6.1-Inch iPhone SE 4 OLED Panel Likely to Be Supplied by China's BOE

[Filero]

At a lower price you can buy a mid-range Samsung Galaxy A55, with a spectacular display, double RAM and double (and expandable) SSD and triple main camera, with under display fingerprint, 15-45% lower SAR values and almost double the battery life.
iPhones have better software and less advertising intrusiveness. The FaceID in a phone with only one main camera is a waste of money and display surface.

 

[BrownyQ]

No knock against the mini lovers but there seems to be a disconnect with personal preferences from what consumers as a whole prefer. If the mini form factor was popular every manufacturer would be trying to have a product in that category. For profit corporations chase profits. The online discourse on sites like this gave a false impression that consumers wanted small phones. I also wonder what the age demographic of the mini fans is. My anecdotal experience it’s mostly older consumers who don’t use their phone as a consumption device as much

While I wouldn't put myself in the "older consumers" bucket (I don't wanna be considered that yet please), I do accept that the mini form factor is absolutely a niche product for a niche audience, and Apple doesn't do niche anymore. They want big numbers, big sales.

But to add to your anecdotal evidence: yes, I also don't use my phone as a primary consumption device. I use it for texting, calls and maybe a Youtube video here and there (once a month, maybe twice). I understand fully why most want bigger screens: that phone is their entire life in a single device, from phone functions to social media to media consumption. I simply don't need a phone for any of that, since I have a tablet at home, a laptop, a desktop, a TV, etc.

Still, it would be nice to have the option of a smaller device. But since that option doesn't exist, I have to baby my 13 mini even further to make it last another couple years or more.

 

[klasma]

This is confusing, year after year I’ve read various articles on this site and others that BOE fails to meet apples standards for making displays and doesn’t get the orders. They finally figured it out? Or are they accepting lower quality offerings now?

I vaguely remember they had trouble with the Dynamic Island cutouts. Maybe the notch is easier. Wider bezels may also help.

And the negotiations are still ongoing. Negotiating with BOE already makes sense just for the purpose of putting pressure on Samsung.

 

[boak]

So it's basically an iPhone 14 with 1 camera and A18 chip, instead of 2 cameras and A15 chip.

 

[JokoWidodo]

please make it DC dimming

 

[JokoWidodo]

So it's basically an iPhone 14 with 1 camera and A18 chip, instead of 2 cameras and A15 chip.

it will use A16, not A18

 

[boak]

it will use A16, not A18

Why do you think that?

 

[Remy149]

This is not entirely true. If you look at Mac Pro's market share, it would have to be discontinued as well...

Mac Pro serves a very important high end client. The profit margin per unit is very high. It’s also an important segment of consumers to keep happy. A lot of what is done on the high end sets the trends for the rest of the creatives. They also haven’t changed the chassis for the Mac Pro in a long time

 

[Aleksid1]

iPhone SE 2022 has 4 unique features:
- Flicker-free (IPS) display.
- Touch ID (I really like Touch ID)
- A light weight
- Compact size

The possible iPhone SE 4 cannot offer me anything from this list.

 

[whateverest]

iPhone SE 2022 has 4 unique features:
- Flicker-free (IPS) display.
- Touch ID (I really like Touch ID)
- A light weight
- Compact size

The possible iPhone SE 4 cannot offer me anything from this list.

I'd like to add a fifth, the absense of a notch or dynamic island. As current rumors suggest, also different to SE 4.

 

[Aleksid1]

Okey, I think the main problem is the flickering OLED screen in all modern iPhones except the SE 2020/2022. This is a big problem for people with sensitive eyes. I can get used to the larger screen and weight, but I need a flicker-free display.

 

[cuiver]

Google uses BOE on the Pixel 8, it's just O.K. with brightness above the median but some inconsistencies on the light distribution.

Still far from the quality of the Samsung panel used on the Pixel 8 Pro.

Don't be fooled, they are using BOE because they are considerably cheaper.

 

[HackMacDaddy]

They refuse to acknowledge that their preference for small phones is a very small segment of consumers

Have you been to Japan? I would say 80% of the iPhones I saw were SE's (or their older ancestors) and minis. Nowhere else have I ever seen so many of the small iPhones in peoples hands.

The thing is that all the R&D is already done. They could very easily release a new iPhone mini with USB-C and minor updates and sell it as the SE. If they'd also price it accordingly (399,-) and not as stupid as they did with 12 and 13 mini, it would sell tens of millions.

 

[HackMacDaddy]

This is not entirely true. If you look at Mac Pro's market share, it would have to be discontinued as well...

Or Vision Pro, or Mac Studio, or Display XDR or Studio Display...

 

[glitch44]

I only know 2 people who bought the mini. I know others who considered them until seeing the phones in person.

Okay? Not sure how this is related to what I wrote. It's pointless to draw too many conclusions from anecdata-- yours, mine, anyone's.

 

[Remy149]

Have you been to Japan? I would say 80% of the iPhones I saw were SE's (or their older ancestors) and minis. Nowhere else have I ever seen so many of the small iPhones in peoples hands.

The thing is that all the R&D is already done. They could very easily release a new iPhone mini with USB-C and minor updates and sell it as the SE. If they'd also price it accordingly (399,-) and not as stupid as they did with 12 and 13 mini, it would sell tens of millions.

Japan is a very unique market. The se is popular due to price not size. The 12 and 13 mini had all the same specs as the regular size phone minus smaller battery. Half the people who claim to love the mini say it would have sold better had it been a pro. If you think they have to reduce the price to get people interested that shows the demand just isn’t there. It’s not like a bunch of other companies are making small phones either

 

[NT1440]

Google uses BOE on the Pixel 8, it's just O.K. with brightness above the median but some inconsistencies on the light distribution.

Still far from the quality of the Samsung panel used on the Pixel 8 Pro.

Don't be fooled, they are using BOE because they are considerably cheaper.

Manufacturers build to spec.
Google chose those compromises, it’s not a reflection of the manufacturer’s capabilities.

 

[deconstruct60]

This is not entirely true. If you look at Mac Pro's market share, it would have to be discontinued as well...

From the Mac Pro 2013 to Mac Pro 2019, Apple pushed the base level entry price up 100% . The MP as it exits now has a “low volume” tax on it . The Mac Pro was also at the top end of the Mac Pricng line up . So going ‘even higher’ was a move into an area it already was ’suppose to‘ cover. To a large extent Apple just abandoned the lower “half” ( probable way more than half in terms of unit volume ) of market/user segment they already were selling into.

The iPhone is almost exactly the oppose. It is at the lowest end of its segment . The user base here is dominate by extremely low price elasticity ( favor lowest price and low price variations ) .

Similar the iPhone mini was in the middle Of line up . There is tons of fratricidal above and below its price segment. Slapping a “low volume” tax on the mini lands it on top of iPhones priced above. Lowering the mini’s price brings it into conflict with SE ( and to lessor extent the n-1 and n-2 versions of IPhone that Apple sells into the lower price market also )

Apple ( and others ) spends lots of effort into selling notion that the bigger phone or bigger Mac costs more . This also was an impediment to the mini ( as the expectation is that it should be priced lower ) . Making the Mac Pro relatively monstrously large is actually aligned with the “ bigger container bigger price “ meme that they put so much effort into .


That said the Mac Pro is skating on relatively thin ice. Even with the ‘low volume‘ tax on the units , if the units sales fall below a minimal threshold Apple probably will kill if it. An even higher ‘ low volume’ tax would likely push it into a pricing death spiral . There is much higher level of fratricide with the MacStudio ( and max MBP ) than the 2008-2013 era Mac Pros ( with gpu and cpu of rest of Mac line up relatively limited ).

Apple is not doing what most mainstream workstation vendors are doing. Mainstream is chasing 600-900w discrete GPU power allocations and Apple is not.

 

[dabirdwell]

I forgot that Apple still sells an iPhone with a Home Button. I don’t know why, but it boggles my mind that Apple is even able to sell such an antiquated design. Imagine Samsung still selling Galaxy S7 😂

A new SE is overdue.

I SO prefer the Home button, especially on an iPad. FaceID is cumbersome as **** in a lot of situations. I guess some people may be staring right at their screens the whole time they interact with a device, but not me. I find it incredibly convenient to unlock devices off-angle, while laying down, in a pocket, or concentrating on what my other hand is doing and looking away. I execute no-look commands constantly because I can get in without stopping what I’m doing to stare at a device. I couldn’t disagree more. FaceID removed functionality.

At worst we should have both. Or better yet, go ahead and move to the multi-device triangulation method to offer no-interaction unlock.

 

[deconstruct60]

Mac Pro serves a very important high end client. The profit margin per unit is very high. It’s also an important segment of consumers to keep happy. A lot of what is done on the high end sets the trends for the rest of the creatives. They also haven’t changed the chassis for the Mac Pro in a long time

The MP 2019 chassis is about ‘5’ years old . The MP 2013 lasted 6. The shell of original 2006 lasted about 7. The external Chassis isn’t the major continuity issue though . The ‘Studio’ in Mac Studio is extremely indicative that Apple doesnt hold some exclusive role of addressing the creative market for the Mac Pro .

The Mac Pro’s SoC extremely likely would not be viable without the MacStudio unit sales.

It isn’t so much to keep the much smaller remaining segment ‘happy’ as it is leverage their price elasticity. Most are willing to pay more to either continue to use equipment they have sunk costs in ( e.g., expensive audio cards ). And many have options to just in turn bill their clients more for higher Apple equipment costs. There are limits to how much they both can leverage that game.


There are some folks that the current Mac Pro leaves behind. It is on a very slippery slope.

 

[HackMacDaddy]

Japan is a very unique market. The se is popular due to price not size. The 12 and 13 mini had all the same specs as the regular size phone minus smaller battery. Half the people who claim to love the mini say it would have sold better had it been a pro. If you think they have to reduce the price to get people interested that shows the demand just isn’t there. It’s not like a bunch of other companies are making small phones either

I disagree. Apple simply outpriced the Mini and imho the SE now and a huge chunk of people are not willing to pay it even though their interest/demand is there so they look for a better deal or keep their phones longer.

 

[DarthDon]

From the Mac Pro 2013 to Mac Pro 2019, Apple pushed the base level entry price up 100% . The MP as it exits now has a “low volume” tax on it . The Mac Pro was also at the top end of the Mac Pricng line up . So going ‘even higher’ was a move into an area it already was ’suppose to‘ cover. To a large extent Apple just abandoned the lower “half” ( probable way more than half in terms of unit volume ) of market/user segment they already were selling into.

The iPhone is almost exactly the oppose. It is at the lowest end of its segment . The user base here is dominate by extremely low price elasticity ( favor lowest price and low price variations ) .

Similar the iPhone mini was in the middle Of line up . There is tons of fratricidal above and below its price segment. Slapping a “low volume” tax on the mini lands it on top of iPhones priced above. Lowering the mini’s price brings it into conflict with SE ( and to lessor extent the n-1 and n-2 versions of IPhone that Apple sells into the lower price market also )

Apple ( and others ) spends lots of effort into selling notion that the bigger phone or bigger Mac costs more . This also was an impediment to the mini ( as the expectation is that it should be priced lower ) . Making the Mac Pro relatively monstrously large is actually aligned with the “ bigger container bigger price “ meme that they put so much effort into .


That said the Mac Pro is skating on relatively thin ice. Even with the ‘low volume‘ tax on the units , if the units sales fall below a minimal threshold Apple probably will kill if it. An even higher ‘ low volume’ tax would likely push it into a pricing death spiral . There is much higher level of fratricide with the MacStudio ( and max MBP ) than the 2008-2013 era Mac Pros ( with gpu and cpu of rest of Mac line up relatively limited ).

Apple is not doing what most mainstream workstation vendors are doing. Mainstream is chasing 600-900w discrete GPU power allocations and Apple is not.

You are right. I just wanted to give an example... If you look at development costs versus sales, the Mac Pro is already bad. Plus - the levels of innovation in devices are getting smaller and smaller. If I look at multi-processor systems in the area of larger desktops "servers" and can accept Linux, then it's over very quickly with Apple (We talk about devices over 10k$). In the past, architects did their work on the Mac, where they designed complex things like bridges, for example. Today, the devices can only be used for fanboys and their video or audio editing. And yes - there are devices with several power supplies, many possibilities to upgrade - with all the others actually. But the topic was actually the IPhone

 

[deconstruct60]

Japan is a very unique market. The se is popular due to price not size. The 12 and 13 mini had all the same specs as the regular size phone minus smaller battery. Half the people who claim to love the mini say it would have sold better had it been a pro.

That “half the people” are likely what Apple deluded themselves with the mini and in part why it failed. The folks making those comments on these forums are extremely unlikely to represent anything even remotely close to half the actual market if you did proper sampling .

.

If you think they have to reduce the price to get people interested that shows the demand just isn’t there. It’s not like a bunch of other companies are making small phones either

If you raise the price of a bowl of cereal to $1,000 the number of people who will pay that price will go way down . That doesn’t mean there is low demand for cereal . That is far more a mismatch between demand is ( its utility value ) and the price set.

Android tends to consume more RAM and resources. That extends to increase energy consumption so in turn pushes battery capacity up. There are larger screens , but lower resolutions ( than Apple tends to use) and older screen technology For the phones priced lower than a SE . So size is a rather myopic view of the features/utility being offered.


Apple’s primarily problem is they are inclined to design overly expensive phones . The primary way they get to more affordable is finding a way to repackage older stuff to be sold as ‘new’.

Apple could have eased slightly on the mini to increase the battery capacity . But apple doesn’t want to deviate from reusing the max amount of shared components from the main iPhone that they can get away with .

Apple dumped the mini and had about the same amount of problems with the Plus when they went on the ‘other side’ if the plain iPhone size.

 

[DarthDon]

Mac Pro serves a very important high end client. The profit margin per unit is very high. It’s also an important segment of consumers to keep happy. A lot of what is done on the high end sets the trends for the rest of the creatives. They also haven’t changed the chassis for the Mac Pro in a long time

I think, it's all about the apple eco-system. If someone got too much money, thy spend it on mac pro. Bec of icloud, Iphone, Ipad... The Chassis came in 2019. In apple time, that's very little...

 

[AppliedMicro]

I do accept that the mini form factor is absolutely a niche product for a niche audience, and Apple doesn't do niche anymore. They want big numbers, big sales.

I‘m not so sure. Does the current iPhone SE sell big numbers? I‘m not so sure.
I‘m pretty sure the iPad Pro does not sell in big numbers but is a niche product- yet they still do it.