It looks like we’ll never get an iPhone SE 4 from Apple
It seems increasingly likely that we will not see the iPhone SE 4 – and this puts the entire future of the series in doubt, and apparent doubts about its popularity and profitability cause Apple to reassess the status of the cheapest of iPhones.
This comes from a respected analyst Ming Chi Kuo (opens in a new tab) (by MacRumors (opens in a new tab)), who is most often right about Apple’s predictions. Kuo says Apple has told its suppliers that the iPhone SE 4 won’t launch in 2024, or even any other time.
This isn’t the most surprising change: there have been rumors before that there’s no guarantee that the next iPhone SE will arrive, and it looks like the phone’s fate has already been sealed.
5G chip switch
There’s a subplot here that – according to Kuo – Apple planned to use the iPhone SE 4 to debut its own 5G chip, developed in-house. However, there are “concerns” that the chip’s performance “may not match” the Qualcomm chips Apple currently uses in its phones.
This leaves Qualcomm as the big winner of the iPhone SE 4 cancellation as it may continue to supply Apple with 5G chips for the foreseeable future. iPhones of course already use Apple-designed processors, with the A16 Bionic inside the iPhone 14 Pro.
With last year’s launch of the iPhone SE (2022), the third in the series, we wouldn’t expect another one until 2024. Now, however, there are serious doubts that we’ll ever see a refresh of this affordable iPhone, although Apple tends to keep older models of its flagship phones on sale for a cheaper alternative.
Analysis: Is Anyone Buying an iPhone SE?
we thunder is heard (opens in a new tab) that the iPhone SE (2022) sales figures are not as high as Apple expected, which is probably the main reason why the future of this range is at stake. Apple is not going to make and sell the iPhone SE 4 unless it thinks a lot of people will buy it.
It’s hard to pin down exactly what it is about the iPhone SE that doesn’t appeal to consumers. Perhaps it’s the outdated design (along with the home button), the small screen, or maybe the limited single-lens camera setup.
On the plus side though, it’s very affordable, supports the latest Apple chipsets, and can do everything the flagship iPhones can do from a software perspective. Its starting price is almost half that of the iPhone 14 – and that’s a big saving.
It’s possible that the lower-priced used iPhone market is hurting iPhone SE sales. It’s also worth noting that Apple doesn’t advertise this phone as widely or as often as other iPhones. Whatever the reason for the low sales, it could mean the end of the road.
