Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, renowned for his reliable information on Apple products, claims that the release of the iPhone SE 4 could be delayed or even canceled. The firm could review the positioning of its mid-range smartphone.
When the iPhone SE launched in 2016, it marked a triumphant return of the ‘budget’ iPhone, with a device then available from €489 and a powerful processor as well as an excellent camera. In 2020, the iPhone SE 2e generation arrives, at the same price, with very conclusive performances. The latest generation called iPhone SE3 or iPhone SE 2022 is also a good compromise from €453 excluding tax today in the 64 GB version on the Apple France site. Rumors about the next iteration were even more exciting, with the adoption of an “all-screen” design that gets rid of the Home button once and for all.
However, it now seems that this never happens. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, analyst and connoisseur of the iPhone range, Apple “will probably cancel or postpone the mass production plan for the iPhone SE 4 of 2024”. The phone, however, was on track to release in the spring of 2024 following the same two-year cadence as the current iPhone SE.
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My latest survey indicates that Apple will likely cancel or postpone the 2024 iPhone SE 4 mass production plan. I believe this is due to consistently lower than expected shipments of midrange iPhones (e.g. SE 3 , 13 mini and 14 Plus),— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) December 21, 2022
Ming-Chi Kuo attributes the decision to “lower-than-expected shipments of mid-range and low-end iPhones,” including the iPhone SE 3, iPhone 13 mini, and iPhone 14 Plus, as well as ” concerns that the full-screen design of the iPhone SE 4 will lead to an increase in cost/selling price”. The iPhone SE 4 is rumored to have another design that borrows heavily from the iPhone XR, eliminating the home button and potentially adopting more modern features including Face ID, an OLED display, more storage and a device improved picture.
The SE range not popular enough?
We’ve heard for years that Apple’s so-called low-end iPhones don’t sell as well as its high-priced Pro phones, but it was assumed that the SE range was popular enough. However, Ming-Chi Kuo’s report suggests that the SE has only mixed success despite costing several hundred euros less than an iPhone 14. If the Cupertino company does not contradict this information, it is likely to keep the current iPhone SE around for a bit longer before ditching the lineup altogether.
The analyst adds that “reducing unnecessary expenses related to the development of new products also allows the company to meet the challenges of the global economic recession in 2023”. Apple launched many more products in 2022, including the Mac Studio, Apple Watch Ultra, and 10th Gen iPad, and it’s rumored to launch several more in 2023, with an augmented reality headset in mind.