I'm genuinely puzzled why Apple doesn't seem to be basing a March, 2024 iPhone SE on the 2021 iPhone 13 mini. (Maybe they are?) They've already got all the assembly capability and have amortized the research, development, and tooling. Just take the 2021 iPhone 13 mini and make a few "parts bin" tweaks to turn it into the next SE: bump the thickness from 7.65mm to about 8.5mm (primarily for a bigger battery), bump the processor from A15 to A16, switch from Qualcomm to the Apple 5G modem (if ready; or a slightly more budget-oriented Qualcomm 5G modem if not), remove millimeter wave support, switch to a single main camera setup (but bump up the single camera specs), knock the front camera down to the current SE spec (12MP down to 7MP), remove Face ID and add Touch ID on the power button, switch from Lightning to USB-C (with USB 2.0 speeds), price it at $479 (the current iPhone 13 mini starts at $599; the current iPhone SE starts at $429), offer 2 to 3 colorways and 2 storage options (128GB and probably 512GB, with 512GB only available in 1 or 2 colorways), and...let's go!