Kuo: Apple No Longer Planning to Launch iPhone SE 4 Next Year

[mkoesel]

The original SEs took an iPhone 5 and 8 as-is and just added an upgraded chip and occasionally, a better, single camera module. That’s not really possible with any other Apple devices expect for the XR. The rest have multiple cameras, etc which make it cost prohibitive to what we know/expect from an SE device.

And more importantly, the XR is the only post-iPhone-8 device with an LCD screen. Reengineering a device from OLED to LCD would likely be even more cost prohibitive than downgrading it to a simpler single-camera module.

Also consider that the dual camera iPhone 11 started life at the same $699 price point as the XR and, perhaps more tellingly, exited at the same $499 price point. Using either as the basis for a $429 iPhone next year would appear to be feasible.

Contrast that with the all-OLED iPhone 12 lineup where the standard phone saw its price jump to $799 while the Mini took over the the $699 slot. The following year, maintaining the pattern, these were kept in the lineup at $100 less. But then this year - the iPhone 12’s final year in the lineup - they elected to drop the 12 Mini completely instead of knocking another $100 off of it’s price which would have seen it hit that crucial potential-pre-SE-duty $499 slot.

This strongly suggests Apple has no intention of bringing back the $499 legacy phone. Even if they decide to buck the trend and keep the 13 Mini around this September (to have a small, modern phone in the lineup for one final year) I would bet it stays at its current $599 price and the standard 13 exits early instead of also falling to $599.

When will we see a $499 OLED iPhone from Aplple? Maybe never. This means it’s not clear when we’ll see an OLED SE either. So, if the XR(/11)based SE is canceled as rumored (rather than simply delayed) it leaves no obvious candidate for an SE4. This opens up the door for a possible new low-cost iPhone product that instead of $429 starts at between, let’s say $549 to $679. Not an SE, but still a rehash of an older (OLED) phone at any rate. And maybe they do standard biannual form-factor switches instead of the much longer cycle of the SE. something like that.

 

[turbineseaplane]

If they wanted to modify a recent device to make it an SE, that would cost money and would make it more expensive than $429.

Who would make it more expensive? (Apple would)

It's not asking too much for the most valuable company on the world to dig into their self set "required margins" to create a compelling entry price point device that gets and keeps folks in the ecosystem.

Apple getting "the cut they always want" isn't some law of nature.
Let's ask more out of our zillionaire overlords and megacorps

 

[turbineseaplane]

Let me summarize this 11 page thread so far:

Some folks: I’d love to have a smaller/LCD/TouchID device

Other folks: No, you’re wrong to have your preferences, you must agree to purchase what I like because I am right and speak for “everybody”

Great post

It's really sad and frustrating to see so many being so "definitive" in their defense of their own situation and/or what ever Apple does/doesn't do -- as if everything they do is "right" and "should be defended" and "the way".

(ample evidence to the contrary)

 

[wood1208]

In 2024, it would be good for Apple to come out SE4 with USB-C, 5G, edge-to-edge between 5.5-6.1 inches size screen, updated processor, iceland, etc Many people including myself still like touch id; not sure how Apple will keep touch id to it's low cost iPhone ?

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

So the cancellation was most likely caused by something else like the availability of the A17 in early 2024 perhaps?

I’d assume the cancellation was because Apple knows they can’t make a profit on a phone with a completely different body and keep it at around $400-450.
Especially if the rumors of them using a 5.7 inch display, a completely different size and resolution that they’ve never used before, had any amount of truth to it.
Plus the current SE already has the same processor as the current standard iPhones, it already has 5G like the current standard iPhones, so it’s not like it’s begging for an update.
Apple Could release the exact same phone as the current SE but with USB-C and it could easily last until 2025 in their lineup.

 

[I7guy]

Great post

It's really sad and frustrating to see so many being so "definitive" in their defense of their own situation and/or what ever Apple does/doesn't do -- as if everything they do is "right" and "should be defended" and "the way".

(ample evidence to the contrary)

Sure, people want apple to make products to their specifications. And when Apple doesn't they loudly proclaim they won't buy said products.

But with the SE, one can easily read between the lines...Apple can't make a decent profit on them.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Name checks out

That's why I chose it.

 

[_Spinn_]

I wonder if Apple will be able to deliver on their own modem chip. Seems like recent stories have been about all the issues coming up during development.

 

[Tagbert]

I wonder if Apple will be able to deliver on their own modem chip. Seems like recent stories have been about all the issues coming up during development.

Most recent rumors push that out to 2025 or so. I'm sure that it is tricky to develop a cellular modem and not get tangled up in Qualcomm patents.

 

[eifelbube]

Check you facts better: iPhone 12 Pro, 13 Pro and 12 mini aren’t officially sold anymore. You can easily find Apple official lineup in their website

Does not matter. Fact is there was a time when all were available for purchase, hence my agreement with the poster who called it “bloat”

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Thank you SO much for saying this

I have 5 different older relatives (all over 70) that absolutely have to have Touch ID / Home button phones

Swipes are totally confusing to them, and for 2 of them basically impossible with their hands that have some shake/tremor.

For all noise Apple makes about accessibility, it'd be really nice to see them remain committed to some Home button iPhones. The simplicity of the "save me .. just click to go home" one main button was brilliant and it still is.

So many folks can't do (or don't want to) the hand and finger gymnastics to simply interact with their device.

Agree.

I work for a major healthcare provider in here in the UK and due to the nature of our service we have a lot of elderly users of our iOS app, we see a lot of the iPad and iPhone models with the home button, they are very popular.

Choice is always good.

 

[Saradove]

I want:
A small phone
Touch ID
LCD display vs OLED

Chances are slim I’ll get a new one from Apple & that’s why I love my
SE 2022.

P.S. I am over 70

 

[Mega ST]

My mother owns some iPhone 8, my father some SE2 and I have a SE3 that will all need replacement one day. I might even upgrade to some more expensive iPhone if its camera feels interesting enough to me. But my parents would be in the market for affordable, easy to use phones again. They look for nothing fancy.
Apple will need to keep some mass market phone offer seriously below 1000 dollars in the future to keep a lot of the audience and to stay relevant.