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iPhone SE (2016) I do not think we'll see an iPhone SE update...
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I actually think the iPhone 8 will become the iPhone SE of the future, while the iPhone X design becomes the mainline one.
The 6S is still for sale for those people, the SE is for people who don't want a 4.7" screen
The iPhone SE fills a rather interesting niche for apple. 1) It covers the smaller form factor desire by some people 2) It fills the low end price gap nicely. Something they failed to do with the 5C.
It is cheap because it used existing tools and hardware to push down costs and really filled a necessary role at the time. I think now though the idea of a 4" iPhone is on borrowed time and eventually it will just disappear.
It is cheap because it used existing tools and hardware to push down costs and really filled a necessary role at the time. I think now though the idea of a 4" iPhone is on borrowed time and eventually it will just disappear.
I think it's fair to say the SE has been a bigger success than Apple expected. In the first month after it was released some models were hard to find.
One thing I noted with curiosity was Apple setting up a plant in India, I think Bangalore, to build them there in order to try to get India to let them have shops in that country. I'm not sure what this tells us for the future of course, but I find it unlikely they would set up a new plant if they plan to discontinue the device within the coming months. I think it is possible that the SE will live on even after the 6S ends as Apple's low cost entry model. The A9 chip is fast enough for 95% of people. Also remember that the new iPad runs the A9 chip so Apple must still be producing them in some quantity.
I guess the frustration and impatience some feel is because the SE was such astonishingly good value for money when released in that it matched the flagship 6S internals for such a low price. Today of course the flagship has been the 7 and now the 8/X. It would be nice to imagine Apple giving us an SE2 with the A11 chip etc but I don't think we can assume that will happen. Perhaps the way it was released was just a fluke for that moment and they never had the intention of keeping up with flagship speeds. I think they might simply have decided that the A9 represents good enough performance and will just make the same phone for a couple more years in the same way the iPad mini 4 has had a long life.
I also think the SE was very much made because Apple had production lines set up for the parts. This is the sort of thing Cook apparently was really good at because designing parts, setting up manufacturing, getting safety codes met, making packaging to fit etc all that adds up so could be avoided by recycling the 5S design. So if there is to be a new SE I really doubt it will get a whole new form factor similar to the X as some hope for - either it will retain the current shape or maybe they will start using the 6S and 7 lines to cannibalise parts for the SE2. If we assume that the costs of developing the A9 were recuperated from 6S sales and the cost of designing the 5/5S body and screen etc were recuperated from them, then the profit margins on the SE will likely be very very high as so little will have been spent on R&D. If Apple sees the chance to repeat the trick, perhaps in early 2019 with a phone using the 6S body and screen and 7 internals, I am sure they will take it.
One thing I noted with curiosity was Apple setting up a plant in India, I think Bangalore, to build them there in order to try to get India to let them have shops in that country. I'm not sure what this tells us for the future of course, but I find it unlikely they would set up a new plant if they plan to discontinue the device within the coming months. I think it is possible that the SE will live on even after the 6S ends as Apple's low cost entry model. The A9 chip is fast enough for 95% of people. Also remember that the new iPad runs the A9 chip so Apple must still be producing them in some quantity.
I guess the frustration and impatience some feel is because the SE was such astonishingly good value for money when released in that it matched the flagship 6S internals for such a low price. Today of course the flagship has been the 7 and now the 8/X. It would be nice to imagine Apple giving us an SE2 with the A11 chip etc but I don't think we can assume that will happen. Perhaps the way it was released was just a fluke for that moment and they never had the intention of keeping up with flagship speeds. I think they might simply have decided that the A9 represents good enough performance and will just make the same phone for a couple more years in the same way the iPad mini 4 has had a long life.
I also think the SE was very much made because Apple had production lines set up for the parts. This is the sort of thing Cook apparently was really good at because designing parts, setting up manufacturing, getting safety codes met, making packaging to fit etc all that adds up so could be avoided by recycling the 5S design. So if there is to be a new SE I really doubt it will get a whole new form factor similar to the X as some hope for - either it will retain the current shape or maybe they will start using the 6S and 7 lines to cannibalise parts for the SE2. If we assume that the costs of developing the A9 were recuperated from 6S sales and the cost of designing the 5/5S body and screen etc were recuperated from them, then the profit margins on the SE will likely be very very high as so little will have been spent on R&D. If Apple sees the chance to repeat the trick, perhaps in early 2019 with a phone using the 6S body and screen and 7 internals, I am sure they will take it.
Apple is not just making the A9, they continue to make A7 and A8. Apple sells brand new iPhone 5s, SE, and 6 (32GB) in India. The products are separated by $50 to $75 increments.
Outside India, are consumers so price sensitive? I doubt it. A recent survey by RBC indicated 3% of iPhone buyers were interested in the SE.
Unless the 130 million buyers in India who purchased dumb phones last year have a special affection towards 4" devices, I don't think a refreshed SE would fit anywhere. Apple's current product stack covers all their major markets without the need for a refreshed SE.
Right, but that's the existing SE, rather than a survey of who would be interested in an updated 4" device with newer internals.
Which is why I like Apple and that they continue to offer an expansive iPhone lineup for everybody. There is an iPhone in all price points. Nobody has to purchase $1000 iPhone X, if they simply want an iPhone 6s, it's half that price, and still has a lot of same functionality, even if it is dated.
I will concede that an updated 4" device could be more attractive to those surveyed.
At the same time, I'm wondering how much the 3% would increase. Those who want a small, fast phone would probably have settled for the 4.7" iPhone 7 or 8. The "Plus" phones have increased in popularity over the years. Has consumer preference migrated from 4" to 4.7" in the same way?
I wouldn’t say it’s budget as it’s still an expensive phone. It’s aimed more at people who don’t like the physical size of the other iPhones. My wife couldn’t wait to get rid of her iPhone 6 at the end of her contract because it was too big for her to use and the SE was perfect and actually a faster device. I know quite a few people with the SE and the price was not the motivation in buying it.
I’m hoping for an SE update but I don’t know how likely it is. An updated SE would likely include a brighter, more colourful screen, but this would mean creating a 4” screen specifically for it rather than reusing the 5s screens they’ve been making for 4 years. A body update would mean creating a new 4” 6/7/8-style body.
They could theoretically throw in current SoC and camera and keep the body mostly the same to cut costs, but the screen would need to be updated, I’d say. It’s the one part that looks outdated when compared to the other phones.
Also, the SE is still such a great phone that Apple could easily sell it for a third year at a lower price without problem. Update the colours, reduce the price again, maybe bump storage once again, and there’s a new low-end phone.
They could theoretically throw in current SoC and camera and keep the body mostly the same to cut costs, but the screen would need to be updated, I’d say. It’s the one part that looks outdated when compared to the other phones.
Also, the SE is still such a great phone that Apple could easily sell it for a third year at a lower price without problem. Update the colours, reduce the price again, maybe bump storage once again, and there’s a new low-end phone.
Here are my thoughts:
Gut feeling, they may not issue out an SE update. For several reasons.
What the rumors say - we will have a redesign/refresh sometime in spring 2018/2019.
If that's the case, then it would make sense that it would be released once the 6S and potentially the 7 are retired. That way it can be a direct replacement/alternative from a price perspective only (8 being continued for 4.7" form factor).
What I don't know is whether they will be going for an iPhone 6-like design, with a slightly larger screen (think 4.5" or so, but in the 5S size) with an iPhone 6 curved design, or if they will opt for an iPhone X like design (my guess there is definitely not).
If they do refresh, it will definitely keep an LCD screen, and likely will not include face ID, or 3D touch.
I really don't think any factories in India are preventing the launch of the SE 2, it's more of a matter of when they want to release it based on their product lineup. Maybe they are holding back until the X and X+ are in the lineup (2018) and that way they can introduce it Spring 2019, and they'll have replaced all old models with new ones to complete their lineup.
Gut feeling, they may not issue out an SE update. For several reasons.
What the rumors say - we will have a redesign/refresh sometime in spring 2018/2019.
If that's the case, then it would make sense that it would be released once the 6S and potentially the 7 are retired. That way it can be a direct replacement/alternative from a price perspective only (8 being continued for 4.7" form factor).
What I don't know is whether they will be going for an iPhone 6-like design, with a slightly larger screen (think 4.5" or so, but in the 5S size) with an iPhone 6 curved design, or if they will opt for an iPhone X like design (my guess there is definitely not).
If they do refresh, it will definitely keep an LCD screen, and likely will not include face ID, or 3D touch.
I really don't think any factories in India are preventing the launch of the SE 2, it's more of a matter of when they want to release it based on their product lineup. Maybe they are holding back until the X and X+ are in the lineup (2018) and that way they can introduce it Spring 2019, and they'll have replaced all old models with new ones to complete their lineup.
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Well, the 6S is only at 5% in the same survey, yet the 8 is more than triple that despite having the same screen size. I think the survey has more to do with interest in specific phones rather than dimensions.
That being said, I just paid off my 6S, and now I'm not sure what to do. I find the 4.7" size annoying for both pocketability and one-handed comfort, and yet I'm iffy about buying a phone with nearly identical hardware to my old one, even if I prefer the design/size.
I will certainly upgrade to an SE2 if the screen/contract is better, it has the iP7 internals and the price point remains the same. Really regret not buying one instead of the 7+ I have here, but lesson learned.
As far as Apple upgrading the SE, I think they will. As others have mentioned, if it means more of the almighty dollar, they'll offer it.
As far as Apple upgrading the SE, I think they will. As others have mentioned, if it means more of the almighty dollar, they'll offer it.
My wife did something similar. She upgraded from her 5 to an SE because she preferred the 4” screen over my iPhone 6 4.7” screen.
agreed - as much as i'd love to see it updated, they won't. i hope that apple learned one lesson from the SE though... and that is, there is demand for the small phone. so i hope they will find a way to make another phone that is smaller than the 6/7/8 design.
If the SE 2 does exist, I really would hope they upgrade the resolution on the display. That was the hardest part for me when I did own the SE, was how poor in comparison it resembled next to some of the current iPhones. But I understand, it's also a much cheaper iPhone as well.
Take a look at the mac mini to see how often Apple might update the iPhone SE. Hint: not very often.
When they released the SE it came out with the flagship guts of that time (6s), so hopefully next SE update will come with the correct flagship (iP8) Internal parts as well.
If it will happen next spring, most likely it will be small update while keeping the same body shape-size-weight of the correct SE - A10 (maybe A11), 2nd Gen Touch ID, front camera from the 7 (maybe rear camera as well), and the rest will stay the same (storage options, RAM & headphone jack).
Only if they’ll redesign the SE (i doubt it will happen this year) they’ll add 3D Touch with higher resolution display (maybe bigger screen as well), and they’ll cut the headphone jack in the process…
Either way, the correct SE will serve me well for the next 3 years, hopefully by then they’ll release Mini X with Touch ID under the screen instead of Face ID, while keeping SE body size & weight.
If it will happen next spring, most likely it will be small update while keeping the same body shape-size-weight of the correct SE - A10 (maybe A11), 2nd Gen Touch ID, front camera from the 7 (maybe rear camera as well), and the rest will stay the same (storage options, RAM & headphone jack).
Only if they’ll redesign the SE (i doubt it will happen this year) they’ll add 3D Touch with higher resolution display (maybe bigger screen as well), and they’ll cut the headphone jack in the process…
Either way, the correct SE will serve me well for the next 3 years, hopefully by then they’ll release Mini X with Touch ID under the screen instead of Face ID, while keeping SE body size & weight.
I think that is a pretty good guess as to what the next SE will feature. I do not think it will get 3D touch though because that is part of the money savings passed down to the customer
I think they can hit that spot with the resolution and still keep it at a lower price point. It doesn't have to be super duper retina, just a little better.
The SE is a "real" iPhone, just in a smaller form factor. I really want Apple to give it a refresh and keep the same size. I don't like "phablets"; even the iPhone 6/7/8 are too big for me. I want a small device that hides away in my pocket, but has the power and functionality of the current iPhones. Perhaps the Watch can eventually fill that niche if it ever becomes fully independent of the iPhone. But until then, it's the SE for me.
There is no re-design needed of SE. The reason people want SE is 1) cost, 2) form factor.
They just need to improve on the current SE rather than renovate the budget line.
They just need to improve on the current SE rather than renovate the budget line.
I cannot wait. The SE is the best iPhone since the 4. Could release a new model with same physical look but revamp the Touch ID and perhaps slightly better camera.
Which is good because I’d say it’s a virtual certainty that’s all they’d do for it. New chip (A10 or A11) new camera and probably Touch ID 2.