Other Do you think the next iPhone SE might use the 12/13 mini design?

[Funny Apple Man]

If the mini version is to be gone when the iPhone 14 comes out, I think it would make sense if they put the same design into the next SE. The 13 mini is only slightly smaller than the current SE so I don't think size would be an issue, plus it would make the SE look less dated.

I'm hoping Apple would use the 13 mini design for the iPhone SE 4 once they stop selling the 13 mini in a couple of years.

 

[jav6454]

SE will likely use the same design it's using right now. Doubt it'll be the Mini's

 

[acorntoy]

No. SE uses the more popular design, most likely the next SE will have the XR design/screen size.

SE is Apple cheapest phone and their most important in developing markets, those markets typically buy the largest screen size that has decent specs.

 

[subjonas]

I don’t know if it’s likely or not, but I hope so—but only if they put Touch ID in the power button. I really just want something as close to my SE1 as possible, but with as good of internal/camera specs as possible (low price is not the priority for me).

 

[CE3]

SE is Apple cheapest phone and their most important in developing markets, those markets typically buy the largest screen size that has decent specs.

Japan isn't a developing market and the SE sells very well there. I think it's done quite well in Europe and North America, too. I know all the the tech reviewers love to parrot the SE's main appeal is its price, and while I'm sure that's true for some (and the price is certainly appealing), the market for a smaller iPhone, TouchID, an LCD display, etc.. extends beyond budget conscious consumers.

No. SE uses the more popular design, most likely the next SE will have the XR design/screen size.

I think the SE will likely see a design update next release, but the smaller form factor has always been a part of its legacy and that will not change. I could see it adopting the Mini design, but the XR / 11 is much too big and heavy to become an SE.

 

[one more]

It could, but the rumours are still contradictory on that one. The recent ones were about a 5.7” screen iPhone SE with a TouchID in the power button to be released in 2023. We can also expect Apple to continue selling 13 mini alongside iPhone 14. Not sure, as I guess minis still use high cost components and quite a complex assembly, whereas the current SE is a repackaged iPhone 8.

 

[JPack]

Nope, why would Apple willingly use a design that sold so poorly? It doesn’t make sense from a demand or supply chain perspective. You might as well ask if Apple is planning to launch another iPhone 5c-style device next year.

 

[JPack]

I know all the the tech reviewers love to parrot the SE's main appeal is its price, and while I'm sure that's true for some (and the price is certainly appealing), the market for a smaller iPhone, TouchID, an LCD display, etc.. extends beyond budget conscious consumers.

It’s not “parroting,” it’s literally the way Apple markets the iPhone SE. Unless you think Apple doesn’t know its own market.

The Most Affordable iPhone Features A13 Bionic, the Fastest Chip in a Smartphone, and the Best Single-Camera System in an iPhone

iPhone SE: A powerful new smartphone in a popular design

Apple today announced the second generation iPhone SE, a powerful new iPhone featuring a 4.7-inch Retina HD display.

www.apple.com

 

[Andeddu]

It’s certainly possible Apple could use the Mini design. If they reduce the production costs slightly and utilise an LCD panel rather than an OLED one, the price may reach SE levels. I can see Apple getting rid of the physical Touch ID button with the next SE so my guess is that they’ll either use the 11 chassis or the Mini chassis.

The Mini will be discontinued also so I would not be surprised if it were to be resurrected as the SE4.

 

[CE3]

It’s not “parroting,” it’s literally the way Apple markets the iPhone SE. Unless you think Apple doesn’t know its own market.

The Most Affordable iPhone Features A13 Bionic, the Fastest Chip in a Smartphone, and the Best Single-Camera System in an iPhone

iPhone SE: A powerful new smartphone in a popular design

Apple today announced the second generation iPhone SE, a powerful new iPhone featuring a 4.7-inch Retina HD display.

www.apple.com

I'm not denying the price isn't a big selling point, I'm saying it's not the only selling point that persuades people to buy it over other options (..and as you can see from the marketing language you quoted, Apple agrees.) Yes, Apple knows its market, and one of the markets they knew they needed to address with the SE was to continue offering a smaller iPhone, which is why I don't think a future model will ever come in an XR-sized body.

 

[arfbsantoso]

If the mini version is to be gone when the iPhone 14 comes out, I think it would make sense if they put the same design into the next SE. The 13 mini is only slightly smaller than the current SE so I don't think size would be an issue, plus it would make the SE look less dated.

I'm hoping Apple would use the 13 mini design for the iPhone SE 4 once they stop selling the 13 mini in a couple of years.

I don't think so.
I love my SE 2020.
Just upgraded from my i7.
Same form factor. Same home button.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

I don't think so.
I love my SE 2020.
Just upgraded from my i7.
Same form factor. Same home button.

Glad you love it, I wish I liked the SE but I'm not a fan of the iP8 form factor. If they can put the mini design and then move Touch ID to the power button, that would be great.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

I don’t know if it’s likely or not, but I hope so—but only if they put Touch ID in the power button. I really just want something as close to my SE1 as possible, but with as good of internal/camera specs as possible (low price is not the priority for me).

Yeah I hope so too. The SE 1 is great and I'm hoping they can support it for one more year, I'll buy one if they do. As much as I like the current mini design, it would be better they can make it as small as the SE 1.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

Nope, why would Apple willingly use a design that sold so poorly? It doesn’t make sense from a demand or supply chain perspective. You might as well ask if Apple is planning to launch another iPhone 5c-style device next year.

As much as I really want Apple to keep selling small phones, I agree that there isn't much demand to justify making more of them. I do hope they give it another chance by putting it in the SE, I'm sure that would sell better because the price is more accessible.

Apple resurrecting the iPhone 5c design? Yes please.

 

[JPack]

As much as I really want Apple to keep selling small phones, I agree that there isn't much demand to justify making more of them. I do hope they give it another chance by putting it in the SE, I'm sure that would sell better because the price is more accessible.

Apple resurrecting the iPhone 5c design? Yes please.

The issue is the mini is anything but cost-effective to build. The SE is driven by cost and uses a form factor and components that are mature. However, everything about the mini is expensive:

- Stainless steel chassis
- Face ID
- OLED
- Stacked logic board
- Insufficient economies of scale

On the other hand, the XR is opposite of everything above and gives Apple the margins they want in a $429 smartphone.

 

[ian87w]

The issue is the mini is anything but cost-effective to build. The SE is driven by cost and uses a form factor and components that are mature. However, everything about the mini is expensive:

- Stainless steel chassis
- Face ID
- OLED
- Stacked logic board
- Insufficient economies of scale

On the other hand, the XR is opposite of everything above and gives Apple the margins they want in a $429 smartphone.

The mini uses aluminum.
Like the XR, nothing is stopping Apple to make a less expensive mini using LCD screen and TouchID. However, the current SE's cost of using much older designs and components probably are too cost effective for Apple to replace it with the mini. Considering Apple refreshed the 2020 SE with 2022 SE in the same body and many other components, I can see Apple riding the current SE design for years to come.

 

[JPack]

The mini uses aluminum.
Like the XR, nothing is stopping Apple to make a less expensive mini using LCD screen and TouchID. However, the current SE's cost of using much older designs and components probably are too cost effective for Apple to replace it with the mini. Considering Apple refreshed the 2020 SE with 2022 SE in the same body and many other components, I can see Apple riding the current SE design for years to come.

I stand corrected on the aluminum. However, I disagree the mini could adopt LCD for reasons below.

1) LCD is much thicker, requiring a thicker chassis. If you look at XR/11, the Lightning connector is off-axis due to the thicker LCD intruding in the body. This means the mini chassis and other components must be redesigned.

2) Deleting Face ID from mini would lead to a thin-bezel hole punch design. It's extremely unlikely Apple would let iPhone SE4 compete with iPhone 14 Pro like that. This is why we're hearing rumors of SE4 using thick-bezel 5.7-inch display in an XR chassis.

I agree Apple would love to ride the 4.7-inch form factor for years to come, but weak iPhone SE3 sales suggest it won't be possible to do so. A 4.7-inch display in a world of 6.1 and 6.7-inches is just too small to attract most customers.

 

[Andeddu]

Yeah I hope so too. The SE 1 is great and I'm hoping they can support it for one more year, I'll buy one if they do. As much as I like the current mini design, it would be better they can make it as small as the SE 1.

I have accepted that this will be the last year of SE1 support. That’s why I went out and bought a new SE1 to temporarily replace my 12 Mini until iOS 16 has been released.

I wish they’d make a new SE1 again with up to date specs or at least an A13. I purchase one in a heartbeat!

 

[Paddle1]

I think it's possible. Wasn't it Tim Cook that said the SE's small size was one of its main features?

I expect either that or the XR/11 chassis. The iPhone 8 one is long-in-the-tooth and creates a struggle to achieve decent battery life.

 

[subjonas]

I think it's possible. Wasn't it Tim Cook that said the SE's small size was one of its main features?

I expect either that or the XR/11 chassis. The iPhone 8 one is long-in-the-tooth and creates a struggle to achieve decent battery life.

They touted the SE’s small size as a feature, but I don’t think that means small size will always be central to the SE’s identity.

That said, my hope is that there will always be a significant segment of people who don’t want their phones to rule every moment of their waking lives (and pockets) but still want a capable Apple ecosystem device, and that Apple will always keep something in their lineup for them.

 

[snipr125]

I stand corrected on the aluminum. However, I disagree the mini could adopt LCD for reasons below.

1) LCD is much thicker, requiring a thicker chassis. If you look at XR/11, the Lightning connector is off-axis due to the thicker LCD intruding in the body. This means the mini chassis and other components must be redesigned.

2) Deleting Face ID from mini would lead to a thin-bezel hole punch design. It's extremely unlikely Apple would let iPhone SE4 compete with iPhone 14 Pro like that. This is why we're hearing rumors of SE4 using thick-bezel 5.7-inch display in an XR chassis.

I agree Apple would love to ride the 4.7-inch form factor for years to come, but weak iPhone SE3 sales suggest it won't be possible to do so. A 4.7-inch display in a world of 6.1 and 6.7-inches is just too small to attract most customers.

I've seen these rumours aswell, but some indicate that it is the 5.8 Chassis, and some say the 6.1 "XR/11 chassis. Now it just does not make much sense with the XR/11 chassis, i mean they would have to put extremely thick bezels on the XR/11 to make it into a 5.7" screen, however with the 5.8" X/XS/11 Pro chassis this makes much more sense.

 

[Abazigal]

The trend seems to be 4 years (the time taken for Apple to write off the costs of R&D and machinery to design and manufacture the iPhone), so the earliest we may see the iPhone 12 mini form factor being recycled would be 2024. I think the iPhone XR form factor may be a decent compromise, and it would certainly have the battery life to sustain 5g.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I wish they’d make a new SE1 again with up to date specs or at least an A13. I purchase one in a heartbeat!

Same

I had a trial run with a 13 Mini and came away feeling "ok" about it...but not loving it much.

The new tech and all that is fine/great, but it's just a bit too tall, slightly too wide and a bit too heavy.

The height was by far the most noticeable for me.
I just didn't need or want all that height and it made it a game of hand gymnastics for me, especially for anyting up high and especially in the top left

I could live with it, but I didn't love it in the way I literally love picking up and using my SE1

My SE1 fleet has now grown to 5 units

 

[Andeddu]

Same

I had a trial run with a 13 Mini and came away feeling "ok" about it...but not loving it much.

The new tech and all that is fine/great, but it's just a bit too tall, slightly too wide and a bit too heavy.

The height was by far the most noticeable for me.
I just didn't need or want all that height and it made it a game of hand gymnastics for me, especially for anyting up high and especially in the top left

I could live with it, but I didn't love it in the way I literally love picking up and using my SE1

My SE1 fleet has now grown to 5 units

I too wish the Mini was a little more Mini. It’s fine though, I will just have to get used to the larger form-factor again when I go back in October. Apple are the only company I know of who are offering contemporary phones with bezels. I cannot see them continuing this trend for much longer though as, at some point, we will all have to move on with the times.

Oh well, I’d happily declare the original SE my favourite iPhone of all time.

 

[ian87w]

I stand corrected on the aluminum. However, I disagree the mini could adopt LCD for reasons below.

1) LCD is much thicker, requiring a thicker chassis. If you look at XR/11, the Lightning connector is off-axis due to the thicker LCD intruding in the body. This means the mini chassis and other components must be redesigned.

2) Deleting Face ID from mini would lead to a thin-bezel hole punch design. It's extremely unlikely Apple would let iPhone SE4 compete with iPhone 14 Pro like that. This is why we're hearing rumors of SE4 using thick-bezel 5.7-inch display in an XR chassis.

I agree Apple would love to ride the 4.7-inch form factor for years to come, but weak iPhone SE3 sales suggest it won't be possible to do so. A 4.7-inch display in a world of 6.1 and 6.7-inches is just too small to attract most customers.

You have good points. Using LCD might necessitate a redesign, which Apple probably wouldn’t want to do.

Considering Apple refreshed the SE with a new chip and same design, I have a feeling Apple will ride that design for years to come. And the intention is to encourage people to spend more for the more expensive iPhones instead. The weak sales doesn’t matter if the more expensive regular iPhones are breaking sales records.