Apple to unveil new budget iPhone SE
Apple is set to unveil a redesigned iPhone SE featuring Apple Intelligence and USB-C, targeting budget-conscious buyers and global markets.
[:en]Photo: Bloomberg[:]
Apple Inc. is set to unveil a long-awaited updated iPhone SE in the coming days that will revamp its lower-end model. Apple is trying to boost sales and entice consumers to switch from other brands, reported by Bloomberg.
The company is expected to announce the device as early as next week, ahead of its scheduled launch later this month. Apple is unlikely to hold a press event for the device, instead announcing it on its website. The debut would mark a major change for the smartphone that Apple first introduced in 2016 as an entry-level model.
New version to include Apple Intelligence
The current version, released in 2022, is outdated: it’s the only iPhone that still has a home button and doesn’t have Face ID. The new version will look more like the iPhone 14 and will also include Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI software. There are already signs that a new phone is on the way. The current iPhone SE has run out of stock at Apple retail stores in many parts of the U.S., which typically happens before an update.
Apple retail employees at several stores say that inventory has been dwindling for weeks, and customers who want to buy the device in certain configurations are sometimes being turned away. The phone remains available for purchase on Apple’s online store, but some configurations, including a red version with 256 gigabytes of storage, won’t ship until March. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are also running out of stock.
The next iPhone SE
Apple has already stopped making the current SE and iPhone 14 in the EU because the products don’t comply with local laws that require USB-C, the charging standard adopted by other iPhones in 2023. The next iPhone SE will get the same port, allowing it to return to the EU. The current SE costs $429, hundreds less than the regular iPhone 16 at $799.
Given the new features and design of the updated model, Apple could increase that price. But it will likely stay in the same general range as entry-level smartphones from Samsung Electronics Co. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google. The new iPhone SE could be particularly attractive in overseas markets such as China, India and other parts of Asia, where Apple is trying to strengthen its business.
The combination of high-end features and a price tag of around $500 could make it an attractive alternative to local brands, even if it is likely to remain more expensive. Apple’s sales fell 11% in China last quarter but rose in other emerging markets.
