Historically, Apple has segmented its range of devices very clearly in Spain and the rest of the world. In the case of the iPhone, we’ve had from the most expensive iPhone in its Pro range to the cheapest iPhone, the so-called iPhone SE. The so-called ‘cheap iPhones’ that have been with us for years could disappear, according to the latest rumors.
And that’s how he explained it the well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on his TwitterApple could have delayed the launch of its new fourth-generation iPhone to 2024 or worse, I could have deleted it permanently, say goodbye to the cheapest way to get hold of an iPhone first hand.
According to Kuo, the key is that mid-range iPhones like the iPhone SE 2022, iPhone 13 mini or iPhone 14 Plus have had little reception this year. In short, less than expected. This would have led, in the best case scenario, Apple to decide to move production to 2024.
Goodbye IF?
Rumors have been raised about the fourth generation iPhone SE in recent months. They claimed that Apple would finally make the leap usual iPhone design, with the notch and with a large screen, and small borders. In short, Apple would reuse the design of the iPhone XR, reusing its 6.1-inch screen and integrating Apple’s latest processor for intermediate iPhones, the Apple A15 Bionic.
The problem, according to Kuo, is that this change in design and therefore this increase in screen size would lead to an increase in the cost of the device. In this way, Apple would be rethinking the place that this range of phones has in its portfolio or, even more, if it is profitable to market this device. Recall that in 2022 Apple has already had to cut up to 20%, according to Nikkei Asia, the production of these cheap iPhones.
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My latest poll indicates that Apple will likely cancel or postpone its mass production plan for the iPhone SE 4 in 2024. I think this is due to consistently lower-than-expected shipments of low- to mid-range iPhones (e.g., SE 3 , 13 mini and 14 Plus),— Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) December 21, 2022
But there is another “but”: COVID-19 restrictions in China, which continue to affect the company and which has caused very strong protests by workers. This has caused supply issues for other models, such as the iPhone 14 Pro, due to anti-COVID measures at the factory in Zhengzhou, China.
To all this we add, in the words of Kuo, that the models that have received the most acceptance have been those of the Pro range, i.e. the most expensive iPhones. The iPhone 14 Plus and other more intermediate devices have had a somewhat more moderate reception, which has led Apple to prioritize more profitable models.
On the other hand, there is Apple’s idea of reorienting its business model to avoid developing products outside its usual profit margin in order to get by in the face of the economic woes that the international market will suffer in 2023. It remains to be seen how will this affect the 2023 iPhone, which will undoubtedly be the most important in Apple’s history by incorporating USB-C at the expense of Lightning.
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