iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

Sounds like Apple should just discontinue the iPhone, add the Phone app to cellular iPads, and let people walk around with the biggest and brightest 12" displays then.

You can have your laugh. But go look at what's been happening with display and battery sizes in all smartphones, not just iPhone, and then tell me there's more to it than "bigger=better"?

I don't grasp why we need to keep discussing this fact on MR?

It doesn't matter how you look at it, or what new models any of us, as individuals, would like to see more of.

-As long as technology dictates that phone size and battery life are linked, we will keep seeing bigger and bigger smartphones.

People who can't hold them are still buying them and using them with weird cases, bags, putting them in backpacks, purses, etc.

Some are already running around with both a small tablet and a (big) phablet just so they don't ever have to quit looking at a display.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

Only foldables and AR/VR glasses (with huge displays inside) can break this trend. But they will only do so because they offer larger displays in a more compact form-factor, not because the average consumer wants to downsize.

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

Apple are a business, after all. In a cutthroat market with many (very good) Android-based competitors. So, of course, they want everyone to buy their most expensive offerings.

Having said that, iPhone sales don't just start and stop in September/October. They're healthy throughout the year, quarter over quarter (revenue is probably in the $50 billion range most quarters). So if customers aren't buying these "mini" phones in the numbers targeted over all quarters, I'm not sure that can all be put down to "everbody already got a big iPhone in September"...

All I'm saying is that if people that don't upgrade often are holding off for the Sept event to see if a new smaller phone is released and there isn't one, they're likely to buy a larger one instead. Which then decreases sales 6 months later when they announce a smaller phone.

 

[joeblow7777]

Nothing is "confirmed" until Apple announces it.

 

[newyorksole]

you know what I noticed just now…

we don’t see articles about patents anymore.

they used to be fairly common that Apple filed this patent or trademarked that technology.

now nothing…

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

If this has a physical sim tray for the US I’ll be buying one

 

[eatrains]

You can have your laugh. But go look at what's been happening with display and battery sizes in all smartphones, not just iPhone, and then tell me there's more to it than "bigger=better"?

I don't grasp why we need to keep discussing this fact on MR?

It doesn't matter how you look at it, or what new models any of us, as individuals, would like to see more of.

-As long as technology dictates that phone size and battery life are linked, we will keep seeing bigger and bigger smartphones.

View attachment 2453533
People who can't hold them are still buying them and using them with weird cases, bags, putting them in backpacks, purses, etc.

Some are already running around with both a small tablet and a (big) phablet just so they don't ever have to quit looking at a display.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

Only foldables and AR/VR glasses (with huge displays inside) can break this trend. But they will only do so because they offer larger displays in a more compact form-factor, not because the average consumer wants to downsize.

Having to carry your phone in a weird case or backpack is proof it's just too big. If you can't carry it easily, there's no way you can actually use it easily. And usability is something Apple at least used to care about. What exactly is the point of a 33-hour battery if you can't even hold the thing?

 

[tipoo]

I hope every Apple product refresh after it comes with an Apple based modem with Wifi 7 and 5G. Maybe that's why the M4 Macs didn't update to available Wifi 7 chips, they saw no point for one generation when they would have their own by next, and hopefully add cellular too

Apple Watch also very uses a very old Intel wireless chip that could serve to be updated to an Apple one

 

[jouster]

Having to carry your phone in a weird case or backpack is proof it's just too big. If you can't carry it easily, there's no way you can actually use it easily. And usability is something Apple at least used to care about. What exactly is the point of a 33-hour battery if you can't even hold the thing?

Clearly, the majority of phone users—iOS or Android—have no problem holding them.

 

[aParkerMusic]

They tried the mini form factor just three years ago, and canned it. I doubt they'd go there again anytime soon!

I think people voted with their wallets, there...

I loved my 13 mini (still have it as a backup) but it’s true, it just wasn’t popular and the battery life was markedly shorter than the other models.

 

[nathansz]

You'd be in the small minority though. People seem to take issue with paying the same amount of money to get "less". Even though technologically they're on par.

$700 v $800 wasn't enough for people. And here in australia where it was $1200 AUD vs $1350 AUD, that differentiation seemed even more miniscule.

I guess I don’t see it as less but rather more

As in more usable

 

[Eithanius]

Apple should rebrand it iPhone QE instead… (QE = Qualcomm Excluded)…

 

[Peterrocks!]

Good. Who needs a $2,000 phone.

 

[ZipZilla]

Qualcomm modems will always be superior in low-signal areas. I am not upset Apple puts their house modem in the budget iphone.

 

[bodonnell202]

That's not where the smartphone market is heading.

Go look at what other brands are selling more and more of -More and more phablets and foldables.

People need larger and larger batteries and bigger and brighter displays for more and more content consumption.

-When in the market for a new device, by far most will consider the model that offers the most battery life and the biggest and brightest display available.

iPhones mini aren't that and can't be due to physical/technical limitations.

I don’t disagree, but by making the SE the same size as their other devices they are taking away the opportunity for an upsell, that’s all I was saying. The SE that all the rumors are pointing to will cannibalize sales of everything but the Pros and lower the average selling price of the iPhone. Good for consumers, bad for Apple shareholders 🤷‍♂️

 

[victorvictoria]

Apple raised the price of the 2020 SE 30 dollars. So I expect the 2025 SE will be $459. Still going to get it. It has way more functionality than I need.

 

[victorvictoria]

Qualcomm modems will always be superior in low-signal areas. I am not upset Apple puts their house modem in the budget iphone.

How do you know that Apple's modem won't be as good as a QC modem? They haven't even released it yet!

 

[svish]

Good to know about this. Will be good to see a cellular MacBook in the near future.

 

[ghostface147]

That’s sooner than I thought. Public beta test, but I do really hope it’s successful.

 

[obviouslogic]

I'm very excited for this. Upgrading from the 15 Pro to the 16 Pro doubled my cellular speeds on average (in some areas more like triple!). I never expected that kind of difference without some wild new technology or switching providers. If Apple is engineering this thing as well as they do their other chips, it could be a beast in waiting.

I wouldn’t expect that. Qualcomm has basically cornered the market in cell radio IP, it’s hard for anyone to compete. If Apple is designing their own cell modems they’re doing it for efficiency reasons; building everything into the SoC, including Wifi, Bluetooth, etc.

 

[DesertNomad]

for EU they'll keep it though

I have my SE so I can keep my Czech SIM in it. For the SE 4, I may have to buy it in the EU vs the USA.

 

[Expos of 1969]

You can have your laugh. But go look at what's been happening with display and battery sizes in all smartphones, not just iPhone, and then tell me there's more to it than "bigger=better"?

I don't grasp why we need to keep discussing this fact on MR?

It doesn't matter how you look at it, or what new models any of us, as individuals, would like to see more of.

-As long as technology dictates that phone size and battery life are linked, we will keep seeing bigger and bigger smartphones.

View attachment 2453533
People who can't hold them are still buying them and using them with weird cases, bags, putting them in backpacks, purses, etc.

Some are already running around with both a small tablet and a (big) phablet just so they don't ever have to quit looking at a display.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

Only foldables and AR/VR glasses (with huge displays inside) can break this trend. But they will only do so because they offer larger displays in a more compact form-factor, not because the average consumer wants to downsize.

SE 3 seems to be missing from that listing.

 

[melliflu]

I’m PWM-sensitive and just got myself an iPhone SE 3 yesterday to replace my aging iPhone 11 with its low battery health. I tried other Android LCD phones, but they felt too cheap, and even experimented with E Ink phones. However, the SE 3, with its power comparable to the iPhone 13, still seems to be the best option in the non-OLED market. I’ll just have to adapt to the smaller screen, though its compact form is definitely a plus.

With the OLED SE 4, Apple will lose the niche market of PWM-sensitive users (around 1-3% of people).

 

[Expos of 1969]

I’m PWM-sensitive and just got myself an iPhone SE 3 yesterday to replace my aging iPhone 11 with its low battery health. I tried other Android LCD phones, but they felt too cheap, and even experimented with E Ink phones. However, the SE 3, with its power comparable to the iPhone 13, still seems to be the best option in the non-OLED market. I’ll just have to adapt to the smaller screen, though its compact form is definitely a plus.

With the OLED SE 4, Apple will lose the niche market of PWM-sensitive users (around 1-3% of people).

I have had all three versions of the SE and really enjoy my SE 3. Does everything I need and fits in my pockets. After having to return the iPhone 13 mini twice as it really bothered my eyes, I am very concerned that I may fall into the PWM sensitive group and that the OLED SE 4 will be a major problem for me.

 

[kerr]

Which will leave the iPhone 14 as the last remaining iPhone that Apple sells with a lightning connector.

 

[antonrg]

I honestly hope that with the latest chip improvements and all the bells and whistles, Apple AT THE VERY LEAST, has some sense and not increase phone sizes. If they are too constrained by the size of a mini - a perfect portable phone IMO, then at least give us something sub 6". I can afford a Pro, it's not an issue for me, what I refuse to do is use a brick. Not everyone is sedentary, not everyone is comfortable using huge phones. Some of us like them light and easy to use on a run. Indeed, it's a trend to have huge phones, but I am more than sure had the battery been better on a slightly smaller device, a lot more people would buy that. The mini didn't sell well (by Apple standards) because of the battery and total lack of marketing too. Considering how good M4 is with power management, perhaps, and I know it's a stretch, but perhaps they could give us something manageable. At least one model from the lineup. Until then, I'm holding onto my 13 mini that is pretty amazing as a phone, still.