Launched at 529 euros before being raised to 559 euros, the iPhone SE released in March would not be a huge success. Apple may decide to take a break from this model.
With its SE range, Apple has a rather unique approach to the smartphone market. Regularly, the Californian company launches a rather strange product, with an obsolete design (which belongs to one of its old smartphones), but modern components of the latest generation. Where other brands typically sacrifice performance to lower prices, Apple goes for design. However, we are still far from a budget smartphone, as the iPhone SE from 2022 costs at least 559 euros. While the average selling price is around 300 euros in France.
If this formula seemed convincing in 2016, the year the first iPhone SE (an iPhone 5s with the iPhone 6s chip) was marketed, today it would be less appreciated. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple may be giving up on its next iPhone SE.
The cheapest iPhones don’t sell well enough
Does Apple live in a parallel dimension? Where most brands struggle to sell their high-end products, Apple seems to be struggling to sell its cheaper smartphones. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 14 Pros are a success, while the iPhone SE, 13 mini and 14 Plus are not attracting many people (in Apple proportions, i.e. they sell a lot but the goals are not met ).
How to explain this phenomenon? One of the more obvious reasons seems to be positioning. At 559 euros, the iPhone SE is probably overvalued by 100 to 200 euros. Consumers who realize this may prefer to turn to something else or wait. On the other hand, in the high-end market, Apple easily dominates Samsung, Oppo or Xiaomi. Consumers trust and do not hesitate to exceed 1,000 euros for the latest iPhone.
Is the iPhone SE destined to disappear? The latest rumors suggested that Apple could revamp its smartphone in 2024, possibly adopting the iPhone XR design (a 6.1-inch notch LCD screen), while the current model sports the iPhone 8 design (a 6.1-inch notch LCD screen). 4.7-inch diagonal). thumb home button). According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the production of the smartphone could be “postponed or cancelled”. Perhaps that product won’t see the light of day, and Apple will keep it in its lineup of older iPhones, rather than launch a new one with an old design.
The analyst said this could be good news for Apple’s results as the impending economic crisis threatens the electronics market. Fewer smartphones mean fewer expenses, which could benefit the company in the long run. However, one can’t help but wonder if Apple is on the wrong track with its pricing. At 400 euros, wouldn’t the same iPhone SE be much more popular?
