iPhone SE 4 Spigen case render | Image credit – Spigen
The SE variants depreciate more than 40 percent in the first month after launch alone. After six months, their value plummets by around 60 percent. In contrast, flagship models depreciate by less than 30 percent six months after release.
The SE models are not as good at retaining value as flagship iPhones. | Image Credit – SellCell
The reason behind the iPhone SE‘s poor value retention isn’t its smaller size, given the Mini models held their value better. Instead, it appears that their positioning as budget models, low starting price, and outdated specs and design cause them to depreciate faster.
The forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will look less out of place among the other phones in Apple’s lineup because of its rumored iPhone 14-like design. It will reportedly run on the powerful A18 chipset and support Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone SE 3 costs $429 and the iPhone SE 4‘s price may be bumped to $500. This means it may have a little more room to hold value. However, the SE moniker is still associated with budget phones.
This could be why Apple is supposedly rebranding the phone. It might be known as the iPhone 16E and introduced as a new member of the iPhone 16 family.
Of course, those in the know will be able to see through Apple’s marketing strategy. So while the new name may boost demand, it may do little to stem depreciation. While depreciation isn’t necessarily something most buyers factor in when purchasing a phone, it’s something to be mindful of if you upgrade phones frequently. SellCell recommends trading in the new iPhone SE 4 within the first year to get the best trade-in value.
