The iPhone SE 4 was expected to have an all-new design based on the iPhone XR, but a report now suggests that Apple could scrap the low-cost model.
Apple could pull the plug iPhone SE4said analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Rumors about the iPhone SE 4 have been doing the rounds on the internet for quite some time now. Most reports agree that the iPhone SE 4 could come with a design inspired by the now-discontinued iPhone XR, which would make it the first iPhone SE model to move from the iPhone 8-like design.
TF International Securities Analyst Ming Chi Kuo is a trusted source of information regarding Apple products. According to Kuo’s latest research, Apple will likely “cancel or postpone the mass production plan for the 2024 iPhone SE 4.In a series of tweets, Kuo explains that Apple may be pulling the plug due to poor shipments of entry-level iPhones. In recent years, demand for low-end iPhones like the iPhone SE and iPhone mini series has been low.
iPhone 14 Plus is also in trouble
Another concern for the company seems to be the full-screen design of the iPhone SE 4. Currently, the third-generation iPhone SE has thick bezels at the top and bottom of the screen and a physical home button. However, the new design will increase the manufacturing cost of the device, which will affect the retail price. So it looks like Apple is taking a step back to reevaluate the design and cost of the iPhone SE 4. Currently, the iPhone SE 3 with the A15 Bionic chipset starts at $429, while the cheapest full-screen iPhone, the iPhone 12, sells for $599.
Kuo also mentions that Apple may be looking to cut back on unnecessary product development in a market poised for recession in 2023. All of these factors could contribute to a slowdown or end of the iPhone SE lineup. While Apple’s more expensive Pro models continue to be popular with users, it seems there’s less demand for the smaller form factor. After recording poor sales for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini, Apple discontinued the model in 2022 in favor of the iPhone 14 Plus, but even this device does not seem to have sparked consumer interest.
According to a report in The information, Apple has directed a manufacturer in China to halt production of iPhone 14 components while the company re-evaluates demand for the phone. The iPhone 14 Plus was marketed as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, with both larger screens and larger batteries than the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. However, since the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are essentially the same devices as the iPhone 13, most buyers are turning to the iPhone 14 Pro models. With demand for the iPhone 14 Plus falling, it looks like Apple’s cheap, large-screen device will meet the same fate as the iPhone SE4.
Source: Ming-Chi Kuo/TwitterThe information