Reports hint that Apple’s most affordable 5G phone – iPhone SE 2022 hasn’t been selling like its priced siblings. The compact phone was expected to be a major hit considering its price point and 5G connectivity.
However, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states that the production of the phone hasn’t been impacted by the recent lockdown in China and the phone is still available to purchase with most retailers.
He says that this hints at the low demand of the phone compared to Apple’s predictions and slashed his shipment estimated by a healthy margin. Looking at the weak demand, he feels that Apple might be only able to sell around 15/20 million devices compared to the earlier estimate of 25-30 million units.
Shanghai lockdown doesn't affect the iPhone SE production. However, the new iPhone SE demand is lower than expected (the delivery status "in stock" as one of the proofs), and I cut my shipment estimation in 2022 to 15-20M (vs. 25-30M previously).March 28, 2022
The iPhone SE 2022 was recently introduced with improvements across the board. The phone came with Apple’s latest A15 Bionic mobile chipset which also powers the flagship iPhone 13 series.
It also features more RAM and a slightly better rear camera. However, the iPhone SE 2022 carries the same dated design as its predecessor and has massive bezels above and below the display. It is also one of the few devices that Apple will sell in 2022 that come with a physical TouchID.
Pricing could be a major barrier
While the exact reasons behind the lack of sales are yet unknown, however, pricing could be one of the major issues here. The previous-generation iPhone SE sold like hotcakes because of its low entry points compared to the new 5G capable iPhone SE 2022.
The phone is available to purchase at a starting point of Rs. 43,900 and goes all the way up to Rs. 58,900. Even though this is a hefty price tag, you do not get all the bells and whistles that you can get on a similarly priced Android phone.
In most cases, you’re almost looking at the flagship Android phone in this price range which is in stark contrast to Apple where you get the device at the lowest end of the spectrum. Also, if you consider discounts and offers, the iPhone 13 or 13 Mini is available at almost the same price as the third-gen iPhone SE.
Additionally, a lot of countries where Apple plans to sell the phone do not have commercial availability of 5G – hence users might think twice before investing in a device that cannot be utilized to its full potential.
Fake demand – not the first time though
While there is a lot of noise around compact phones on social media platforms, however, this hasn’t translated to sales. And Apple has experienced this with the iPhone 12 Mini.
Though Apple has persisted with the Mini phone in the recent lineup, reports hint that the iPhone 14 lineup might not have a Mini phone. Rather the company is tipped to launch an additional bigger phone.
- New iPhone SE 2022 vs iPhone SE 2020: third time a charm for Apple's budget iPhone?
