When I first heard that the iPhone 12 would be priced at $649, I didn't believe it. But then I thought about it. Leaked information pointed out that the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 would be from that price and the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max would be $699.

So basically, the iPhone 12 Max will be the same price as its 6.1-inch predecessor, the iPhone 11. That makes sense, but it is also aggressive, given that Apple is reportedly adding 5G. By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S20 with 5G starts at $999.

And this week we heard that Apple may release an even cheaper iPhone 12 with 4G connectivity. This is a very affordable price for Apple's new flagship phone, $150 less than last year's iPhone 11.

If you were planning to buy the $399 iPhone SE, the $549 iPhone 12 suddenly makes Apple's entry-level iPhone much less attractive. iPhone 12 has a larger display than the iPhone SE (5.4 inches vs. 4.7 inches), a faster A14 Bionic chip, and is rumored to have dual rear-facing cameras versus one on the SE.

The iPhone 12 should also offer Face ID, which some prefer over Touch ID, and slimmer bezels. In fact, leaked information suggests that the iPhone 12 will be even smaller than the iPhone SE, despite having a larger display.

Don't get me wrong, the iPhone SE delivers a lot for its $399 price tag: the A13 Bionic processor is very fast and takes very nice single rear camera photos and portraits. However, it does not have the night mode that the iPhone 12 is supposed to offer.

What about battery life? iPhone SE lasted an okay 9 hours and 18 minutes in the Tom's Guide web-surfing battery test. The phones on our best phone battery life list all last 11 hours or more on a charge. We have yet to hear any rumors about the iPhone 12's battery capacity, but we suspect it will be higher than the one in the iPhone SE.

In addition, the iPhone 12 will have a 5-nanometer A14 Bionic processor, which should be more efficient overall than the 7nm A13 Bionic chip. So I would expect the iPhone 12 to have a longer durability.

So what will happen to the iPhone SE? In my opinion, it is still a solid entry-level phone right now. But come September, or whenever Apple holds a launch event, a sleeker, faster, longer lasting, and sharper shooting iPhone 12 should more than justify its premium. If the rumors prove accurate.