iPhone SE 4: One Big Problem With Apple’s New Budget Phone – Forbes
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 03: Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers the keynote address during the 2019 … [+] Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) at the San Jose Convention Center on June 03, 2019 in San Jose, California. The WWDC runs through June 7. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)The unveiling of the new iPhone SE is right around the corner. Although the rumor mill has churned out most of the specs, there’s still one big unknown about Apple’s new budget phone: the price — and that could be a problem.Apple has managed to keep how much the fourth-gen iPhone SE would cost on the hush, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has suggested the phone would come with a heftier price tag than its predecessor, which sells for $429.How much heftier exactly is not yet clear, but the tipster adds it’ll likely “remain in the same general range as entry-level smartphones” from Samsung and Google. For reference, the low-end Pixel 8a retailed at $499, with reports its successor will cost the same — although there might also be a $599 option with more storage.Roughly speaking, it seems we’re looking at something around the $500 mark.So what’s the reason for the bump in price? The hardware and software upgrades.Let’s talk specs and design.The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have the same form factor as the iPhone 14, ditching the home button which the late Steve Jobs introduced in 2007. That’s customary for the SE line, which reuses older designs to save costs — it’s meant to be a budget phone after all.The iPhone 14’s design has stood the test of time, so that’s not a knock on the SE at all. Apple will likely stick to the notch rather than adopt the dynamic island aesthetic that defines its newer models.The iPhone SE is said to sport a bigger 6.1-inch with minimal bezels. It’ll come with FaceID and a USB-C cable. Its biggest selling point, of course, is expected to be the A18 chip which also powers the iPhone 16.The new chip means the SE will also get Apple Intelligence — the company’s AI-powered suite of tools, which has received mixed reviews so far. Considering you can opt out of it, it’s a nice feature to have.The current-gen iPhone SE packs a 12MP camera, which is slated to get a bump to 48MP — a welcome addition that also comes with the added bonus of optical zooming and more room for cropping.Here’s where things get interesting. The iPhone SE will reportedly Apple’s first phone to feature its new in-house cellular modem. That’s not exactly exciting news at a first glimpse. But it could be a factor when it comes to pricing.Seasoned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has speculated Qualcomm, which produced the modems for older iPhones, is likely to look into its patents with the aim of collecting licensing fees on Apple’s in-house modem. That said, bringing production in-house should also cut Apple’s costs in the long run.In any case, the upgrades should be enough to push the new SE close to the top of the budget phone category.Apple has a lot resting on the success of the iPhone SE 4.For one, it’ll be its re-entry into Europe, where older SE models have been discontinued due to the European Union’s standardization of USB-C.The Cupertino behemoth has also been wrestling with declining sales in China — the world’s biggest phone market — where the SE could potentially make a splash. It’ll be interesting to see how the price hike fares among more price-sensitive markets like India, too.Kuo has forecasted the device could sell over 20 million units in 2025, outperforming previous models.But the big question remains: can consumers stomach the new price — or will it be a problem? We’ll find out soon enough.The upcoming iPhone SE is set to drop at a launch event tomorrow, perhaps alongside a few other announcements. Stay tuned for more updates.
