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Chinese display manufacturers are now bidding to supply Apple with OLED displays for the fourth-generation iPhone SE, ITHome reports.

iphone-se-4-modified-flag-edges.jpg

Suppliers, including Tianma, are currently seeking to obtain orders from Apple for AMOLED panels suitable for the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Tianma would be a secondary supplier, since a bigger manufacturer like BOE is likely to take the lion's share of orders. Apple staff responsible for panel procurement reportedly visited several major OLED panel factories in China in the first half of 2023 in relation to the iPhone SE.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the fourth-generation iPhone SE will feature a 6.1-inch OLED display with a design similar to the iPhone 14. It is also expected to sport Apple's long-rumored custom 5G modem. The device is not expected to launch until 2025.

Article Link: Suppliers Now Bidding on iPhone SE 4 OLED Panel Orders
 
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Apple staff responsible for panel procurement reportedly visited several major OLED panel factories in China in the first half of 2023 in relation to the iPhone SE.
So, basically, Apple has been months visiting factories in search for the cheapest OLED screen manufacturers, in order to keep the SE4 at a low price without compromising their margins. Or at least that’s my interpretation.

Mind you, I don’t know anything about Tianma, and actually BOE screens are pretty good in my experience, but I have the suspicion that maybe this won’t be the greatest OLED screens out there…

I guess I’ll get an iPhone 14 before they discontinue it, if the 15 doesn’t convince me.
 
Bad news for PWM sensitive people. Iphone 11 and SE are the last LCD non-flickering phones in the Apple universe.
And this could mean the end of iPhone (Or even modern smartphone for that matter) for those folks. Regardless of what LED technology is using, as long as PWM dimming is used, no LED is safe for those people sensitive to PWM. Will Apple give up Using PWM? Unlikely I’d argue.
 
I have never used OLED phone. My iPhones so far: iPhone 4s, iPhone 6, iPhone XR (current).

How can I test if I’m sensitive to OLED PWM without buying the phone? Is it something I can test in store?
 
I have never used OLED phone. My iPhones so far: iPhone 4s, iPhone 6, iPhone XR (current).

How can I test if I’m sensitive to OLED PWM without buying the phone? Is it something I can test in store?

I would recommend trying it for at least few days, using it as you would usually use your phone. One option would be getting it from Apple or another seller or cellular carrier and trying it within their 14-day return period.
 
This means a new, 4th generation SE in Q2 2024? April 2024?

I’m guessing it’s an iPhone 12-13-14 “clone” with A16, single rear camera, FaceID (since 15 and 15 Pro iPhones all get Dynamic Island) and a slew of down-grades all around (compared to iPhones 14 and 15, maybe 13 too since it’ll remain in the 2023-2024 lineups).

🤔

The upside could be that this 6.1” SE will have great battery life because the display will probably be less bright and lower pixel density than iPhones 13, 14 and 15.
 
This means a new, 4th generation SE in Q2 2024? April 2024?

I’m guessing it’s an iPhone 12-13-14 “clone” with A16, single rear camera, FaceID (since 15 and 15 Pro iPhones all get Dynamic Island) and a slew of down-grades all around (compared to iPhones 14 and 15, maybe 13 too since it’ll remain in the 2023-2024 lineups).

🤔

The upside could be that this 6.1” SE will have great battery life because the display will probably be less bright and lower pixel density than iPhones 13, 14 and 15.

“The device is not expected to launch until 2025.”
 
And this could mean the end of iPhone (Or even modern smartphone for that matter) for those folks. Regardless of what LED technology is using, as long as PWM dimming is used, no LED is safe for those people sensitive to PWM. Will Apple give up Using PWM? Unlikely I’d argue.
Oddly enough I get even worse symptoms from the current crop of iPhone LCD displays. Apple does something weird with those, too. A very few other people are also sensitive to them as well.

I’m using a 12 Pro Max OLED display just fine. But I had to give up my 14 Pro Max because the headaches got so intense after several months. So go figure. It’s a weird situation all around for those of us with some degree of symptoms to display flickering.
 
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This means a new, 4th generation SE in Q2 2024? April 2024?

I’m guessing it’s an iPhone 12-13-14 “clone” with A16, single rear camera, FaceID (since 15 and 15 Pro iPhones all get Dynamic Island) and a slew of down-grades all around (compared to iPhones 14 and 15, maybe 13 too since it’ll remain in the 2023-2024 lineups).

🤔

The upside could be that this 6.1” SE will have great battery life because the display will probably be less bright and lower pixel density than iPhones 13, 14 and 15.

So far Apple have never tweaked the physical design of an iPhone SE as compared to its predecessor, so they might just use the current iPhone 14 as the model without changing a bit (so a notch sans Dynamic Island and two current cameras behind). If it comes in spring 2025, we would be at iPhone 16 by then, so 14 will be like 12 right now.
 
Apple releases the Watch SE at the same time as the main models — why wouldn’t they do the same for the iPhone SE? I’m thinking this may be released fall 2024, but it would depend on the modem unless they push that later.
 
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