The fourth-generation iPhone SE will reportedly include the expected redesign to adapt it to the current trends, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The current model still resembles 2014’s iPhone 6 and retains old features such as 2021’s A15 chip, a Lightning connector (which the rest of the iPhone lineup abandoned in 2023), and an outdated single-lens rear camera.
Since Apple released the first model, the iPhone SE has served several purposes:
- Being an affordable entry point into the iOS ecosystem.
- Being a budget-friendly device for those seeking accessibility.
- Being an option for businesses that require iOS but don’t need advanced features.
However, continuing to sell the iPhone SE with outdated specs until early 2025 defies market logic and tarnishes Apple’s reputation. This approach represents a difficult-to-justify business inertia.
At its most recent upgrade in spring 2022, the iPhone SE’s value proposition was already questionable. While it offered the latest Apple chip, it had an outdated design and a relatively low price, which didn’t quite align with the company’s premium image.
Not updating the iPhone SE for three years in the fast-paced smartphone market diminishes its value significantly. Would an informed consumer choose a decade-old design, an LCD screen, and a single camera for more than $400?
This becomes even more paradoxical when you consider Apple’s emphasis on controlling every aspect of the user experience. How does offering a device that can’t properly run many of the latest iOS features fit into that philosophy?
Perhaps the key lies in emerging markets or with users that are hesitant to give up the Home button. However, even in those cases, the value proposition of the iPhone SE weakens year after year, especially when compared to Android competitors, discounted previous models, and the refurbished market.
The purported 2025 redesign would be an attempt to correct course, although it would come somewhat late. Gurman expects Apple to release the next iPhone SE in early part of next year. By then, that design will already be three years old. If the company doesn’t take the SE more seriously and keeps refreshing it every three years, it’ll be back to the same situation in no time.
The SE strategy raises uncomfortable questions about Apple’s vision for its portfolio:
- Is the SE a necessary evil to maintain market share in certain sectors?
- Is it a tacit admission that there’s a group that just wants an iPhone at the lowest possible price and doesn’t care about anything else?
Smartphone innovation has indeed been slowing down for some time. Apple has openly embraced continuity and stability. The company has previously explained that it’s proudly committed to the longevity of its designs. However, that commitment clashes with its own narrative of constant progress.
The 2025 iPhone SE will have to justify its existence in a highly competitive market. It faces threats from both the Android market and from within Apple’s own products, such as the cheaper refurbished and older models.
If Apple fails to provide significant value and substantial upgrades, it may be time to reconsider the concept of a “cheap” iPhone as part of its long-term strategy.
Ironically, by trying to offer an affordable iPhone, Apple may be diluting what makes an iPhone special. Continuing to sell a product that feels outdated may end up being more damaging to the brand than Apple realizes.
Image | Xataka
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