We May Not See Apple's 2024 iPhone SE - CNET

If you could get the aforesaid show arsenic an iPhone 14 for astir fractional the price, wouldn't you deliberation it was worthy getting? According to expert Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple whitethorn scrap the adjacent mentation of its wallet-friendly iPhone SE, which was expected to get adjacent year.

"The proviso concatenation has received instructions from Apple indicating that the accumulation and shipment plans for the 2024 iPhone SE 4 person been canceled alternatively than delayed," Kuo wrote successful a Medium post on Jan. 6. 

If Kuo's predictions are correct, lone Apple knows the reasoning down the cancellation. But probe and media reports suggest determination whitethorn beryllium a precise elemental answer. More costly iPhone models thin to beryllium much popular, perchance leaving small inducement for Apple to proceed pursuing cheaper phones similar the iPhone SE. 

Apple didn't instantly respond to CNET's petition for comment.

The third-gen iPhone SE, which debuted successful March, starts astatine $429 and is fundamentally an iPhone 8 stuffed with the guts of an iPhone 13. CNET's Patrick Holland called it a "mind-blowing value" successful his iPhone SE (2022) review, but helium besides highlighted missing elements that marque it consciousness dated, similar its deficiency of a full-screen plan oregon nighttime mode for the camera. 

Previous generations of the iPhone SE took a akin approach; the 2020 mentation essentially had the aforesaid plan but had the iPhone 11's chip. The 2016 exemplary had the assemblage of an iPhone 5S with the processor of an iPhone 6S. A rumored fourth-gen iPhone SE was expected to follow a caller plan akin to the iPhone XR, according to YouTube property and gadget leaker Jon Prosser.

To recognize wherefore Apple whitethorn person canceled its adjacent iPhone SE, see the changes Apple precocious made successful its iPhone 14 lineup. In a departure from the anterior 2 years, Apple did not merchandise a cheaper "Mini" mentation of its caller flagship iPhone successful 2022. Instead, it released a larger mentation of the regular iPhone 14 called the iPhone 14 Plus, which is $100 much costly than the regular $799 iPhone 14, raising the obstruction to introduction for shoppers. 

This alteration followed reports from Nikkei Asian Review and Kuo (via MacRumors) that Apple would scrap the iPhone Mini successful 2022, with the erstwhile adding that the Mini exemplary didn't resonate with consumers. Taken together, the elimination of the Mini and reports that adjacent year's rumored iPhone SE whitethorn person been axed could bespeak that Apple is pivoting distant from releasing smaller, cheaper iPhones. 

But Gene Munster, managing spouse for tech concern steadfast Loup and a longtime Apple analyst, doesn't spot it that way. He believes the iPhone SE inactive plays an important relation successful Apple's lineup due to the fact that of its debased price. 

"It's still, I think, the champion bang for your subordinate erstwhile it comes to an iPhone," helium said.

Apple is rumored to scrap adjacent year's iPhone SE arsenic it experiences precocious request for much costly phones similar the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max (pictured)

James Martin/CNET

Evidence suggests that much costly iPhones thin to beryllium apical sellers, which mightiness assistance explicate the shift. The mean selling terms of an iPhone roseate 7% twelvemonth implicit receptor successful the 3rd 4th of 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. The marketplace probe steadfast besides reported successful June that Apple dominated the planetary market for premium phones with a 62% stock successful the archetypal 4th of 2022. It's important to enactment that Counterpoint defines premium phones arsenic devices that outgo $400 and higher, meaning the third-gen iPhone SE would autumn into that class since it starts astatine $429. The report, however, did accidental that Apple's maturation successful the premium class mostly came from the iPhone 13 lineup.

The pricier iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max besides look to beryllium the stars of Apple's caller smartphone lineup truthful far. The Information reported that Apple chopped accumulation of the iPhone 14 Plus wrong 2 weeks of its launch, portion probe steadfast Trendforce says Apple boosted accumulation of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Kuo besides said connected Twitter successful September that the iPhone 14 Pro Max was liable for astir 60% of Apple's bid summation for the Pro lineup, hinting that Apple's astir costly caller iPhone is besides its astir popular. A November 2022 study from Wave7 Research besides said 38 retired of 39 surveyed bearer work representatives said they didn't person in-store inventory of the iPhone 14 Pro oregon Pro Max. 

The iPhone SE, meanwhile, has lone accounted for astir 5% to 8% of quarterly US iPhone income implicit the past 2 years, said Josh Lowitz of Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. When looking astatine full volumes for the newest iPhone models successful a fixed year, the Pro versions typically relationship for 35% to 40% of sales, portion the iPhone SE makes up astir 20%, according to Munster.

Carrier discounts person besides made it easier to snag high-end phones astatine cheaper prices, particularly erstwhile trading successful an aged device, arsenic my colleague Eli Blumenthal pointed out pursuing the iPhone 13's launch. Many US shoppers besides wage for their phones successful monthly installment plans done carriers, which tin marque higher prices easier to swallow. Both of those factors tin marque the lawsuit for buying a little costly iPhone with less features each the much challenging. 

"Because you're paying implicit specified a agelong play of clip ... the $100 terms difference, oregon adjacent a $200 terms difference, isn't that overmuch per month," said Lowitz.  

At the aforesaid time, Samsung has seen occurrence successful the marketplace for lower-priced phones. Its Galaxy A phones, which typically outgo hundreds of dollars little than its flagship Galaxy S phones, accounted for 58% of Samsung's smartphone portion income successful 2021, according to Counterpoint Research information antecedently provided to CNET. Samsung's Galaxy A phones person modern features not recovered connected the iPhone SE, specified arsenic a camera with aggregate lenses and larger screens, though they often tally connected little almighty processors than Samsung's pricier phones. 

The conception that Apple whitethorn person canceled the 2024 iPhone SE raises questions astir the aboriginal of the SE enactment successful general. Apple extended the SE branding to the Apple Watch successful 2020 for the archetypal clip and launched a sequel to that merchandise successful September.  

The information that Apple had brought the SE enactment to different merchandise had made it look similar a much imperishable fixture successful Apple's lineup. But if Kuo's penetration turns retired to beryllium accurate, the iPhone SE's days whitethorn beryllium numbered. And erstwhile you instrumentality a person look astatine however Apple's smartphone lineup has changed and the information astir telephone shipments, it's casual to recognize why.

But Munster isn't convinced that cheaper iPhones similar the SE are going distant for good. Having a much affordable enactment makes it easier for Apple to execute its broader extremity of bringing much customers into its web of products and services. 

"I deliberation that plays an important role," helium said. "I don't deliberation Apple's giving up connected that terms point."