It hasn’t even been a full two months since 2020, but rumors about the next cheapest iPhone have been overflowing since October last year. Whether it’s about the price, renders, specs, and even in-store pre-orders, leaksters can’t keep their mouths shut.
Disclaimer: Everything you see here are just leaks and rumors and nothing has been confirmed yet.
iPhone 8-like design (plus red color option)

Image by GadgetMatch
The images we made are based from OnLeaks and Svetapple’s renders. They both show that the design is based from the two-year-old iPhone 8. Ming-Chi Kuo, a prominent iPhone leakster, has further solidified that this next iPhone will have the same form factor. The materials will mostly feature an aluminum and glass sandwich. It’s never early to tell that a stainless steel frame is unlikely going to happen considering the minimal cost of production.
While it’s unfortunate that both the Max and Pro series of iPhones never had a Product (RED) option, Kuo has confirmed that this model will come with the special colorway. Though there are no news whether this iPhone will have a gold finish or not.
Same 4.7-inch Retina Display (and Touch ID isn’t dead yet)

Image by GadgetMatch
With the same design in mind, the second generation iPhone SE will most likely have a Retina Display found on the iPhone 8. Although the 4.7-inch screen size has been evolving since the iPhone 6 from five years ago, expect little to no display improvements other than the inclusion of Apple’s True Tone technology.
It’s also expected that it’ll have Touch ID (instead of Face ID) to keep manufacturing costs low.
iPhone 11-grade performance

Image by GadgetMatch
We’ve heard that the next A14 Bionic Chipset is reserved for the upcoming iPhone 12, so the iPhone 9 will likely feature the A13 Bionic Chipset found on the iPhone 11 series. The RAM might be limited to just 3GB like the iPhone X and iPhone XR, but it’ll still have a major bump in processing power. Who knows? It might even beat the iPhone XS and XS Max altogether considering the inclusion of a newer processor.
iPhone XR-esque camera sensor
Remember when the iPhone SE had an edge by having the same sensor as the iPhone 6s with 4K video over the 5s’ lackluster camera? Apple might just do the same with the SE’s successor. Although no specifics were given, it’s probable that this will still ship with a single-rear camera setup with a larger image sensor — similar to the iPhone XR.
Launch date and pricing

Image by GadgetMatch
It’s rumored that the base model of the iPhone 9 or SE 2 (with 64GB of onboard storage) will cost around US$ 399 — which was the same retail price as the iPhone SE when it was launched four years ago.
As reported by the popular leakster Evan Blass weeks ago, it might be launched around mid-March. Consumers should expect less units though due to the 2019-coronavirus strain (COVID-19) outbreak that halted a lot of businesses and production lines in China and parts of Asia.
The price of technology isn’t fun these days. Because of the ongoing RAM shortage wrought by AI, companies across the industry are raising the prices of their products. Some, however, are still willing to shoulder the burden for their customers. Unfortunately, Qualcomm is soon leaving that list.
As reported by Bloomberg, Qualcomm will raise the prices of its products starting in September. Though the exact figure is unknown, the company did confirm that it’s in the double digits, percentage-wise. According to them, they can no longer shoulder the costs for its customers.
If you’re just a regular user, Qualcomm’s prices might not mean much for you. After all, the chipmaker doesn’t make phones of its own.
That said, Qualcomm is still one of the biggest suppliers for smartphone chipsets, including those that Samsung uses. Pushing the burden from chipsets to phone manufacturers reduces one more buffer against costs being ultimately pushed to consumers.
All things considered, Samsung managed to keep its prices hikes relatively low with the latest batch of foldables. However, with chips getting more price increases, it’s still within the realm of possibility that Samsung will also increase the price of its smartphones. The same can be said for any Qualcomm-powered smartphone available today.
News
Apple is reportedly delaying its smart glasses due to privacy concerns
The brand wants to squash malicious recording.
Smart glasses are in a weird place right now. While early adopters are celebrating the ability to record everything, a growing group of critics are decrying the loss of privacy. Formerly at full throttle, Apple, in response to these controversies, will reportedly delay its version of smart glasses to next year.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is heading back to the drawing board to further emphasize the unreleased wearable’s privacy protections, which includes “hardware and software-related privacy features not available on current products.” The report, however, doesn’t enumerate what these features are.
If anything, these features will likely prevent malicious recording. Most smart glasses today have a light that tells passersby that the device is actively recording video. However, users have discovered ways to tamper and disable this light, so their devices can start recording without alerting others. Apple will likely introduce better measure to prevent such tampering.
Additionally, it’s also possible that Apple introduces a version of the smart glasses without a camera attached.
Because of these new initiatives, the brand will delay the launch of the wearable to sometime next year. Previously, there was heavy speculation that the smart glasses will launch later this year.
On the bright side, there’s still substantial reason to believe that Apple is launching its first ever foldable device later this year.
Gaming
God of War Laufey finally confirms its highly anticipated launch date
Set your calendars next year.
It’s about time we get excited for God of War Laufey. The upcoming entry into the acclaimed franchise takes off on a tangent as it follows Faye, Kratos’s late wife, as she traverses an afterlife filled with similarly deceased gods. It’s a different perspective but with still the same action we’ve come to expect from the series. Now, we know when to expect it: February 16.
In the ongoing Norse saga, Faye’s death is everything. Her passing pushes Kratos and Atreus towards a path that eventually led to Ragnarok. In Laufey, a deceased Faye wakes up in Everywhen, an afterlife where gods from different mythologies converge. She then discovers that the carefully laid plans she made to help her husband and her son are unravelling, so she has to find a way to save the living world from past the veil.
Laufey will still have the iconic battles that the God of War series is known for. However, because Faye is nimbler than the burly Kratos, fighting is more fast-paced with a mix of grounded and air-based fighting. All in all, there’s a lot to be excited about for Laufey, despite its different take on the series.
Over the weekend, during San Diego Comic Con, PlayStation confirmed when the title is launching. Thankfully, it’s not a long wait. God of War Laufey is launching for the PlayStation 5 on February 16 next year.
Additionally, Santa Monica Studio has also confirmed that Kratos will lead another entry after Laufey.
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