Apple Discontinues iPhone SE, iPhone 6s and iPhone X

[freejack]

Now that the SE is officially dead, us diehards need to realize app developers will no longer design with our screen sizes in mind. We'll essentially be forced to switch to larger phones simply because apps will look like crap on our SEs. Change sucks sometimes but we have to roll with the punches.

 

[sublunar]

But they just built a new plant in India to build the SE? Does this mean they will continue to sell the SE in other markets, or that they new plant will be repurposed to build something else?

In the UK it's been possible to buy an iPhone 6 (yes, also discontinued) at certain retail stores for some time. John Lewis still sell an iPhone 6 32Gb for £329 at time of writing. That may change as soon as tomorrow.

Perhaps officially Apple are discontinuing the 6s and SE but I wouldn't be surprised to see new stocks continue to show up (discounted even more) at these retailers for some time to come.

In the mean time, we still should not write off the prospect of a smaller phone. Bear in mind that the Xr is available in one size only - 6.1" - and next year will logically see it shunt south in price like the 8 and 8 plus just have but there's no 4.7" model to replace the 8 in its new price range when the 8 logically drops down to the new 7 price.

I would suggest September next year as a good time to release that fabled SE2 form factor - the 4.7" screen with tiny bezels and FaceID in an easier to handle 4"-style shape. Come this time next year the Xr will need an Xr Mini to occupy the space that the 8 now occupies from $599 otherwise they'd be struggling to fill the gap with an equivalent phone.

Unless they are planning to launch it early next year - the original SE came out in March did it not?

 

[Brien]

Oh if only Apple reserved specific colors to the largest memory configuration versions they would have instant line of buyers for the 512g models. As it stands now people will just have to scrape and fast money their way to the low end model and revel in all the glory that entails with the people who bought the most expensive versions

I'm actually surprised they didn't restrict the gold SS to the 128GB and up models. They've done it before with the white iPhone 3G and the Jet Black 7/7+.

 

[Chopper9]

So its official.... the perfect sized iPhone (the Xr) is purposely stripped down so you have to buy the too small X or the too big X Max to get all the goodies.

Stupid.

 

[psymac]

Does discontinuing the iPhone X make mine more valuable on the used (but great condition) market?

 

[JPack]

In the UK it's been possible to buy an iPhone 6 (yes, also discontinued) at certain retail stores for some time. John Lewis still sell an iPhone 6 32Gb for £329 at time of writing. That may change as soon as tomorrow.

Perhaps officially Apple are discontinuing the 6s and SE but I wouldn't be surprised to see new stocks continue to show up (discounted even more) at these retailers for some time to come.

In the mean time, we still should not write off the prospect of a smaller phone. Bear in mind that the Xr is available in one size only - 6.1" - and next year will logically see it shunt south in price like the 8 and 8 plus just have but there's no 4.7" model to replace the 8 in its new price range when the 8 logically drops down to the new 7 price.

I would suggest September next year as a good time to release that fabled SE2 form factor - the 4.7" screen with tiny bezels and FaceID in an easier to handle 4"-style shape. Come this time next year the Xr will need an Xr Mini to occupy the space that the 8 now occupies from $599 otherwise they'd be struggling to fill the gap with an equivalent phone.

Unless they are planning to launch it early next year - the original SE came out in March did it not?

Apple's current theme is "BIG."

Big iPhones, Watches, and iPads. Why would they turn that around?

 

[xitongzou]

Well looks like I'm gonna keep that iPhone SE for a long time then...

 

[Kebabfar88]

So just to clear something up......3 years ago my 6S started at 599....for the newest latest and greatest iPhone. Today the iphone 8 (last years low end new iphone ) starts at the same price of 599. And now the latest and greatest starts at 999. Yes this is what apple has become sadly. Because the market is saturated they just jacked up all the phone prices to still make their quarterly results. I really do think its that simple.

I have personally bought every iphone since iphone 3gs. This year is the first time i won't buy a new one. The prices are ridicouless, and i hope a lot of other people will do the same, so nexts years iphone may be a little cheaper.
But its probably just my own little dream

 

[Peperino]

We'll huff, and puff, and in the end we'll line up at our local Apple Store to buy these things over and over again.

I too don't understand why we'll pay $1200 for a XMAX and $600 for a much larger iPad, but then again I'm not a billionaire and TIm Cook is, so what do I know?

I will not buy a $1250 phone. Not even drunk. You said it clearly, how does an iphone cost more than an ipad, and a 13" inch computer with touchbar??

 

[Smartass]

i was hoping for something like SE2. Not interested in Xr(too pricy for what it offers and too god damn big) and i also wasnt interested in X last year, so Xs is nothing different... I guess i'll be looking into android.

 

[Eyeakel]

Absolutely a slap in the face to the millions of SE owners. How hard would it have been to upgrade the internals? I don’t even care about the low price, I just want a small phone that’s easy to carry. Pure greed from Apple. I’m so bummed. Now I’ll have to carry a bulky, heavy iPhone, cause you know damn well iOS 12 or 13 will brick our SE’s.

 

[Fozziebear71]

Damn Apple, thanks a bunch! I just got the X and you make it useless. Greed is getting the better of this company.

BTW, why no love for the IMAC???? WTF no one uses old-fashioned computers anymore?

How is your X useless now?

 

[bluecoast]

I absolutely agree.
We need a new SE.

With the XR having no 3D Touch, I suspect that come next March, we’ll see a new phone.

This will probably be called just ‘iPhone’ that will essentially by the new SE - but with the 4.7 inch screen iPhone 7 as its basis.

No 3D Touch, no headphone jack, probably the screen quality of the 7, probably with the A10 or A11 & equivalent camera (I’m inclining towards the A11) no wireless charging.

And cheaper than the 7 as it’ll be easier to make, with the iPhone 7 (and likely the 8), discontinued.

 

[Baymowe335]

“Anyone is purely guessing”
“I’d guess”
“Apple clearly saw”

It’s been reported countless times that Apple has a low-end market propblem, namely India has been mentioned on every single invester call the last couple of years. Apple even started producing the SE in India, only one year ago and as the SE got older the sales in India dried up.

Form factor aside, a 3 year old phone will be marganilised simply because it’s freaking old - Apple made the SE into a niche product themselves. And **** ‘em for doing that.

And where’s my goddamn updated Mac Mini?

I just threw out my own guess since we were guessing.

It is CLEAR Apple made a business decision based on data. Crystal clear, or they would have done something different. I don't think the SE is purely dead though...but it's sure not going to steal thunder for a new iPhone event. This event is all about the mass market.

Apple doesn't have a problem with low end phones. Its strategy is to make money on hardware and services. When then can't do that, they won't enter the market aggressively. The SE was probably a lower margin phone and still expensive for a market like India. The price is the barrier, not the product for India.

 

[MaCheezm0]

I’ll just stick to my iPhone SE with iOS 9 for now.

 

[nt5672]

The weird thing with the 6 was that they went to big and bigger, v.s. keeping a smaller phone and just adding a bigger one. Maybe it comes down to hardware design. It's much easier to pack a lot of features in a bigger phone.

Of all of the comments, this is the right one. You can't get the battery life needed for games and VR with a small phone. Apple has given up on satisfying customers that just want phones and went with being a slave to technology that requires bigger batteries. For my phone usage I don't need 6 cores, I don't play Pokemon or any other VR games (gimmicks).

I need computers that big, bulky, and powerful, but Apple has chosen not to make those either. Apple's target demographic is the one class of people that their marketing works on. That is relatively rich teenagers, or a little older spending their parents money, or high tech snobs that need to have the latest at any cost.

 

[green86]

That's the problem, most people can't. We have invested our lives to Apple... HomePods, iPads, Apple TV, iPhone, Macbooks, Watches. Being critical of a company is not hate. Apple is not free from criticism, it is how companies grow and do better.

Apple doesn’t care what you think. Throwing a tantrum because you can’t get an iPhone that is marginally smaller then what is available is immature.
[doublepost=1536786833][/doublepost]

Oh please, enough of this flippant response. We know we have a choice, but we also have a preference within the iPhone lineup. That's not "hate".

You also have a choice. Buy a slightly bigger phone or throw a fit. I see what route you took.
[doublepost=1536786953][/doublepost]

Of all of the comments, this is the right one. You can't get the battery life needed for games and VR with a small phone. Apple has given up on satisfying customers that just want phones and went with being a slave to technology that requires bigger batteries. For my phone usage I don't need 6 cores, I don't play Pokemon or any other VR games (gimmicks).

I need computers that big, bulky, and powerful, but Apple has chosen not to make those either. Apple's target demographic is the one class of people that their marketing works on. That is relatively rich teenagers, or a little older spending their parents money, or high tech snobs that need to have the latest at any cost.

Sounds like a flip phone will do you nicely. I just saved you hundreds of $$$$
[doublepost=1536787012][/doublepost]

I’ll just stick to my iPhone SE with iOS 9 for now.

Congrats. Your vulnerable to a number of security risks.

 

[iLLUMI]

What a garbage event. So much BS corporate talk, nothing new. Crazy prices.
And don't start me on all those creepy people on stage. Incredible.

Thought I was the only one who noticed how creepy everyone was sounding. They looked uncomfortable too.
I felt awkward watching them.
Don't even get me started on Phil Schiller's ever expanding waistline. Muffin Top Phil.
The Apple Watch might be getting slimmer but Phil is getting bigger.

An XSE would have been awesome. I would have gone for a smaller from factor.
XR is okay but way too expensive.
Apple should have bumped off the 7 and kept the SE (as XSE) instead.

New product lineup should have been
XS
XS Max
XR
X SE

 

[CmdrLaForge]

R seems to infer reaching more people as it's their budget phone
btw, the Xs is smaller than the Xr

I know. I am not happy about the pricing either.

 

[msp3]

And nothing of value was lost.

Small hands, small feet, small... Manlets BTFO, how will they ever recover?

 

[droog]

I can’t afford any of those. I hope my phone lasts until I am in a better financial situation.

 

[dv8r]

I just threw out my own guess since we were guessing.

It is CLEAR Apple made a business decision based on data. Crystal clear, or they would have done something different. I don't think the SE is purely dead though...but it's sure not going to steal thunder for a new iPhone event. This event is all about the mass market.

Apple doesn't have a problem with low end phones. Its strategy is to make money on hardware and services. When then can't do that, they won't enter the market aggressively. The SE was probably a lower margin phone and still expensive for a market like India. The price is the barrier, not the product for India.

Apple has a problem in markets where nobody can walk away with an iPhone XXX, You should listen in on the investor calls, comes up every time with Tim Cook giving his usual “potential... blah blah... great things coming...” stick.

We can agree though that the SE would never be alowed to steal the thunder at the “new iPhone” event. But their tendency to let their products sit there in the store and slowly die from old age bothers me... that and their obsession with people with big hands.

 

[Zachari]

Apple doesn’t care what you think. Throwing a tantrum because you can’t get an iPhone that is marginally smaller then what is available is immature.
[doublepost=1536786833][/doublepost]

You also have a choice. Buy a slightly bigger phone or throw a fit. I see what route you took.
[doublepost=1536786953][/doublepost]

Sounds like a flip phone will do you nicely. I just saved you hundreds of $$$$
[doublepost=1536787012][/doublepost]

Congrats. Your vulnerable to a number of security risks.

Not throwing a tantrum... just voting with my wallet.

 

[Lioness~]

Absolutely a slap in the face to the millions of SE owners. How hard would it have been to upgrade the internals? I don’t even care about the low price, I just want a small phone that’s easy to carry. Pure greed from Apple. I’m so bummed. Now I’ll have to carry a bulky, heavy iPhone, cause you know damn well iOS 12 or 13 will brick our SE’s.

SE works fine on iOS12, might even work on iOS 13, it likely will

 

[oVerboost]

From the majority of the replies, people want a smaller phone that costs similar to what the SE did. Never going to happen. To get an edge to edge screen in that form factor and upgraded internals, is going to increase battery usage, which would mean either you have a small phone, better display and a few upgrades that offers poor battery life, and is a flop, or you offer the 7 at a cheaper price which is what they’ve done.

It may suck, but logically I don’t really think a new SE in that size factor would have worked solely due to battery constraints.