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

[Lounge vibes 05]

They've already added 5G to the SE and raised the price along with it.

If they've cancelled a 2024 refresh of the SE (which is still pretty far out), I bet this has something to do with the switch to USB-C. Apple is going to introduce the iPhone 15 line with USB-C next year, but they aren't going to run around and redesign all of their old iPhones that they still sell to include USB-C. That also rules out reusing an old product design for an updated SE (which they are so found of doing). By 2024, any SE would have to be an entire new design with USB-C...something Apple has proven unwillingly to do for a low cost iPhone. It may well be that the SE we have today will remain until a USB-C iPhone trickles down to the SE.

Or, they keep the current SE absolutely identical, but add a USB-C port instead of lightning.
That’s what they just did with the Apple TV remote, absolutely identical remote in every way, except for a USB-C port instead of lightning.
If so, it wouldn’t really require any type of vamp in production from Apple‘s partners, therefore, it wouldn’t really be rumored.
Just a really really minor update put on their website probably at the same time as the iPhone 15 series.
Same phone, same battery, same display, same speakers, same home button, same colors, just with a USB-C port.
I also expect this to happen to the AirPods and AirPods Prolineup next year as well, in the same way they added wireless charging to the original AirPods and MagSafe to the original AirPods Pro with really tiny website refreshes, I expect the entire line to be silently bumped to USB-C as well.
Apple did a similar thing when switching from the 30 pin dock to lightning, introduced tiny bumps to pretty much everything to make their line-up entirely lightning within a matter of months.

 

[PauloSera]

Or, they keep the current SE absolutely identical, but add a USB-C port instead of lightning.
That’s what they just did with the Apple TV remote, absolutely identical remote in every way, except for a USB-C port instead of lightning.
If so, it wouldn’t really require any type of vamp in production from Apple‘s partners, therefore, it wouldn’t really be rumored.
Just a really really minor update put on their website probably at the same time as the iPhone 15 series.
Same phone, same battery, same display, same speakers, same home button, same colors, just with a USB-C port.
I also expect this to happen to the AirPods and AirPods Prolineup next year as well, in the same way they added wireless charging to the original AirPods and MagSafe to the original AirPods Pro with really tiny website refreshes, I expect the entire line to be silently bumped to USB-C as well.
Apple did a similar thing when switching from the 30 pin dock to lightning, introduced tiny bumps to pretty much everything to make their line-up entirely lightning within a matter of months.

It's not that simple with the phone. Aspects of SOC will be designed with USB-C in mind.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Aspects of SOC will be designed with USB-C in mind.

USB2 over Lightning -> USB2 over USB-C.

So simple someone already did it on an existing phone in their basement.

 

[sw1tcher]

The SE model never made much sense to my uneducated view, older models at cheaper prices with only one color/storage option seems like the better idea no?

No, as I already explained because that older model iPhone would be 4 years old to hit the $400 price point of the iPhone SE.

iPhone 14 starts at $799
iPhone 13 starts at $699 while 13 mini starts at $599
iPhone 12 starts at $599. (If 12 mini was still around it might be $499??? 🤷‍♂️)
iPhone 11, if it was still around, would probably start at $499
iPhone Xs, if it was still around, would then start at $399... the iPhone SE starting price point.

An iPhone Xs at $399 would be Apple ripping off the customer as it would only see maybe another year of OS upgrades. But considering Apple still sells the Watch 3, I wouldn't put it past Apple to rip off the customer like that even knowing full well that an iPhone Xs is approaching it's end of life. Unless you don't care about receiving OS updates anymore.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-still-sells-refurbished-apple-watch-series-3-models-but-you-shouldnt-buy-one.2374373/

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

With mini seemingly discontinued…

The Mini was not discontinued, you can still buy a brand new 13 mini straight from Apple for the exact same price as it was on its launch day.
It never got lowered in price, it’s never been removed from any websites, you can still buy it.
And you’ll probably still be able to buy it, even after the 15 comes out.
And get this? It pretty much has identical specifications to the new 14 series.
And given that the new 14+ doesn’t seem to be doing so well, I wouldn’t be so sure that the mini design will never ever come back in any capacity.

 

[JPack]

The logic board is easy. The whole package is not. Rearranging a board is not redesigning an entire phone, which is what is required for a major change like USB-C.

If one guy on YouTube can modify iPhone X without rearranging an "entire phone" you can bet Apple can do it.

Keep in mind every iPhone 8 and newer already has a USB-C controller onboard.

 

[SpotOnT]

All the comments suggesting that people just buy an old phone instead of the SE just don’t get it. The cost of the iPhone in terms of how much you pay per year of iOS support tends to be about the same for their entire lineup. Buying a 14 today or a 12 today will problem cost about the same per year if you upgrade when Apple drops iOS support.

Where the SE shined was in its value. Low cost, plus 5 years or so of iOS support. This is particularly important for employers. They don’t want to buy a cheap iPhone that looses software support in 2 years. That just isn’t worth it.

I honestly don’t see a world where Apple ends the SE line. Waiting until 2025 to release the next SE sure. But not ending it permanently.

Also, for all the comments complaining about line bloat, presumably you are also advocating for Apple to only release one new iPhone a year instead of four right? Check your hypocrisy.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Well, yeah. People don't want cheap iPhones. They want the top of the line Pro models. That's why the regular 14 sales suck. That's why they stopped making the other cheap phones.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Looks like Apple finally realized they can’t compete in that segment of the phone market and keep their margins.

They just can’t compete with the value some of the Android phones bring at prices lower than the current SE’s.

For many people, all they need is a large screen with a good enough camera and decent battery life.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I honestly don’t see a world where Apple ends the SE line. Waiting until 2025 to release the next SE sure. But not ending it permanently.

I agree with you

The lower price points of the SE are really important

Maybe they are course correcting, but they aren’t going to fully abandon that niche — it’d be a massive strategic mistake

Folks have to remember the value to Apple, with their continual and growing services push, of simply having folks somewhere in the ecosystem. Chopping off the low end completely would be a disaster, and filling the demand there with old stuff that gets iOS support abandoned that many years sooner is not an answer here.

 

[rafark]

I'd love a SE X. 😏

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

It's not that simple with the phone. Aspects of SOC will be designed with USB-C in mind.

No?
A15 is already used in devices with USB-C, more specifically the iPad mini.
And if I’m not mistaken, Apple was literally using iPad mini parts to build iPhones during this year’s shortage.

Apple Reportedly Using iPad Components in iPhone 13 to Offset Shortages

Amid long waiting times for iPhone 13 models around the world, Apple has reportedly reallocated iPad parts to make up for shortages, in another...

www.macrumors.com

So… no it does not require a redesign of the CPU, no idea what you’re ob about.
And again, the latest Apple remote. Absolutely identical to the previous Apple remote in every way… Except for the port. And it costs the same.
Absolutely no reason they can’t do that with an iPhone, literally their biggest and most profitable product.

 

[Bawstun]

RIP iPhone Mini
RIP iPhone SE

I always thought people loved the iPhone SE models due to the cheaper costs.

They do. The iPhone SE outsold the iPhone 12 one year, sold over 22 million units.

 

[IsaacM]

Especially now that the price of iPhone 15 is expected to drop.

That being said, I doubt the iPhone 15 will get any meaningful upgrades over the 14 or 13 for that matter, considering inflation and increased manufacturing costs and the fact they are targetting a price reduction...

It’s getting a 48MP camera which is a more significant upgrade than anything since iPhone 12

 

[Unami]

RIP iPhone Mini
RIP iPhone SE

I always thought people loved the iPhone SE models due to the cheaper costs.

I guess it depends on the SE-buyer. I've met some who didn't care about tech specs and just wanted to be in the iPhone eco-system. They were not happy about the conceved high price of the SE, but didn't waste too much thoughts on it.

And then there's the other group that were not happy that they could only afford (or were given by parents/employers) an iPhone SE, and didn't like that they had to pay so much for old hardware.

Personally, I've yet to meet someone who wouldn't rather take an iPhone mini or regular iphone.

 

[majkom]

nobody wants tiny phones anymore and people are willing to buy Pro/Max (soon to be Ultra) models. makes sense for them to cut the bloated devices nobody wants and focus on just the 15, 15 Pro, 15 Ultra.

i wish Apple would make the Ultra models a bit bigger. 6.7" is nice but wouldn't be mad if they pushed it to 6.9-7.1". i often wish my 12 Pro Max was bigger. anyway i'll be going with the 15 Ultra this year even if it's still only 6.7"

Yeah sure😂 maybe in your world dont care about prices but in reality, except us (with quite specific situation regarding carriers plans) apple is not dominant player.. and suprusingly because it has no offer for lower price segments…

 

[FlyingDutch]

Apple never release detailed information about sales, but I’m still wondering how big the request for an SE is… in my opinion an one or two generations old iPhone is a better choice than a “low end” model.

 

[majkom]

Well, yeah. People don't want cheap iPhones. They want the top of the line Pro models. That's why the regular 14 sales suck. That's why they stopped making the other cheap phones.

Nope. Regular 14 sales suck cause it is ip13 but more expensive.. same SOC, same design, little camera upgrade and thats it… who would buy that?

 

[crsh1976]

Too bad if it's true, the SE line is Apple's shot at the entry level and likely rakes in many disappointed Android users who are not used to pay the high premium prices of the iOS world.

One could argue "nobody care about that market", but this could also mean that iPhones are just going to keep getting more expensive.

 

[Rychiar]

RIP iPhone Mini
RIP iPhone SE

I always thought people loved the iPhone SE models due to the cheaper costs.

I waited til the last SE came out to buy my mom a new phone and wound up buying her an iPhone 11 which they still sold at the time. It def seemed to be the better value.

 

[Tagbert]

my friend has a touch id iphone and often asks me to help her do things on it. i hate using that stupid touch id button. it's the one that doesn't even click in but is touch sensitive. i don't know why people inflict that upon themselves.

i can never go back to a phone with touch id unless it was under display. the fingerprint reading isn't really the issue but using it to go to home or multitask.

Fortunately no one is forcing you to go back to touchID. Are you OK with forcing touchID folks to switch to FaceID?

 

[Realityck]

And given that the new 14+ doesn’t seem to be doing so well, I wouldn’t be so sure that the mini design will never ever come back in any capacity.

Having the equivalent size choice of the iPhone14 vs iPhone14 Pro is too similar. There is some truth to many comments mentioned. If you want a big one, why not spend more. Removing the mini made it less choice when it comes getting it in a preferable size. As lots are Ok with the 5.4" iPhones, but the 4.7" is a bit small for the current marketplace.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Especially now that the price of iPhone 15 is expected to drop.

That being said, I doubt the iPhone 15 will get any meaningful upgrades over the 14 or 13 for that matter, considering inflation and increased manufacturing costs and the fact they are targetting a price reduction...

Do you really believe the price will drop ?

 

[sw1tcher]

Also, for all the comments complaining about line bloat, presumably you are also advocating for Apple to only release one new iPhone a year instead of four right? Check your hypocrisy.

And when you factor in the different iPhone 14 storage capacities (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB) along with all the color choices (5 for 14 and 14 Plus, 4 for Pro and Pro Max) on top of the 4 different iPhone 14 models, yeah, that's A LOT of bloat. But they completely ignore that.

Apple should be like Ford with the Model T. You can have it in any color and capacity you want as long as it's black and 256GB or 512GB. 🤣

 

[one more]

The Mini was not discontinued, you can still buy a brand new 13 mini straight from Apple for the exact same price as it was on its launch day.
It never got lowered in price, it’s never been removed from any websites, you can still buy it.
And you’ll probably still be able to buy it, even after the 15 comes out.
And get this? It pretty much has identical specifications to the new 14 series.
And given that the new 14+ doesn’t seem to be doing so well, I wouldn’t be so sure that the mini design will never ever come back in any capacity.

I appreciate that we can still buy 13 mini straight from Apple, which is indeed good news, yet I am not so sure they would still be selling it once iPhones 15 are out.