Apple will likely postpone or cancel the release of the iPhone SE 4, according to the new information received from the reputed leaker Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple was reportedly planning to release iPhone SE 4 with a design of the iPhone XR in 2024. However, Kuo now predicts that Apple might be forced to cancel or postpone the low-cost device. In a series of tweets, Kuo explained that he believes the company will postpone or scrap the device due to consistent lower demand for non-flagship smartphones, such as the third-generation iPhone SE, the iPhone 13 mini, and the recently introduced iPhone 14 Plus.
Kuo also noted that the ‘full-screen design’ that Apple has in mind for the iPhone SE 4, making it look similar to the iPhone XR, would require higher costs and selling prices. As a result, the company may need to “reconsider the product positioning and return on investment,” according to Kuo. With the increasing number of COVID cases around the world and unpredictable economic conditions, canceling the iPhone SE 4 will also help Apple navigate the “challenges of the global economic recession in 2023,” Kuo added.
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My latest survey indicates that 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),— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) December 21, 2022
The first rumors about the iPhone SE 4 came out in August when popular leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple was working on the device. As per the renders leaked, the iPhone SE 4 would have been the first SE-series smartphone that does away with the Touch ID Home button and instead adopts either Face ID or a Touch ID power button. The iPhone SE 4 was also rumored to have a 6.1-inch LCD or OLED display, as well as a notch at the top similar to the current iPhone models.
Apple is also facing issues in the sales of the iPhone 14 Plus. According to a few reports, the demand for iPhone 14 Plus is lower than expected. As a result, Apple may focus on its flagship iPhones in 2023 and 2024, pushing development on the iPhone SE line back or using cheaper components to allow for a lower price point than the planned design changes.
