In an effort to gain a larger portion of the mid-range smartphone market and stave off competition from rivals like Samsung and China’s Huawei, Apple is scheduled to release its newest low-cost iPhone model on Wednesday.
At a time when manufacturers of consumer electronics are attempting to incorporate artificial intelligence features into their products, the fourth generation of the less expensive model, now known as the iPhone SE, will compete with well-known Android handsets.
The most recent model of the iPhone SE is probably going to cost more than the present model, which was released in 2022 and costs $429.
The base model of the iPhone 16, which debuted in September, costs $799.
“The SE 4 could revitalize its market appeal and strengthen Apple’s position across different price segments if it offers meaningful upgrades in design, performance, and AI features,” senior analyst Varun Mishra of Counterpoint Research stated.
Apple predicted robust sales growth late last month, indicating that the corporation will bounce back from a decline in iPhone sales as it expands the use of artificial intelligence technologies to additional languages and areas in the upcoming months.
However, since Apple’s AI features are scheduled to be phased out in some places on its most recent iPhone 16 lineup and the iPhone 15 Pro model, experts have been wary about the sales bump such technologies could give.
Laptops 1000According to Counterpoint Research, the SE model’s sales as a percentage of overall iPhone revenue fell from 10% when it was first introduced in 2016 to roughly 1% last year.
In addition to camera and CPU upgrades to support AI capabilities, experts and media reports predict that this year’s version will redesign its slab design, do away with the physical home button, and add FaceID.
The SE model would be the last iPhone to switch from its proprietary Lightning connector to the USB Type-C port for charging.
The current SE and iPhone 14 have already been terminated by Apple in the EU since they don’t meet local regulations that demand USB Type-C charging. It would be permitted to rejoin the EU under the most recent SE model.
