Looking at this iPhone SE 3 concept, I never thought an inexpensive iPhone could look as good, or better, than Apple's flagship.

These renderings of a future iPhone SE, designed by Apple Lab, not only look good, but could be accurate to future models. The design is based on rumors of a 2023 redesign by display expert Ross Young, and while we'll have to wait a long time to see how accurate Apple Lab's design is, for now, it's possible that this iPhone will look as good as its premium siblings. We can appreciate that this is a budget iPhone with a look that is on par with its premium siblings.

Apple's current second-generation iPhone SE is based on the iPhone 8, the last flagship iPhone to feature a home button and Touch ID instead of the Face ID notch. This concept, however, has neither.

What we see instead is a punch-hole selfie camera like most current Android phones and a flat side frame like the iPhone 12. These features, along with other upgrades such as a larger camera, under-display Face ID, and even a 4nm chipset, are rumored to first appear on the iPhone 14 in 2022.

On the back of this SE concept is a single camera in a small rectangular bump that also features a flash. This sounds rather limited compared to the multiple cameras on rival models, but a single camera does not mean that the current iPhone SE will be able to capture great images.

With no home button, one might wonder how to unlock this iPhone. Fortunately, this was resolved by a reply from Apple Lab to a commenter: according to him, security is handled by the Touch ID sensor on the power button, just like on the iPad Air.

The renderings prominently show the iPhone SE concept in a matte purple color, which seems to be inspired by the recently announced purple iPhone 12. This version is the only one visible from the front and also has white bezels reminiscent of the new iMac 2021. Apple has traditionally used black bezels on all its products, but perhaps the iMac is the beginning of a new trend.

Young's iPhone SE rumor also claims that this major redesign will be preceded by a small upgrade of the existing iPhone SE, adding a new chip and 5G support in 2022.

The iPhone SE is still one of the best budget smartphones, but this year it will have to face off against the highly rumored Google Pixel 5a and other new Android phones that push Apple's old design to its limits. These interim upgrades may be just what it takes to stay competitive until the major redesign is complete.