Apple might pull the plug on the iPhone SE 4, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Rumors about the iPhone SE 4 have been doing rounds on the internet for quite some time. 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 shift from the iPhone 8-like design.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been a reliable source of information related to Apple products. As per Kuo's latest survey, Apple is likely to "cancel or postpone the mass production plan for the 2024 iPhone SE 4." In a series of tweets, Kuo explains that Apple might pull the plug on the device due to poor shipments of entry-level iPhones. For the last few years, the demand for low-end iPhones such as the iPhone SE and the iPhone mini-series have 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 on the top and bottom of the display and a physical home button. However, the new design will increase the cost of manufacturing the device, which will affect the selling price. Therefore, it appears that Apple is taking a step back to re-evaluate the iPhone SE 4's design and cost price. 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 might be looking to reduce unnecessary product development in a market that is about to enter a recession in 2023. All these factors might contribute to either a delay or the end of the iPhone SE lineup. While Apple's pricier Pro models continue to be popular among users, it appears that the smaller form factor is seeing less demand. After recording poor sales for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini, Apple discontinued the model in favor of the iPhone 14 Plus in 2022, but even this device doesn't seem to have piqued consumer interest.
According to a report in The Information, Apple instructed a manufacturer in China to stop 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 offering larger displays and bigger batteries than the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. However, given that 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 instead. With demand dipping for the iPhone 14 Plus, it looks like Apple's cheap big-screen device might meet the same fate as the iPhone SE 4.
Source: Ming-Chi Kuo/Twitter, The Information