iPhone SE 2 hopes stoked as rumour suggests new handset will come in smaller size

Apparent leak comes soon after release of iPad Mini

Sameer Uddin and Michelle Macias play Pokemon Go on their smartphones outside of Nintendo's flagship store, July 11, 2016 in New York City (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Apple could finally be bringing back one of its most beloved phones.

Rumours suggest that the company is working on a smaller version of its future handset, apparently in line with the size of the iPhone SE. The first version of that handset – which was much smaller than the other phones it was making at the time, as well as being low cost – proved an unexpected hit, but has gone largely unmentioned ever since.

Apple released the first iPhone SE in 2016. It immediately found favour, particularly with people who because of small hands or for other reasons were turned off by the increasing size of Apple's phones.

Since that handset emerged, rumours have swirled about a potential iPhone SE 2, which would update the phone but keep its smaller size. But it was discontinued in 2018 and little has been said about it since, though it sometimes appears on Apple's website.

Now a new rumour in DigiTimes has suggested that Apple's 2020 lineup of iPhones will include a 5.42-inch model, in addition to a 6.06-inch model and a 6.67-inch model.

A 5.42-inch screen would be much bigger than the 4-inch screen that was found on the iPhone SE. But it would also be much smaller than the 5.8-inch one found on the iPhone XS, which is the smallest screen in Apple's current line-up.

The small model could also be more affordable than Apple's current phones, rumours have suggested. At the moment, users must choose between the cheaper phone or the smaller one – the iPhone XS is much more expensive than the XR, but that is also bigger.

The rumour came just a couple of weeks after Apple released an update for the iPad Mini. That smaller tablet was much beloved but went for years without any kind of update, just like the iPhone SE.

Apple has long been rumoured to be working on three phones for 2019, all in the same sizes as they are currently offered. That in turn suggested the 2020 line-up would be the same, given Apple has rarely opted to shrink down the screen sizes on its phones.

This year's line-up is expected to look largely similar, but could bring with a whole host of new features, including a camera with a full three lenses built in.