The New iPhone SE Is Coming SO Soon, And It Includes iPhone 13 Camera Features

Apple’s biggest iPhone announcements typically happen in early fall, but after the company released an official invite for an event on March 8, fans thought Apple’s upcoming event might come with a pretty big announcement: the launch of the iPhone SE 3 — and they were right. Here’s what to expect from the new iPhone SE 3 when it hits stores in March 2022, including price, release date, colors, and more.

If you were paying attention to the buzz surrounding Apple’s “Peek Performance” event, you know the possible spring release of the iPhone SE 3 had fans super excited. Prior to the event, Apple didn’t provide much information beyond the March 8 date and 10 a.m. PT start time, but now that the event has come and gone, there’s so much to look forward to, including the new iPhone SE 3.

In case you forgot, the most recent iPhone SE, which was released in April 2020, made major headlines following its April 2020 release for its impressive features like wireless charging and Portrait mode capabilities, as well as the unexpected continuation of the home button, which dashed any hopes of Face ID on the revamped device, and nostalgic resemblance to the discontinued iPhone 8. The price of the iPhone SE was also a major talking point, considering its starting price of $399 made it the cheapest iPhone to date.

So, does the iPhone SE 3 come with the same low price tag and buzz-worthy features? Here’s what you need to know.

iPhone SE 3 Price

According to Apple’s March 8 press release, the iPhone SE 3 will come at a slightly higher price, but it’s still comparatively low to other iPhones (the next most affordable iPhone with 5G is the $699 iPhone 13 mini). Prices for the new iPhone SE 3 start at $429, and the device is available in 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB models. (The second-gen iPhone SE didn’t include a 256 GB option.)

iPhone SE 3 Release Date

iPhone users looking for an upgrade can preorder the iPhone SE 3 starting Friday, March 11, and the new model will be in stores and ship out starting March 18.

iPhone SE 3 Colors

The iPhone SE 3 comes in three colors: midnight, starlight, and Product Red.

iPhone SE 3 Design

Just like previous SE models, the new iPhone comes with a Home button and Touch ID, which means it doesn’t come with Face ID. The new iPhone SE features a familiar aluminum design, and it’s upgraded with the “toughest glass in a smartphone on the front and back.”

iPhone SE 3 Features

The iPhone SE 3 comes with the A15 bionic chip, the same as the iPhone 13, making it 1.8 times faster than the iPhone 8, the device which its body is modeled after. The new iPhone SE model also has 5G capabilities, which is something to consider if you’re looking to upgrade.

iPhone SE 3 Camera

It also comes with a lot of the upgrades Apple introduced with the second-gen iPhone SE in 2020, like a 12 megapixel camera, but the new iPhone SE 3 also includes Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4, and Deep Fusion, which were introduced with the iPhone 13 lineup. These advanced camera features allow for more accurate lighting, more visible textures, and crisper details.

With quite a few upgrades from its 2020 predecessor, the new iPhone SE 3 is definitely one to consider for a more affordable iPhone.