iPhone SE Sales Forecasted as 'Lackluster' Over First Weekend

[iZac]

I managed to order 6 hours after preorders began and it's still not in my hands. This is the slowest two weeks ever.

To be honest I'm delighted that Apple didn't change the design, because I genuinely don't trust their design team anymore.

Jony's being pandered to by Marc Newson now and no one is left to kick his arse when his team produces a turd. Not even mentioning there headline products, all the recent accessory designs have been a literal joke.

EDIT: Sorry if this post came across vitriolic, it was written light-heartedly But in with a little more seriousness, I think users reaction against Apple's current design decisions has been at least a contributing factor to the release of this SE model.

 

[Infinite Vortex]

Where are all the people that wanted a new 4 inch iPhone?

For many of us the release day/weekend/week is not exactly the right time to be buying. A lot of us have contract and purchasing cycles to consider. For myself, my provider now offers an "always new" plan where I pay a cheaper price but have to renew within an 18 to 24 month cycle… if I don't I'm buying it. For that to work right in the long term it also needs to fit into the release cycle of the iPhone 7/7S etc rather than solely fitting with a SE cycle that may well move. So I need to wait a few months before buying. Also, being typically an S version buyer I should in fact be waiting a year and a few months to correctly match the cycles.

Apple should never have dropped the 4" model in the first place!

 

[topmounter]

While I think the screen size and general dimensions is great for many folks (e.g. my wife), I also think that Apple made a mistake not updating the form factor (at least a little bit) to be more consistent with the iPhone6 design. No matter how much of an internal upgrade the SE is, the fact that it looks like an old design is low hanging fruit for the tech media and trolls.

 

[AliMacs]

Apple made a strange decision in keeping the form factor of the 5s. I own a 5s, and I'm ready for a new phone. I prefer the smaller screen size because I keep my phone in my pocket most of the time, but it feels strange ordering a new phone that looks exactly like the one I've had for nearly two years already. They really should have given it a new, preferably slimmer, look.

Apple does what they do best - distort reality. They believed they could achieve this recycling the 5S display, body, and giving it some new internals which aren't new but from same assembly line. I've stated it before but that entire presentation focused on recycling- they wanted to drill this into your minds before they can apply their distortion force.

 

[yegon]

LOL, Nailed what?

When in 4 months time the iPhone 7 is delivered, the iPhone SE will sales will tank even further than Donald trump's reputation for being a douche. You guys are just losing sleep when you realize you just got your reality distorted AGAIN.

Not at all. You couldn't pay me to have a small phone again. I got a Galaxy Note 1 back in the day because I was sick of the tiny iPhone 4 I had and wasn't impressed by the 4S. I only had a 5S for work. The 6 Plus, which I ended up thoroughly disliking due to performance issues, pulled me back in. Now happy with 6S Plus.

I know loads of people who clung onto their 5S though, simply because there was no alternative, android included. They're all getting an SE. They won't give a monkeys about the 7, if they were that way inclined do you really think they'd still be using a 5S?

 

[mr.steevo]

This. My five year old iPhone 4 is falling apart (yay AssistiveTouch), I've already offloaded my mobile internet use to an iPad Mini with 4G and I was looking for a new small (but capable) phone for the next five years. Without the SE I would've considered an Android phone. The SE is Apple's way of keeping people like me inside their ecosystem.

Exactly. The iPhone SE is attractive to the person who wouldn't line up in a mall for a phone, doesn't really care that the screen doesn't have pressure sensitivity and wants a smaller sized screen. My wife is replacing her iPhone 5 with the iPhone SE only because she wants to give the 5 to her dad...who is using an iPhone 4 from 2010. She doesn't want a bigger screen and told me right up to when we ordered the SE that the 5 was more than enough phone-power for her needs. What is surprising me is how many people in my circle are expressing interest in the SE to replace their 4's and 5's when they had no interest in the 6's.

 

[Bubba Satori]

With slowing sales growth it was a good idea to use a lot of older, cheaper, rattling parts.
Logistics guru, indeed.

 

[Fyxxxr]

I got the SE 2 days ago and it is great. Battery is better than that of my iPhone 6 and the performance is really fast. That said, I'll probably end up switching to the 7 when it comes out. While the actual size of the SE is perfect for me, the display just isn't that good. Apple could've at least used the display tech in the iPhone 6/6s and kept the same resolution. The viewing angles are pretty lackluster and you can see black edges around the display due to it using old display tech.

 

[chukronos]

Not surprised at the sales. More surprised that apple released an iPhone 5S-S. If they'd made it in a smaller iPhone 6 form factor, I think it would've been a bigger success. Still, 3+ million sales isn't all that bad for finding a way to recycle older phone product contents.

 

[AliMacs]

Not at all. You couldn't pay me to have a small phone again. I got a Galaxy Note 1 back in the day because I was sick of the tiny iPhone 4 I had and wasn't impressed by the 4S. I only had a 5S for work. The 6 Plus, which I ended up thoroughly disliking due to performance issues, pulled me back in. Now happy with 6S Plus.

I know loads of people who clung onto their 5S though, simply because there was no alternative, android included. They're all getting an SE. They won't give a monkeys about the 7, if they were that way inclined do you really think they'd still be using a 5S?

Those that still own a 5S are in the minority. That's basically a small % of the entire iPhone buyer market. So this article in general really doesn't matter any how. Those that still want a substandard 4" display iPHone in 2016 has their reality beyond distorted. If they made a 4" 6S 3D Touch panel display in that 5S body then that would be entirely different story. They didn't and they just stuffed old recycled display panels and said thank you, come again...when you know the entire experience on an iPhone is the "retina" display the mantra rehearsed over and over and over...

 

[terrapinjess]

I went from an iPhone 6 Plus to an iPhone SE and I freaking love it. I don't think I can ever go back to that size phone ever again. I hope they keep doing this for us folks. I've always liked the design of the 5 series much more than the slippery 6 series too so I'm ecstatic about the SE.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Why does it then take three weeks to ship mine I wonder. I ordered on March 27th and ships around April 16th-19th. Maybe demand is in line with the expectations.

 

[cableguy84]

Why doesn't then take three weeks to ship mine

Cook trying to be clever, creating artificial demand.

 

[ActionableMango]

Where are all the people that wanted a new 4 inch iPhone?

I'm one of those people.

I'm stuck on contract because I bought this iPhone 6S, which is ugly, has a stupid protruding camera, includes worthless features like 3D Touch, and is way too large to reach the whole screen with my thumb.

• Had Apple released the SE at the same time as the 6S, I'd have an SE.
• Had Apple simply mentioned the SE was coming in a few months, I'd have an SE.
• If Apple had just kept making proper sized phones along with their new phablets, I'd have an SE.

But nope, they announced the SE just after I bought a 6S on 2-year contract.

 

[AliMacs]

I went from an iPhone 6 Plus to an iPhone SE and I freaking love it. I don't think I can ever go back to that size phone ever again. I hope they keep doing this for us folks. I've always liked the design of the 5 series much more than the slippery 6 series too so I'm ecstatic about the SE.

A sucker born every minute, lol. this is why Apple makes billions of dollars! Low expectations from its customers nowadays...please fire their marketing team asap - but that won't happen because their marketing team obviously is working successfully at full throttle

 

[AronDraws]

I got mine and I LOVE IT!

My boyfriend's mum wants one but her company is only offering the 6S or 6S plus so she's stuck with a too-large iPhone.

 

[yegon]

Those that still own a 5S are in the minority. That's basically a small % of the entire iPhone buyer market. So this article in general really doesn't matter any how. Those that still want a substandard 4" display iPHone in 2016 has their reality beyond distorted. If they made a 4" 6S 3D Touch panel display in that 5S body then that would be entirely different story. They didn't and they just stuffed old recycled display panels and said thank you, come again...when you know the entire experience on an iPhone is the "retina" display the mantra rehearsed over and over and over...

I agree on many points, I'm merely saying I think they'll comfortably increase the sales of 4" phones with the SE. All the things you cite are absolutely reasons why I wouldn't go near an SE. However, it will definitely have its fans, and Apple are clearly desperate to somehow increase overall sales given all the pent up demand for larger phones is now diminished. We're firmly in diminishing returns territory with phones now, the Apple upgrade plan is no greater sign that Apple are wetting their pants at the thoughts of loads of people holding onto old phones.

 

[kb12252004]

I would love to buy the iPhone SE if I didn't already have an extremely capable iPhone 5S with an A7 64-bit processor.

My sentiment, exactly; don't need 3D touch, don't want Apple Pay, could care less about always-on Siri. No-contract plan + gently used 64GB iPhone 5s = extra money in the bank.

 

[pixelbart]

LOL, Nailed what?

When in 4 months time the iPhone 7 is delivered, the iPhone SE will sales will tank even further than Donald trump's reputation for being a douche. You guys are just losing sleep when you realize you just got your reality distorted AGAIN.

If you think that every person in the world can afford a high-end phone every one or two years, you are the one living in a bubble.

Apple doesn't care for the sub-$200 low end market, but they are losing ground in the sub-$500 market, which is way bigger than the high-end market. That is what the SE is for.

The SE won't compete with the 7 when it's released, it competes with you when you try to sell your 6s.

 

[AliMacs]

I agree on many points, I'm merely saying I think they'll comfortably increase the sales of 4" phones with the SE. All the things you cite are absolutely reasons why I wouldn't go near an SE. However, it will definitely have its fans, and Apple are clearly desperate to somehow increase overall sales given all the pent up demand for larger phones is now diminished. We're firmly in diminishing returns territory with phones now, the Apple upgrade plan is no greater sign that Apple are wetting their pants at the thoughts of loads of people holding onto old phones.

The biggest gripe about this iPhone SE is amount of people who swear they will trade their $850+ iPhone 6S/+ in for this device just because it has a smaller 4" display albeit much inferior in quality. The real problem isn't the display but the size of the flagship line. It is due time for Apple to address the top and bottom bezels and they really, really need to listen to their fan base. Don't get me wrong I love Apple products but sometimes the arrogance of Apple comes thru and thru (thinner phones when no one wants that in sacrifice of larger battery, ugly antenna bands, ugly 2.5" glass) - they need to really stop being so arrogant and look at what their own loyal customers want.

When the iPhone 7 hits they better have a new design because if they release another iPHone 6 series shell with that huge top /bottom bezels they aren't gonna have many fans upgrading. Most are just displeased with overall size.

LOOK AT THE SAMSUNG S7/Edge. Even the Note series. Larger displays in the note yet smaller dimensions. The S7 Edge is the same size screen yet so svelte in the hand. Nothing like the bezels on the iPhone flagships. Apple knows this but they can't seem to address this major problem.

You watch if they release an iPhone 7 without those gigantic top/bottom bezels, you will not see many wanting an iPhone SE size phone. I would kill for an iPhone 7 (4.7 or 5" display) in the size just slightly larger than a 5S is completely acceptable.
[doublepost=1459790494][/doublepost]

If you think that every person in the world can afford a high-end phone every one or two years, you are the one living in a bubble.

Apple doesn't care for the sub-$200 low end market, but they are losing ground in the sub-$500 market, which is way bigger than the high-end market. That is what the SE is for.

The SE won't compete with the 7 when it's released, it competes with you when you try to sell your 6s.

Right - when people are CLAIMING they are TRADING IN THEIR iPhone 6S/+ for an iPhone SE

 

[jeffreymabq]

Well, I am part of the "lackluster" sales. I will go back to the 4" size, just not yet, I guess. I do not like the size of the 6, but I still have 6 months of payments on it. (Sorry - it's interest free money, why not finance it through T-Mo). I am not paying $140 to sell the 6, just to buy the SE. So, I wait - until I decide to impulse buy, or T-Mobile announces an end to the buy one/half off promo. I suspect I am not alone in this predicament.

 

[usarioclave]

Cook trying to be clever, creating artificial demand.

Another "artificial demand" post. I swear, the number of people that repeat this drivel is amazing.

 

[EvilEvil]

Everyone is waiting for the 7 plus.

 

[cableguy84]

Another "artificial demand" post. I swear, the number of people that repeat this drivel is amazing.

OK, how about "stock manipulation"

Does that sound better

 

[yegon]

@AliMacs

Agreed. The 6/6+ was dated design wise when it appeared, doubly so with the S range. If they released a 7 with not massively reduced chin/forehead, I'll laugh and give it a pass regardless of what's inside of it. Actually, I'll be passing anyway, sticking to S cycle now, the only times I've felt burnt with iPhones has been the non-S cycle.