Ming-Chi Kuo: ‘Apple Will Likely Cancel or Postpone the Mass Production Plan for the 2024 iPhone SE 4’

Ming-Chi Kuo, on Twitter:

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), as well as concerns that the full-screen design of the SE 4 will lead to an increase in higher costs/selling prices. As a result, Apple may need to reconsider the product positioning and return on investment for the SE 4.

The iPhone SE 3, with 2021’s A15 chip but still based on the iPhone 6/7/8 form factor, shipped in March this year. The rumor mill pegged the SE 4 to be based on the iPhone XR/iPhone 11 design — 6.1-inch “all-screen” design but not OLED — which makes a lot of sense for a form factor to move the SE to the post-home-button world. March 2024 is a ways off, so I’m thinking either Ming-Chi Kuo is just hearing chatter from suppliers and we’ll still see an XR/11-based SE 4 in 2024, or, if he’s right that it’s cancelled or postponed, then Apple will keep selling the iPhone SE 3 through 2025.

My gut feeling still says we’ll see a XR/11-based SE 4 with an A16 chip in spring 2024.

★ Wednesday, 21 December 2022