I am a HUGE HUGE IPhone SE fan and I will not let it go until Apple completely no longer supports it.
(Edited)
Echoing and paraphrasing what others here have mentioned in so many threads , 11% of sales and services coming from their 4.7” phones is significant enough for Apple to continue this model line even if under a different name.
Yet there is more going on here. Fragmentation! Apple is increasingly becoming like its major competitor with too many hardware variations and its beginning to affect manufacturing costs and synergies. We’ll not see these costs but they are there!
$349 | SE
$449 | 6s
$549 | 6s Plus
$549 | 7
$669 | 7 Plus
$699 | 8
$799 | 8 Plus
$999 | X
One model at 4” display, 3 models at 4.7” with very minimal differences between them. The 4.7” phones have A9/10/11 cpu/gpu/m co processor, storage or colour differences, different metal casings (6: 6000, 7:7000 series aluminum) wireless charging on the 8 with a reinforced glass back. This is devices their selling both in the stores/online and warranty support. It’s ridiculous!!
The 6s why is this thing still being sold when the SE is better in performance and price? The storage doesn’t match and the 7 replaces it. This leaves 2 devices in their lineup that is not IP67 rated.
I think the name SE will be dropped and something else will have its name for the 4” unit. 2017’s release seems to have the X as the “special edition” not only heralding new tech yet also homage to the original X’s shock and awe to the world. Why else would Apple release the 8 with the X in less than 40 days between them?! That’s a whole other conversation covered adnasuem.
First Apple should unify the design schemes between just 3 models.
iPhone X Plus
iPhone X
iPhone X SE (or mini or whatever name suits it and isn’t long in the tooth; say "S” for small)
Touch ID is going, sorry but it’s going and fast. If you must have it I do suggest buying another SE in its current state. Generation 2 of FaceID of course will be faster, most likely Infrared eye tracking to see not only deliberate focus on the phone but maybe retina patterns for unlocking.
All phones will have IP67 or better for Dust/Water resistance, unified design form language, most likely the same if not close to cpu/gpu/m-coprocessor/sensors/antennae making supply chain sourcing simplified and unified, cheaper manufacturing costs for economies of scale, third party cases also unified and cheaper (different sizes). His is just good business common sense.
Manufacturing for the 6S/7/8 can slow to a crawl for warranty replacements. Would be great for Apple to offer closer to grey market pricing for trade in value, along with better for he environment (recycling).
Lastly this is also much better for support documentation, videos and staff down the road.
Right now only Sony makes a powerful, viable (specification and feature set) 4” phone that can compete or now beat the iPhone SE model. As another year passes with no upgrade for existing iPhone SE users it’s other buy another but on the grey market OR like 840Quadra has begun doing its look and migrate elsewhere for the smaller units.
