Is the new iPhone SE your next iPhone?

When everyone thought that the 2018 iPhone 8 series was the "swan song" of non-full-screen iPhones, the recently popular new iPhone SE is gradually breaking this idea.

Unlike the first-generation iPhone SE, it is generally believed that the new iPhone SE that Apple will launch this spring (most likely in April) will have an ID design similar to that of the iPhone 8 two years ago, that is, a 4.7-inch non-full screen with TouchID on the front, a single camera and a glass back cover on the back, supplemented by a "sandwich structure" of a metal middle frame. The only difference in appearance between the two may be that the "iPhone" LOGO on the back of the new iPhone SE will be centered, consistent with last year's iPhone 11 series.

[[321368]]

Although it has not been officially launched, this iPhone, which may not even be called a "sub-flagship", has frequently appeared on the headlines of major technology websites, making its presence felt. In addition to "When will it be released?" and "How much will it cost?", "Will anyone really buy it?" is also one of the hot topics that sparked discussion in the comment section.

Before answering this question, let’s first analyze the “product strength” of the new iPhone SE.

In addition to the iPhone 8-like appearance design mentioned above, the A13 Bionic chip and 3GB RAM that will be used inside the new iPhone SE may be a bigger highlight. After all, the chip that determines the performance of a mobile phone is the key to actually affecting the daily experience of the phone, because most people have to type, browse Weibo, and browse Moments on their phones, but the presence or absence of photographic technology such as telephoto lenses and ultra-wide-angle lenses is not that important.

The "changing the soup but not the medicine" approach used to be a fixed drama in the Mac product line, but in recent years it has appeared more and more frequently in non-Mac product lines. Last March's third-generation iPad Air and fifth-generation iPad mini were among the beneficiaries of this strategy. With the stimulation of "increasing quantity without increasing price", sales have risen accordingly.

The new iPhone SE will most likely adopt the strategy of "increasing quantity without increasing price". In fact, it is rumored that this device will be sold with a starting price of US$399 (RMB 3,000). Compared with the iPhone 8 currently priced at US$449 (RMB 3,500) on Apple's official website, the new iPhone SE seems to be "more attractive".

Such a non-full-screen iPhone priced at 3,000 yuan may become the best choice to attract iPhone 6 series "diehards" to upgrade.

As the best-selling model in the history of iPhone, the iPhone 6 series four years ago achieved a sales record of 90 million units ten months after its launch, bringing Apple a huge user base. Some of these users may be attracted by the full-screen series starting with iPhone X and spend their money to upgrade. The remaining iPhone 6 "nail households" are often more price-sensitive, and the balance between price and performance may be a factor that prevents them from upgrading to a full-screen iPhone. At this time, the new iPhone SE with A13 chip, which is priced at around 3,000 yuan, may be their ideal upgrade. After all, the iPhone 6 series with A8 and A9 chips has already reached its performance limit, and the accumulated problems such as freezes and insufficient storage space have seriously affected the normal use of the phone.

[[321369]]

In addition, the new iPhone SE will support iOS 13 and the upcoming iOS 14, which may also be an alternative option to attract die-hard users before the 5G iPhone matures.

Finally, in today's 5-inch mobile phone market, small-screen mobile phones are still the "last stubborn" for some groups. According to the mobile phone market development report released by IDC, smartphones with screen sizes below 5 inches will still account for about 10% of shipments until 2021. Technical experts from research firm Forrester Research also said that their surveys and research showed that about 15% of users want a "small-screen mobile phone" with a screen size of no more than 5 inches.

Some people have a special liking for iPhones with TouchID. The gesture operation of full-screen iPhones may not be suitable for everyone. When I gave iPhone XS to my parents last year, I encountered a lot of difficulties in teaching them how to use full-screen gestures. In comparison, iPhones with Home buttons are much simpler and more intuitive.

All in all, it is only a matter of time before the new iPhone SE arrives. If it really reaches the 3,000 yuan price range, it will be worth looking forward to whether this device is a good choice.