis with some binned parts and sell it on the cheap, like the original se did.

    its all about costs. This antenna sounds, both, better and cheaper. That’s why it’s a possible update.

    A redesigned 5 chassis will never happen. It’s off the factory floor for good.
    While I agree with you on using existing production lines, parts and tooling to produce a high quality, low priced phone -- that does not jive with previous reports that the SE2 will be using Apple's latest SoC, the A13.   But those reports make little sense to me:   Why would Apple drop an state of the art processor into an obsolete design?  (Especially as the power of all processors for the past 3 years have exceeded the needs of the majority of users).
    1) It might not be the same chip. We know that the Apple TV had old iPhone processors that had a core disabled.

    2) Maybe this chip will have features in it that Apple sees as important for the future of the iPhone.

    3) Maybe they have reduced the cost to build an A13 so much that it’s not cost effective to build new, older chips.
    fastasleepChidoro
  • Reply 18 of 24
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    Because that’s what they did with the SE — used an older case design with newer hardware. This allows them to make a cheaper device. Doing so with the 8 size would be the same M.O., using an older case design with newer hardware. If the intent was and is about building a cheaper device, not a smaller one, then yes, it does make sense. 

    Whether that’s what you want it to be about isn’t the question. 
    edited October 2019 fastasleepChidoro
  • Reply 19 of 24

    rune66 said:
    Apple is skipping decent size screen devices because people don't spend so much time using content on these and so we are not as valuable as users. It's all about money for Apple it seems. They offer a ridiculous amount of different devices but none to satisfy the huge amount of users that don't want a brick in their pocket.

    It's such a pity.
    Prove it. 

    I suspect Apple builds the size people most want to buy. 
  • Reply 20 of 24
    Shrug...
    Upgrading a 4G antenna?   Isn't that like putting a new saddle on a dead horse?
    How is 4G a "dead horse" when we're all currently using it?

    Chidoro said:
    Why would Appke introduce another phone of iPhone 8 dimensions, it doesn’t make sense.  If there is an SE2 then it will be iPhone 5 sized, but with edge to edge display and will look gorgeous.
    Because you don’t try and have a factory begin building a now defunct model, you use an old chassis with some binned parts and sell it on the cheap, like the original se did.

    its all about costs. This antenna sounds, both, better and cheaper. That’s why it’s a possible update.

    A redesigned 5 chassis will never happen. It’s off the factory floor for good.
    While I agree with you on using existing production lines, parts and tooling to produce a high quality, low priced phone -- that does not jive with previous reports that the SE2 will be using Apple's latest SoC, the A13.   But those reports make little sense to me:   Why would Apple drop an state of the art processor into an obsolete design?  (Especially as the power of all processors for the past 3 years have exceeded the needs of the majority of users).
    It's not an "obsolete design" if they're using a state of the art processor, is it?
    Solijust cruisincornchip
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