As Gurman also noted this means that there are no plans for Apple to keep selling the outgoing iPhone SE model at a reduced cost. While traditionally the company has discontinued older products the moment a newer iteration came out, this would have been a golden opportunity to snag new iOS users.
The upcoming iPhone SE 4 — or iPhone 16E according to multiple reports — is allegedly going to cost more than its predecessor. This price increase is more or less justifiable (the new iPhone SE is much more modern) but keeping the older model around at a lowered price would have enticed some Android users currently on the fence.
Last year we saw the release of the Apple Vision Pro. The company’s premium XR (Extended Reality) headset retails for $3,499 and even higher in markets outside the U.S. It has also reportedly stopped production after failing to meet sales expectations. An iPhone model with a lowered price tag would not only have won back Apple some good will but also given it better market share in developing regions.
Markets outside richer nations often opt for budget Chinese smartphones. An iPhone is considered a status symbol there but an affordable model would have helped Apple capture more iOS users and expose more consumers to its ecosystem.
The new iPhone SE is said to be housed in the body of the iPhone 14 which means that it will have an edge to edge display and a notch. It will also feature 8 GB of RAM so that it can run Apple Intelligence. But while these upgrades are very welcome the older model isn’t a bad phone by any stretch of the imagination.
And I think Apple really could have used it for a few more years as the most affordable way to switch to iOS.
