Target Returns iPhone SE Stock Ahead of Apple's Rumored March Event

[MacRumors]

Target this week instructed its stores to return a number of iPhone SE models to Apple by today, March 1, according to a company memo obtained by MacRumors.

iPhone SE devices that are to be returned include six unlocked 16GB and 64GB models in Gold, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray, and two Sprint models.

An anonymous employee informed us that her Target store had not received iPhone SE stock since before the iPhone 7 was announced in September 2016.

While there are many possible reasons for Target to send back iPhone SE stock, such as poor sales of select models, the move comes just days or weeks before Apple's rumored March event, where a 128GB iPhone SE may be announced. However, no other hardware changes have been rumored.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said an iPhone SE refresh is unlikely in the first half of this year, so fans of Apple's lower-priced smartphone shouldn't set their hopes too high about a second-generation model yet. The original iPhone SE, which starts at $399, was introduced in March 2016.

Even without a full refresh, one possible scenario is that Apple could begin selling the iPhone SE in 32GB and 128GB capacities, doubling the storage space of the current 16GB and 64GB models, going forward.

Article Link: Target Returns iPhone SE Stock Ahead of Apple's Rumored March Event

 

[macsrcool1234]

TIL that stores can return stock.

 

[gnasher729]

TIL that stores can return stock.

If there is a return policy, say 14 days, and a new model comes out in 12 days, it might be a good idea to not sell old stock and use them for warranty replacements instead.

 

[TallManNY]

Nice. I hope Apple just does a spec bump on the SE (CPU, RAM and camera) but otherwise keeps it pretty much the same. Great form factor and Apple seems willing to sell it at a reasonable price.

 

[Bart Kela]

The most likely scenario is that Apple will move to a 32GB iPhone SE model as the entry model and bump the bigger one to 128GB.

The 16GB (and possible 64GB) model may continue to be sold in developing markets at a lower price.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

TIL that stores can return stock.

Many of the items in big box and department stores are sold on consignment or are sold in leased out departments. Additionally manufacturers have to buy or subsidize shelf space and space in weekly flyers. Nothing on a shelf is placed haphazardly.

 

[MattG]

I love my SE...bump it to 128GB and I'd get another.

 

[jacobh101]

When is Apple's March event taking place?

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Touch ID Gen 2, 3D Touch, and you have a sale from me.

 

[wiivile]

I've been holding onto my 64gb iPhone 5S, praying for a 128GB release of the SE. Hoping that day will come soon. I like the 4" form factor and the ability for one-handed use!

 

[Gudi]

The purpose of the iPhone SE is to reuse old technology and production lines to make it cheap. It will never be updated.

 

[jacobh101]

The purpose of the iPhone SE is to reuse old technology and production lines to make it cheap. It will never be updated.

Thats false, on the SE they upgraded the processor, camera, ram, battery, etc.

 

[imicca]

This does make perfect sense.
Several of my friends who got an iPhone SE (16GB) upgrade from carriers (operators) for free sold them on eBay or returned to Sevrice provider.
Also, according to my source at Apple Store Regent Street London, 64 GB model gets approx. 90% of SE sales there. If you seach on ebay you are more likely to find 16GB model listings.

32 GB iPhone SE with price drop would destroy small markets around the globe.

 

[GrumpyMom]

Touch ID Gen 2, 3D Touch, and you have a sale from me.

I don't know if 3D Touch will be easy to use on such a small display. It's fine on the watch where you just need to do one thing and it doesn't matter where exactly you press down, as long as you get more or less centered. It might be trickier on an SE display. And would require the phone to be thicker, on a form factor people prize for being tiny. I wonder if Apple would go for that. Maybe. But it would also add to the manufacturing cost, and this being a price sensitive product, it may not fly with Apple or some of the target market.

But if Apple can make it happen and work well, that's all to the good. I hope you get your wish list fulfilled.

 

[S14Drvr]

The purpose of the iPhone SE is to reuse old technology and production lines to make it cheap. It will never be updated.

are you for real? As "new tech" becomes old it will trickle down into the SE model so your claim that it will never be updated is false. As prices fall on storage and componets etc, they are re-hashed in the SE and still sold at a profit

 

[imicca]

TIL that stores can return stock.

absolutely. It is normal everyday practice.

 

[BuffaloTF]

I'd be happy with the SE being last-years model, placed in the smaller form factor this year... It's an awesome size.

 

[Paddle1]

They'll probably just double the storage. I wonder if they'll lower the price?

 

[rudychidiac]

the iPhone SE needs second gen. Touch ID, 3D Touch, more storage and new black colour option

 

[mattopotamus]

outside of the form factor, the battery is a huge appeal of the SE. I feel like any significant hardware upgrades would take away from this, e.g. 3D Touch.

 

[Dan From Canada]

Hopefully this means Apple will stop gouging customers for memory upgrades? The increase in price is obscene compared to what memory can be bought for.

I would like to see the new 128gb model go for the same price that the 64gb one now goes for.

 

[tkukoc]

SE doesn't need 3D Touch when 3D Touch has been completely forgotten by Apple in software updates. You can't do much with it at all. What started out as a great idea is just another lost cause when Apple is so busy with hardware updates they continue to forget the software that needs to be supported. So until they get serious about fully overhauling IOS, there's zero reason for these additions such as 3D touch.. among plenty of others they've done nothing with.

 

[Kaibelf]

Nice. I hope Apple just does a spec bump on the SE (CPU, RAM and camera) but otherwise keeps it pretty much the same. Great form factor and Apple seems willing to sell it at a reasonable price.

Indeed! A suggested it for a several people who didn't feel the 7 or 7 plus was right for them size-wise, and all of them are thrilled with pretty much everything about it.

 

[Jsameds]

SE doesn't need 3D Touch when 3D Touch has been completely forgotten by Apple in software updates. You can't do much with it at all. What started out as a great idea is just another lost cause when Apple is so busy with hardware updates they continue to forget the software that needs to be supported. So until they get serious about fully overhauling IOS, there's zero reason for these additions such as 3D touch.. among plenty of others they've done nothing with.

Well I for one use it multiple times daily. I didn't realise how much I actually used the feature until I used my iPad.

 

[Juicy Box]

I've been holding onto my 64gb iPhone 5S, praying for a 128GB release of the SE. Hoping that day will come soon. I like the 4" form factor and the ability for one-handed use!

I am hoping that Apple upgrades the SE to 128GB of storage.

I currently use an iPhone 6s Plus with 128GB storage. I purchased it to replace my iPhone 5s thinking I would like the larger screen even though I do not like the design of the phone.

I do like size, but only if I am sitting down, and can have two hands on it. It is almost unusable one handed imo. Taking one handed photos is not easy. The rounded edges make it kind of slippery.

Anyways, I would have replaced it with an SE/5/5s design, it was my second favorite after the 4/4s. I just wanted a larger size storage.

I might get my wish.