Apple may cancel the iPhone SE in 2024
Apple might kill off its budget smartphone model, according to a new report
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Goodbye iPhone SE?
🌊 The next generation of iPhone SE could be in trouble
❌ A prominent leaker has suggested Apple will likely postpone or cancel it
💸 The budget smartphone model hasn’t produced the return Apple had hoped
💭 And higher production costs have brought the phone’s future into question
The iPhone SE 4 could come later than expected, or possibly not at all, as Apple looks set to cancel or postpone its next budget smartphone.
That’s according to financial services analyst and prolific Apple leaker Ming-Chi Kuo, whose latest research suggests “Apple will likely cancel or postpone the mass production plan for the 2024 iPhone SE 4”.
“I think this is due to the consistently lower-than-expected shipments of mid-to-low-end iPhones (e.g., SE 3, 13 mini, and 14 Plus), as well as concerns that the full-screen design of the SE 4 will lead to an increase in higher costs/selling prices,” Kuo said.
“As a result, Apple may need to reconsider the product positioning and return on investment for the SE 4,” they added.
“Additionally, reducing unnecessary new product development expenses will also help the company navigate the challenges of the global economic recession in 2023.”
Rumors about the 2024 iPhone SE have been swirling for the last few months. Analysts expected the fourth-generation of Apple’s budget smartphone would pack a few new snazzy features, including, as MacRumors reported, a 5.7- or 6.1-inch LCD display.
Elsewhere, MacRumors reported the next iteration of the iPhone SE would feature a notch cutout, making it look more like the iPhone 14, and lose the front Home button for the first time. If that were true, the phone would likely use gesture-based controls like Apple’s flagship iPhone models.
But it sounds as if we may never see the phone if Kuo’s predictions prove true, or at least never see that iteration of it. If Apple is seriously reconsidering the profitability of the iPhone SE following disappointing sales of budget models in past years, it may look to save on costs by skimping on premium features.
Other areas of Apple’s development pipeline seem to be in full swing. A recent report suggested the tech giant is developing multiple new external monitors, including a follow-up to the pricey 2019 Pro Display XDR – although that too has been disrupted by production problems.
On top of that, a new Mac mini is expected to release sometime next year, as well as two MacBook Pros to make up for this year’s absence. By the time they hit shelves, we should hopefully have a more concrete idea of where the next-gen iPhone SE stands.