iPhone 16e Sales Lag Behind SE Models Despite Bestseller Status

[arobert3434]

Your prices include VAT. But the author of this article compares US price, $599 excluding VAT by European prices, including VAT. I guess the author doesn't read Apple's website outside of apple.com.

So:
US $599 excluding state tax (≈ €526)
FR €594 excluding 21% VAT
DE €568 excluding 19% VAT
HU €577 excluding 27% VAT

Comparing the VAT-including price in Europe to US base price is logically inconsistent but practically useful. VAT-less prices are only relevant to business purchasers, and the 20-30% VAT is a much bigger increment than the state-varying 0-10% sales taxes that are added to US prices.

[EDIT, since some have complained about the logical inconsistency]
Put another way, VAT-less will be a big difference from what people actually pay, whereas sales-taxless is only a small difference, so comparing VAT'ed with sales-taxless is reasonably accurate. To have a logically-consistent comparison, a population weighted average VAT across EU countries could be used, and a corresponding weighted average sales tax across US states. Likely you'd end up with something like 22% and 5% respectively.

 

[svish]

The higher price tag will definitely not be helping. However the device should sell well over the coming months.

 

[spazzcat]

Yes that’s true, but what’s more funny is that Apple can’t see how much they’re losing the plot. By “funny”, I mean “pathetic”.

So you saying they are pathetic by making more money on the E vs SE...

 

[spazzcat]

I'm delaying upgrading because of the lack of TouchID. I prefer that to FaceID.
The old SE was perfect in size for me. I hate large phones which by the way are a huge target for street theives.

Things that are never coming back, mini smartphones and TouchID.

 

[MacBH928]

Good. Now give people what they want:

-iPhone SE size
-TouchID
-No punched in monitor
-device you can operate with one hand and a thumb

 

[spazzcat]

Good. Now give people what they want:

-iPhone SE size
-TouchID
-No punched in monitor
-device you can operate with one hand and a thumb

If you fall in this group you need to read https://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Amazing/dp/0399144463

 

[TgeekB]

Yes that’s true, but what’s more funny is that Apple can’t see how much they’re losing the plot. By “funny”, I mean “pathetic”.

Apple “losing” is funny.

 

[kiranmk2]

Very shortsighted. Apple makes the real money on recurring subscriptions, not hardware. You can definitely argue that a shrinking device market share directly equates to a shrinking subscription services base which will upend their entire business model if it continues.

Additionally, you need to include the lost revenue from potential follow on peripheral purchases like watches, AirPods, etc. that will never happed with those 200,000 lost customers in your theoretical. The iPhone is the gateway into apple’s ecosystem - lose a phone customer, the whole business model takes a hit.

Last time I checked, iPhone hardware sales brought in more than 2x more revenue than services. Also, you are assuming that those 200k 'lost' customers went out an bought Android phones, when it's equally likely they bought another lower price iPhone such as the 15, or they just held on to their existing iPhone.

I'm not saying my maths is perfect as it's a back of the envelope calculation, but I don't see how your analysis i sany less shortsighted than mine!

 

[Sarafay]

You can buy a much better equipped Xiaomi for 450€ in Germany.

 

[Yr Blues]

If this keeps up, we may see that iPhone 16e Mini after all (at $499).

I hope so. I'm thinking about upgrading my SE 3.

 

[Nilhum]

Ahh, the usual doom and gloom on macforums. 😂

That’s all of the internet at this point though. It’s all doom and gloom. A little bit depressing.

 

[antonrg]

It's 256 GB, not gb (G = giga, B = byte, g = gram, b = bit)

Guess what, in France we call it Go

 

[antonrg]

On Apple's website the base (128gb) iPhone 16e starts at 699,00 € in Germany (incl. VAT). I just checked...

That being said, the price was def. a reason, including the additional ~130 € for the 256 GB model, that I did not upgrade from my 13mini.

You guys have it cheaper then. I just checked Italy and it's 729€ there, in Portugal it's even higher at 739€. It fluctuates, but definitely not cheap anywhere in the EU.

 

[geta]

Hint - because it’s too big and too expensive compared to the older SE versions. Instead they should make a Mini 16e at €499.

 

[antonrg]

Hint - because it’s too big and too expensive compared to the older SE versions. Instead they should make a Mini 16e at €499.

Frankly, I'd easily pay 800€ for a new upgraded mini.

 

[geta]

I think it’s not just about how “powerful” or cheap it is. The iPhone SE was sported a well known, compact and robust form factor. I’ve dropped it many times and hasn’t broken or suffered. I guess a 16e would show lines in their OLED screen.

There is people that got the SE as a work smartphone. Safe, private, efficient, but at the same time a rugged smartphone to carry with you to the field, under a car for a repair, etc… I mean you can do that with a modern iPhone 16e but it is a bit bigger and more expensive so…

The SE had the home button. Believe it or not many people still find it useful to have a button to press and get them back to the home menu. And there’s people who still prefer LCD displays over cheap, but still more expensive OLED displays.

If Apple had made an iPhone 16e just with one change, an LCD display and with a 150€ cheaper price tag, it would have sold almost as many as the SE 3 (in my opinion). I would definitely have grabbed one.

And it had TouchID that many people still prefer.

 

[TgeekB]

That’s all of the internet at this point though. It’s all doom and gloom. A little bit depressing.

Very true. I would hope there would be a bit higher standards and intelligence here but…

 

[Hank001]

Comparing the VAT-including price in Europe to US base price is largely valid. VAT-less prices are only relevant to business purchasers, and the 20-30% VAT is a much bigger increment than the state-varying 0-10% sales taxes that are added to US prices.

I beg to differ: either compare all prices either including or excluding tax. But the problem with comparing prices including tax is that percentage differs. The only way to compare prices on the same level is by comparing prices excluding tax.

 

[Hank001]

It's 256 GB, not gb (G = giga, B = byte, g = gram, b = bit)

You must be fun at parties

The poster is right though:
1B = 8b
so a 256gb is actually 32GB

But that's too technical for some, including some journalists on this very site. Some simply don't know the difference, let alone where the abbreviation bit comes from.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

You must be fun at parties

You learned something new today

 

[frownface]

Down under, the 16E is $999 AUD; it's just too much for a budget phone.

 

[MacBH928]

If you fall in this group you need to read https://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Amazing/dp/0399144463

😂😂😂

I actually read that book long time ago. Love the reference.

Still, 1 hand operated phone is what we demand

 

[Lucky736]

Drop the price under whatever guise needed ASAP before everyone forgets about it.

 

[Kiwamu]

[...] but definitely not cheap anywhere in the EU.

This we can (sadly) agree on.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Well, it is a bit more expensive than the former iPhone SE3. But I expect Apple to soon allows substantial discounts to drive sales.