news

한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

Although we have reported a lot of news about iPhone SE 4 in the past few months, the situation has changed as time has entered the second half of the year.

Earlier, the exposure about iPhone SE 4 focused more on appearance parameters such as screen size and bezel design. Most of them came from personal exposure and their credibility was questionable.

However, as the estimated release date of iPhone SE 4 approaches (some sources say it will be released as early as September), more information begins to emerge from the supply chain.This iPhone with the biggest upgrade in history is getting closer and closer to us.

Unprecedented upgrade, the whole system has the same "U" unprecedented

A lot of the information revealed this time has been confirmed before, such as the iPhone SE 4 will use an OLED screen and support Face ID, etc. This also means that Apple’s last small-size iPhone and LCD screen will bid farewell to everyone with the discontinuation of iPhone SE 3.

It is reported that the OLED screen size of iPhone SE 4 has been determined to be 6.1 inches, the same as iPhone 14 and 15, and it will directly adopt the same right-angle frame as iPhone 13. This also means that except for the different camera, the appearance of iPhone SE 4 is basically the same as iPhone 13.

Image source: 91mobiles

The previously leaked iPhone SE 4 design shows that it will adopt a single-camera design, butUnlike the widely speculated 12-megapixel IMX503 sensor, the latest news shows that the iPhone SE 4 will use a 48-megapixel camera.

Apple first used a 48-megapixel main camera on the iPhone 14 Pro to replace the 12-megapixel main camera that had been used for many years, and then popularized it to the standard version of the iPhone 15 series. But before that, no one would have thought that Apple actually planned to popularize this new main camera on the iPhone SE 4 as well.

Image source: India today

Compared with the previous generation's 12-megapixel main camera, the 48-megapixel main camera has made leaps and bounds in low-light shooting, telephoto shooting and many other aspects.This also means that the imaging performance of the iPhone SE 4 is no longer at the "code scanning" level, and can even meet daily shooting needs under normal circumstances.

However, such a big upgrade is not something Apple would do, so the credibility of this news is not high. The only supporting evidence that can be thought of is that the 12-megapixel sensor has been discontinued along with the iPhone SE 3 orders. After evaluating the cost, Apple chose to switch to a 48-megapixel sensor. At that time, all iPhones on sale will use the same sensor, which will make it easier for Apple to optimize imaging algorithms and integrate the supply chain.

From this perspective, the saved labor and supply chain costs may offset the cost increase brought by the use of a high-specification main camera. Moreover, considering that the price of the iPhone SE 4 will be raised to $499, this decision is not problematic from a cost perspective.

The only question is, will Apple really allow the iPhone SE 4 to have such high imaging performance, thereby affecting the sales of iPhone 14/15?

Image source: macrumors

In addition to the much better-than-expected imaging performance, another piece of news is that the iPhone SE 4 will use the A18 processor. To be honest, when I saw this news, my first reaction was: Are you kidding?

Because before this, most of the leaks believed that the iPhone SE 4 will use the A16 processor, which is the same chip as the iPhone 14. Judging from the previous iPhone SE series configurations, this speculation is the most in line with product rules, but this time Apple does not seem to be going to play by the rules and directly equip the iPhone SE 4 with an A18 processor.This makes the iPhone SE series the first to have the same performance as the mainstream iPhone of the same generation.

Image source: iphone-mania

Although the A18 chip has not yet been released, according to the information exposed in the database, the single-core performance of A18 will exceed 3000, and the multi-core performance will exceed 8000. Compared with the currently exposed data of Snapdragon 8 Gen4 and Dimensity 9400, the single-core performance is still leading, but the multi-core performance lags behind the Android camp by a lot.

If you compare it with the current mainstream flagship chips, you will find that A18 has basically no rivals. Even the A17 Pro has slightly lower overall performance than A18. What's more, A18 will also greatly enhance AI performance and have a more powerful NPU core.

Now let's take a look at the current configuration of iPhone SE 4:A18 chip + 48-megapixel main camera + OLED screen + Face ID + iPhone 14 appearance.If the price is really $499, then we can announce in advance that this is the most worthwhile iPhone to buy, and even make the standard version of iPhone 14/15 lose its purchase value.

The only question now is: will Apple really come up with such an all-round flawless iPhone that can be said to be the most cost-effective iPhone in years?

In order to regain market share, Apple has made drastic changes

If it were a few years ago, I would definitely say that this leak is wrong, at least the chip cannot be A18, because it does not conform to Apple's market planning. However, now it is difficult for me to say "absolutely impossible" because Apple's actions in the past two years have slapped me in the face again and again.

Ten years ago, Apple's iPhone dominated the mobile phone market, with its system ecology and processor performance at the top, and no other competitor could compete with it. Today, ten years later, things are very different. There are so many mobile phone models that can compete with the iPhone that you can't even count them on your hands.To the extent that Apple has to choose more aggressive discount strategies than before to maintain sales and market share.

Image source: Lei Technology

In a word: Times have changed, sir. Apple was indeed invincible in the past, but now, apart from the iOS ecosystem, Apple no longer has an absolute advantage in hardware and performance. Whether it is the much-criticized standard version of the 60Hz screen or the high and low combination of the same generation of iPhone chips, it makes people realize that Apple is making changes.

In fact, when the new parameters of iPhone SE 4 were exposed, the parameters of iPhone 17 series were also leaked, and its hardware configuration upgrade is also the best in history. According to the news, the iPhone 17 series will be equipped with a high refresh screen as standard, and the whole series will use 12GB of RAM. In addition, the camera module will also usher in a comprehensive upgrade. The new lens coating and sensor will greatly alleviate the problem of ghosting in photos, and bring a better low-light shooting experience.

Image source: Macrumors

Although in my opinion the Pro version has been exclusive to four generations of high refresh screens for long enough, before that, analysts generally believed that Apple would not popularize high refresh until the iPhone 18 series. Considering that analysts' reports are not aimless, it is likely that something happened that allowed Apple to speed up the hardware iteration and update of the iPhone.

For example, attention to mid-range and emerging markets, such as the construction of AI ecosystem, etc.In fact, some people believe that the A18 chip of iPhone SE 4 is designed to quickly expand the AI ​​ecosystem. Considering Apple's current loyalty to the AI ​​ecosystem, the exaggerated upgrade of iPhone SE 4 does not seem to be a fantasy.

Filling the gap in the iPhone's mid-range market has always been the mission of the iPhone SE series, but the previous iPhone SE series did not accomplish this task well.Its overly old design makes it more of a "backup" for the iPhone rather than a standalone product targeting the mid-range market.

Image source: Apple

For Apple, as global consumption is downgrading, users' replacement cycles are further lengthening, which makes the sales forecast of high-end iPhones not optimistic. There are actually only two ways to maintain market share:1. Reduce prices for promotions; 2. Launch more competitive products.

Apple has already used the first method, which has a good effect, but it also leads to a decline in the profit margin of iPhone hardware and directly affects the early purchase rate of users. After all, no one's money comes from the wind. If they know that the price will be greatly reduced after a period of time, most users will no longer consider chasing the first release.

In this case, it would be better to launch a truly competitive iPhone with a mid-range price from the beginning, and then maintain the price of the main series stable.This will ensure the profit margin of the main series while avoiding losing the mid-range market.

"Left and right hands fighting each other", how can Apple avoid it?

The biggest problem with this plan is how to prevent the iPhone SE 4 from affecting the sales of the main iPhone series?

In fact, I think this impact is difficult to avoid, but it will not seriously reduce the sales of the main series. First of all, the single-camera configuration of the iPhone SE 4 determines that it cannot provide new iPhone features such as spatial video, nor can it meet higher requirements for image shooting.

Image source: Apple

Secondly, the update speed of the iPhone SE series is much slower than that of the main series, which means that the impact of iPhone SE 4 on the sales of the main series is only obvious in the initial stage. With the subsequent updates of the main series and price cuts and promotions, the impact of iPhone SE 4 will be further reduced.

However, a competitive iPhone SE will enable Apple to gain a higher market share in emerging markets and low-end and mid-range markets, and will ensure that it will not miss the initial smartphone ecosystem construction in emerging markets, which may be more important for Apple.

iPhone SE 4 is obviously a cost-effective "iPhone" worth looking forward to for users, but it may not be good news for Apple's competitors. In fact, even in China, where the mobile phone market is extremely inward-looking, iPhone is still very competitive. If iPhone SE 4 enters the mid-range market with a high cost-effectiveness, it will undoubtedly drop a nuclear bomb on the entire market and will cause a strong response.

By then, we may see a real war in the mobile phone market.

In the first half of 2024, the technology circle is surging.
Big models are being put into practice at an accelerated pace, with AI applications emerging in an endless stream, including AI mobile phones, AI PCs, AI home appliances, AI search, and AI e-commerce.
Vision Pro is now available in China, setting off a new wave of XR spatial computing;
HarmonyOS NEXT is officially released, and the mobile OS ecosystem has changed;
Automobiles have fully entered the "second half", and intelligence has become a top priority;
Competition in e-commerce is increasingly fierce, with low prices and even lower services;
The wave of going overseas is surging, and Chinese brands are embarking on the journey of globalization;

In the hottest month of July, Lei Technology's mid-year review is launched, summarizing the brands, technologies and products worth recording in the first half of 2024 in the technology industry, recording the past and looking forward to the future. Please pay attention.