iPhone SE Unlikely to Receive Refresh in Early 2017

[truthertech]

Well, this is dire news.

I'm still waiting for a 4" iPhone with at least 128GB and preferably 3TB. My trusty iPhone 5 will have to keep going for another year. I doubt iOS 11 will support it, so I will consider my options then, including Android.

So sad that Apple have abandoned the optimum phone size.

So sad you make this claim after Apple introduced great SE phone THIS YEAR!

 

[Geurt]

"iPhone SE Unlikely to Receive Refresh in Early 2017"

In the shape they are in right now... this might be a good idea

 

[PortableLover]

I really hope they guve us a 128gb option. Only thing that stopped me from getting a SE. Was going to replace the 6 with it when it was rumored, then i saw only a max of 64 was offered.

 

[johnnygee]

They'll do it every time:

2013 Waah...Apple ain't makin' a big iPhone like 'em Androids. They're doomed. I hain't a-buyin' no little girly iPhone.
2016 Waah...Apple ain't makin' no top o' the line little iPhone. They're doomed. I hain't a-buyin' no gigantic iPhone.

The late Jimmy Hatlo was right.

 

[simonmet]

They'll do it every time:

2013 Waah...Apple ain't makin' a big iPhone like 'em Androids. They're doomed. I hain't a-buyin' no little girly iPhone.
2016 Waah...Apple ain't makin' no top o' the line little iPhone. They're doomed. I hain't a-buyin' no gigantic iPhone.

The late Jimmy Hatlo was right.

Why can't both be right?

Different strokes... 😉

 

[Kabeyun]

Whine, whine , complain, whine, moan, groan...

(Wait guys, it's only been out for 7 months and you're calling the lack of an imminent refresh a sign of complacency and greed??)

Fanboy! Fanboy! Loser! Fanboy! Whine, complain, wretch, groan, gloom, doom, misery...

 

[Appleaker]

Once again, Tim Cook putting numbers before customers.

 

[asleep]

I don't necessarily expect a 4" update that soon, but keep us in the ballpark technology wise...

There's a pile of easy money sitting there behind an iPhone SE update... don't blow this one, Apple.

 

[simonmet]

Yeah I was surprised when I looked that up. It seems longer. Maybe cause we're used to only getting phones in September.

 

[Mac 128]

Personally, I'd jump on an upgraded SE in a heartbeat. Just give me an option for 128 GB of storage. Throw in the new Touch ID for and I'll be very happy! Adding OIS would be the icing on the cake.

iPhone 7 innards would be a nice touch; I just have no desire for a larger phone.

I really hope they guve us a 128gb option. Only thing that stopped me from getting a SE. Was going to replace the 6 with it when it was rumored, then i saw only a max of 64 was offered.

Yes I can see them offering a 128GB option in the Spring as they drop the price on the base model SE. This phone is meant to be the new entry level phone, so they want to depreciate as fast as possible. Adding 128GB would allow them to sell more as upgrades, while they drop the price of the lowest capacity models even lower to attract a whole new user base.

The SE is based on the 6s which likely will be one of the longest lived phone out there in terms of performance.

I don't see any reason not to add all three phone sizes to the iPhone 8. In fact removing the bezels on the 4.7" iPhone will drop it down to the same basic dimensions as the SE with a much larger screen. And it allows them to sell a premium phone to the SE crowd, while leaving the SE as the entry-level phone enabling them to continue to depreciate it. The 4" 8 can then drop down in price to replace the SE eventually with the latest technology.

This also leaves a headphone jack in place for a few more years until good wireless options become more reasonable for budget customers.

Whatever the case, I don't think we will ever see any hardware imrpovements to the original SE. They might update the 128GB with 2nd gen Touch ID, but it's not going to get anything the 6S doesn't have until the 6s is discontinued, and even then I don't see them redesigning the SE yet again.

 

[Max Portakabin]

I'm pretty sure they'll keep that size around. I'd thought they'd refresh the SE, but if not then I'd guess next year's iPhone will be 3 sizes of whatever the 2017 model is and the iPhone 7 as the budget model.

The truth is they don't really want to keep it around. They don't treat the 4 inch size like a grown up. It's standard Apple play when they want to kill off a product line.

Find it crazy myself. The 4 inch market must be quite a few percentage points overall and it's a segment that likely to appeal to the fashionistas Apple seems to apparently covert (tweens, YouTubers, creative females, soccer moms etc).

 

[5105973]

I really hope they guve us a 128gb option. Only thing that stopped me from getting a SE. Was going to replace the 6 with it when it was rumored, then i saw only a max of 64 was offered.

I do okay with 64 on my SE now that I regularly offload my photos and videos to Google storage. I would prefer to keep things on my phone and not pull from data allowances when I'm traveling. I did move to Android for most of my photography and videography, but SD cards will probably become extinct in future Android devices before too long, which is a shame. It's a great option to have in addition to internal storage and cloud storage. Options are wonderful for consumers. I'm incredibly cheesed off and frustrated that manufacturers seem hellbent on following Apple's example and replacing options with dongles and air.

 

[tanyet]

I'm probably the only person in the world that wishes they would go even smaller with the iPhone. I miss the size of the 4 or 4s. I wish Apple, or any other company for that matter, would try to produce the smallest premium phone on the market. The SE is that now but I wonder what the market would be for a smaller 4 or 4s sized iPhone. I know I would pay a premium price for it.

 

[joeblow7777]

The problem occurs when:

1. Holding the phone in my right, I try to press volume (I naturally do this with my index finger, especially for the up volume button), at the same time I often unintentionally press the power with my thumb.

2. Holding the phone in the left hand, when I try to press the volume buttons (with my thumb), my index finger unintentionally presses the power.

Whenever I should reach the up volume button the way you say is natural (thumb of the left hand or the middle finger of the right hand [since you say your index finger on your right hand is behind the phone]) then, in such hand position, I can also perfectly well reach the top of the phone with my index finger (of the hand that is holding the phone).

So, I insist putting the power button on the side is a non sense and it's the thing that drove me crazy on an android phone I had for a while as a second phone. Back then I thought: what idiot can put the power button here. One iPhone generation later, Apple joined the idiots ;-).

Well, I can't say that I've ever had a problem with it, but the fact remains that most people holding the phone in a natural singlehanded grip can't comfortably reach the top of phones this size, whereas your fingers easily access the side.

 

[iConnected]

... according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo

It feels like it's time for MacRumors to be renamed as the "Ming-Chi Kuo blog".

 

[Mac 128]

I'm probably the only person in the world that wishes they would go even smaller with the iPhone. I miss the size of the 4 or 4s. I wish Apple, or any other company for that matter, would try to produce the smallest premium phone on the market. The SE is that now but I wonder what the market would be for a smaller 4 or 4s sized iPhone. I know I would pay a premium price for it.

You're describing the Apple Watch Series 3.

 

[SicTransitGloriaMundi]

dont get me wrong, apple probably deserves some of the sour comments regarding the new mbp, but this is a completely different story. all the hate you're spewing in the comments is -imho- premature. like some other users here have already pointed out: the SE has been released just 8 months ago and if not updated in march it will still be a potent choice for anyone who wants a decent apple mobile phone. also i do think that the SE's target group aren't the "i want all the bleeding edge technology in my headset"-type of guys, so a 1.5 - 2yrs release-cycle should be just fine.

 

[smacrumon]

Actually, at least speaking for myself, I don't want a brand new design, just upgrade to the internals. The design is flawless.

This can't be said about the 6/7: e.g. power switch on the side is horrible - EVERY TIME when I intend to press the power button on my 6s, I also press the volume buttons and vice versa, because you naturally hold the phone (and thus press buttons) on both sides when exerting force on one of them. Power button on the top of the phone is the correct placement.

BTW: going to buy 3 SE's this christmass, for my family and for myself switching from 6s to the much more comfortable smaller size. And hey, audio jack is also there! 🙂

No, the design is dated, badly, SE needs to be thinned, bezels reduced, made form ceramic glass.

 

[Count Blah]

All they really have to do is add a native "I am rich" app and call it a day. Can somebody please come into this thread to remind us Apple is a corporation and not a charity? Because as it stands now they are beginning to blur that line.

Yep, raking customers with TONS of pent up demand for the MBP, over the coals by raising the prices $400, REALLY screams charity to me 🙄

 

[zombierunner]

I want a 7.9 inch iPad with same internals as the pro models

 

[Count Blah]

The 4" won't need updated anymore... The redesigned 4.7" iPhone next year where they ditch the fugly rounded edges and giant bezels will be about the same size as the 4" SE. More screen, less wasted space.

Yeah, and $200+ more in price.

Android shipped in 89% of smartphones sold in the last quarter. Abandon the SE, and watch that % go higher and higher.

 

[RichTeer]

I (personally) wouldn't see any reason to upgrade. other than for a larger screen in a smaller package. I could never use up 128GB on my phone. I griped about Apple using the older Touch ID before I bought SE. But now feel my gripe was unfounded. What I would upgrade for is 3D-Touch. That and also "Reachability" (not sure if that is HW or SW, frankly). It should be on every iOS device, regardless of screen size.

My rationale for wanting more that 64 GB is this: I have a LOT of uncompressed music in my library; I have plenty of space for the whole collection on my 128 GB iPad Air 2, but I can't store the whole library on my 64 GB iPhone 5s. So I don't currently need 128 GB, but I do need more than 64 GB. Given that these things tend to go in powers of 2 makes 128 GB the next best option for me. I can wait. 🙂

 

[macsrcool1234]

Tim Cooks shortcomings are really starting to show as of late

 

[RichTeer]

no idea what the "new" Touch ID is, guess I missed it.

It's the version of Touch ID (Touch ID 2?) that was introduced with the iPhone 6 (or 6s; I forget which). Same basic thing as the older version, but faster. I think the iPad Pros also have it.

 

[Abs_p]

I would guess it'll be refreshed in September as basically a miniaturized iPhone 7 rather than be based on the upcoming iPhone 8. So an underclocked A10 CPU, 2 GB RAM, 3D Touch screen, 12 MP camera with OIS, 2nd gen Touch ID, water resistant, and no headphone jack. The only major concessions will probably be sticking with the iPhone 6s' 5 MP front camera and keeping the 16 GB and 64 GB flash capacities.

I dont think it will get 3D Touch or water resistance or OIS at $399 price point.

It's the version of Touch ID (Touch ID 2?) that was introduced with the iPhone 6 (or 6s; I forget which). Same basic thing as the older version, but faster. I think the iPad Pros also have it.

It was introduced with the 6S 🙂