Photos and video purporting to reveal a glass-backed sequel to the iPhone SE have surfaced on Chinese social networks (via Consomac), lending credence to speculation that Apple may add wireless charging this year to its entry-level iPhone. While the photos are of questionable origin, they appear to show a device with the same size, front design, and sides as the iPhone SE, plus a new back heavily resembling Apple’s current mid-range model, the iPhone 8.
The original video behind the spy shots has been reposted from Weibo to YouTube by MacRumors. It shows the device being rotated around, confirming that it’s an actual physical object rather than a Photoshop mockup, though questions remain as to whether its Apple markings are legitimate.
Rumors regarding a followup to the iPhone SE have circulated for months, but its specific new features have remained under debate. Initial claims from generally reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo questionably suggested that Apple lacked the hardware development resources to make external changes to its least expensive model. However, a more recent report from iPhone case makers claimed that Apple was removing the iPhone SE’s headphone port, likely to waterproof the enclosure.
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Curiously, the latest leaked images defy both of those claims. They continue to show a headphone port, which certainly could have been eliminated during a major redesign of the iPhone SE’s metal central and rear chassis. While adding a glass back might seem simple to users, the engineering efforts necessary to change materials and add inductive charging hardware would definitely be non-trivial. The next iPhone SE is widely expected to move up to an A10 Fusion processor, as well.
Since authentic leaks of this sort often come from components that were taken from early production lines, it’s possible that these images depict prototype parts, or that the earlier case maker claims were inaccurate. Regardless, we should know for sure fairly soon: Apple apparently sought Eurasian regulatory approval for new phones this month, a step typically taken within a month of the release of new devices.
