A new report reveals that Apple is hoping to capture the emerging markets with its more competitive-priced iPhone SE. According to Nikkei, the Cupertino-based tech titan is planning to the cheaper iPhone model next Spring. Apple is apparently preparing the iPhone SE to respond to consumers who usually prefer more affordable devices from Huawei and Samsung.
The sales of the Apple iPhone is gradually decreasing and it seems that Apple will make up to this by launching the iPhone SE. According to Nikkei, the last time Apple launched the more affordable iPhone was in 2016. The smartphone was retailed at a starting price of $399 and eventually was sold at $249 as a clearance item in the US in January 2019.
While the report talks about the iPhone SE, it is not clear if the upcoming device is the second version of the SE series or will be called iPhone 8. Several publications report that the upcoming iPhone will have a 4.7-inch display similar to iPhone 8 and will share several components of the flagship iPhone variants scheduled to release this year.
Additionally, the iPhone SE is anticipated to utilize a lower-priced LCD to help Apple position it at a much lower cost. A veteran tech analyst at GF Securities, Jeff Pu shared that the Cupertino-based tech giant could use the iPhone SE to increase the sales of its device should the new set of flagship iPhones launching this month do not do well, or in case their sales performance slow down by 2020.
Apple fans have long been wondering how the next iPhone SE would look like. In 2017, several concept images of the iPhone SE surfaced online along with concept videos popping up in the later part of 2017. The first actual rumor was in May 2018 when iPhone case maker Olixar began selling screen protectors for what it claimed to be the next iPhone SE. The next generation SE variant is rumored to have the same bezel-free design and FaceID that the iPhone X has.
Apple’s First New Low-Cost iPhone Since the iPhone SE Expected to Launch Early Next Year https://t.co/rpgkPuH7w5 by @waxeditorial pic.twitter.com/NtqFtA5bI7 — MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) September 4, 2019
Reintroducing the iPhone SE to cater the emerging markets and to get a slice of the market more affordable smartphones is a genius move from Apple assuming that this speculation is true. Apple protects its margin from consumers who are willing to purchase the next generation iPhone SE in a heartbeat and also those who are willing to buy an iPhone but at a more affordable price.
