Kuo: 'iPhone SE 2' Entering Mass Production in January and Launching at the End of March

[TrenttonY]

Being forced to choose between only two models isn’t being spoiled, it’s being highly restricted. People can deal with having more than two choices.

The more the better. I’m fine with a $399 entry level, a $699 mid-market and $999/$1,099 high-end flagships.

Consumers don't like being confused.
"Which one is better?" "Why does this one have this feature and this one doesn't?"
It also lowers the premium factor of your brand (Apple), it shows you have know idea your roadmap, and are just looking for a quick buck.

 

[PickUrPoison]

This looks like perfect phone for me, ideal form factor, new tech... only one questioned not andwered uet, what camera will they use? If main from ip11, perfect! Will buy two first day!

My guess would be the camera from the XR.

 

[orbital~debris]

Likely to be called ’iPhone TE’:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1187861209942495234

 

[majkom]

My guess would be the camera from the XR.

Mine as well, but hoping for better

 

[vnrwka]

how is it an upgrade if it loses 3d touch?

 

[majkom]

how is it an upgrade if it loses 3d touch?

3d touch is overrated

 

[Plutonius]

how is it an upgrade if it loses 3d touch?

because Apple considers it an upgrade .

 

[PickUrPoison]

Consumers don't like being confused.
"Which one is better?" "Why does this one have this feature and this one doesn't?"
It also lowers the premium factor of your brand (Apple), it shows you have know idea your roadmap, and are just looking for a quick buck.

$400, $700, $1000. Whats confusing about that. Good, better best.

“Which one is better?” The $700 model is better than the $400 model.

“Why does this one have this feature and this one doesn't?" Price, most likely.

A 4.7” A13 iphone at $400 doesn’t lower the premium factor of the brand, or at least Apple doesn’t think so. Does the $450 iPhone 8 lower the premium factor of the brand?

The road map is fine, and I think Apple can afford to take the hit on profit from a $400 “SE2”. If you don’t want it don’t buy it, same with the mid-market $700 model.

Your argument reminds me of the complaints about Apple’s iPad line, where there are three models with displays between 10-11”. People aren’t stupid, they can handle three similar models.

Again, price makes the decision for many. $329 iPad, $499 iPad Air and $799 iPad Pro. Nothing wrong with the entry level model, but if you’ve got an extra couple hundred bucks in your budget, the iPad Air is the one you want. If cost is not a particular concern, get the iPad Pro, it’s the best. Good, better best. It’s not rocket science.

 

[waquzy]

I guess we live in a social media thriving world, and Apple doesn’t see enough of a reason to make a 4-inch device anymore. I’m sure there is a niche crowd that loves their 4-inch device, though. However, price is what will drive these sales up. That’s one of the reasons why the XR ($599) and 11 ($699) are doing so well.

This will be an upgraded iPhone 8 with updated internals. Add a bigger battery, updated cameras and A13 and most will be satisfied with that for $399.

niche? Not really, millions of people would like a 4” phone.

 

[surfzen21]

Sorry, but it doesn't seem like there's enough people who want tiny phones anymore. Actually, to me the iPhone 8 form factor seems pretty tiny after having gotten used to the 8 Plus long ago.

I used to have the iphone6 and used a 5c as my work phone. The 5c felt tiny and almost unusable as anything more than calls and text.

Recently upgraded to the iphone 11 and now using my 6 as my work phone.

Previously I thought the 6 was the perfect size but now it seems tiny compared to the 11. Yes the 6 fit in my pocket perfectly but Im not sure I could go back to that size permanently. I do think the 11 is a little too bid and will probably go for a smaller pro next time.

 

[alpi123]

Is it me or he repeats the same stuff every month?

 

[Nozuka]

The iPhone lineup will now have 5 models...

We were spoiled with a simple lineup like the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus (bigger screen, same specs).

I don't see a problem with having more options to choose from.

iPhone 8 will likely be removed though.

(And i'm pretty sure they still offered the iPhone 5s during your magical iPhone 6 time )

 

[itsmilo]

Smart. Selling left over clearance tec for a new price. iPad version 37282828 I am looking at you

 

[RogerWilco]

A new antenna design “to facilitate transmission efficiency”. I’ll let the Chinese buy the first production run...

 

[mattopotamus]

Sure it will fill the void for a cheap entry level iPhone, but people using the SE probably have zero interest. The 6 is probably the worst designed iPhone.

 

[PickUrPoison]

how is it an upgrade if it loses 3d touch?

Apple has ditched 3D Touch, none of the latest models have it. If it’s not on the $700 or $1,000 model, they’re very unlikely to put it on the $400 model.

Eliminating 3D Touch is one reason they can upgrade from A11–>A13 and 2GB—>3GB RAM and yet still cut the selling price to $400.

 

[nfl46]

niche? Not really, millions of people would like a 4” phone.

Yes, and thats mainly because of the iPhone 5, 5s and SE sales. It's still a niche market in 2019 in comparison to the 4.7/5.5/5.8/6.5 iPhones.

 

[waquzy]

Likely to be called ’iPhone TE’:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1187861209942495234

To Donald: The Just Black option was FAR better than the Oh So Orange!

 

[JPSaltzman]

I dread an iPhone with a notch on the front, a bump on the back, and of course the disappearance of the headphone jack. So it's not really an SE at all, folks. It's just another iPhone that won't fit in your pants pockets. It will probably continue with Apple's fine tradition of poor cellular phone-call quality / drop-outs, etc., though, since no one apparently cares about using the iPhone to make phone calls... but to only take photos.

 

[acblue94]

Apple's "iPhone SE 2" is scheduled to go into mass production in January 2020 and will launch at the end of March, according to the latest information from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The timing basically tallies with Kuo's previous reports on the so-called "iPhone SE 2," in which he predicted a Q1 2020 release for the device, which is expected to start at $399.

Relying on historical patterns in Apple's product release schedule to predict future launches is not without risk, but March has traditionally been the launch month of Apple's more affordable iPhone.

The original iPhone SE was announced on March 21, 2016, pre-orders began on March 24 and the device was officially released on March 31, 2016. It was re-released almost a year later on March 24, 2017 with larger storage capacities. Apple has also held special launch events in the last week of March for the last two years.

Specs for the new low-end iPhone are said to include:
[*]4.7-inch display[*]A13 CPU (same as iPhone 11)[*]3GB LPDDR4X RAM[*]64GB and 128GB options[*]Space Gray, Silver and Red colors[*]Home button[*]No 3D TouchKuo expects the device to look similar to the iPhone 8 and believes it will be a popular upgrade option for existing iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S owners, serving as a "key growth driver" for Apple in 2020. He believes these customers have low desire for new features like Face ID and multiple cameras, suggesting the "iPhone SE 2" will stick with Touch ID and a single-lens rear camera.

In terms of shipments, Kuo estimates that monthly shipments of the iPhone SE 2 will be between 2 million and 4 million. Kuo also expects the iPhone SE 2 will use a liquid crystal polymer LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) antenna design to facilitate transmission efficiency.

According to other industry sources, LG is in talks with Apple to supply LCD displays for the successor to the iPhone SE, with the panels currently undergoing last-minute quality checks.

Of course, "iPhone SE 2" might not be the final name of the device, with iPhone 8s and iPhone 9 speculated as other possibilities. With a larger 4.7-inch display, the device won't be as portable as the original iPhone SE, which will surely disappoint fans of that model.

Article Link: Kuo: 'iPhone SE 2' Entering Mass Production in January and Launching at the End of March

Lol. So they are re-releasing the iPhone 6s with spec bumps. Lmao.
[automerge]1572263837[/automerge]

I dread an iPhone with a notch on the front, a bump on the back, and of course the disappearance of the headphone jack. So it's not really an SE at all, folks. It's just another iPhone that won't fit in your pants pockets. It will probably continue with Apple's fine tradition of poor cellular phone-call quality / drop-outs, etc., though, since no one apparently cares about using the iPhone to make phone calls... but to only take photos.

You can’t for a 4.7” in your pants. Do you wear spandex pants or something?

 

[oldmacs]

I don't see a problem with having more options to choose from.

iPhone 8 will likely be removed though.

(And i'm pretty sure they still offered the iPhone 5s during your magical iPhone 6 time )

They did - and the 5C.

 

[PickUrPoison]

niche? Not really, millions of people would like a 4” phone.

How many millions? Three? Five? Ten? Twenty?

Still niche when you’re selling 200 million a year.

Who knows if he’s right, but Kuo’s estimating 30-40 million sold in 2020. If it had a 5.5” display instead of a 4.7” and was still priced at $400, I think they’d sell even more than that. Because most people like bigger phones.

 

[acblue94]

To Donald: The Just Black option was FAR better than the Oh So Orange!

Monday morning and I have to wake up and read this. Crazy’s seem to be up early.
[automerge]1572263968[/automerge]

Yes, and thats mainly because of the iPhone 5, 5s and SE sales. It's still a niche market in 2019 in comparison to the 4.7/5.5/5.8/6.5 iPhones.

Maybe you should look into the 3” so you can fit it in your coin pocket in your jeans.

 

[arkitect]

One last appeal Tim before you enter mass production. Its not that we want cheap, we want small! You’ve got the iPhone pro, how about the iPhone mini? I’ve hung on to my SE because I like to go running without a brick in my pocket.

As much as I agree with your sentiment personally — I love my SE for its size and portability — I fear that ship has sailed.

We will be getting a "cheaper" iPhone 8…

Unfortunately Apple missed the whole point that made the SE so beloved of many of us.

A pity.

 

[acblue94]

Sure it will fill the void for a cheap entry level iPhone, but people using the SE probably have zero interest. The 6 is probably the worst designed iPhone.

The 6 was the ugliest phone. And those antenna bands and that aluminum.
[automerge]1572264052[/automerge]

As much as I agree with your sentiment personally — I love my SE for its size and portability — I fear that ship has sailed.

We will be getting a "cheaper" iPhone 8…

Unfortunately Apple missed the whole point that made the SE so beloved of many of us.

A pity.

You can buy a flip phone. They are about 3” when closed.