The iPhone SE may be one of the biggest successes in this pandemic season but it could quickly lose its place when the iPhone 12 mini arrives.
The coronavirus pandemic and the rising unemployment rate has definitely put the entire industry in a bind. As iPhone sales went down, there is without a doubt that the second-generation iPhone SE has helped keep Apple afloat. Despite its success, however, the iPhone SE may soon find itself in hot water when the purported iPhone 12 mini is released.
Selling above expectations
2020 isn’t a good year for the smartphone industry. Because of the pandemic, smartphone sales were down 25% during the second quarter of 2020. Apple and its biggest rival, Samsung, fared better than the others. Apple’s market share grew from 40.8% to 47.1%, shipping 15 million iPhones in the United States alone this second quarter.
A big part of this growth is the iPhone SE.
“Apple volumes grew through the quarter and were especially helped by iPhone SE volumes. It was not a typical Apple launch with large fanfare and a launch event at the Steve Jobs theatre, which normally also includes a blitz of TV ads,“ analyst firm Counterpoint says in their report. “However, the device has been successful and selling above expectations in both postpaid and prepaid channels. Since the iPhone SE launched, carrier stores and national retail have been re-opening. Some channels saw large promos to draw shoppers back to stores. This was especially true within Walmart, Metro by T-Mobile and Boost.”
Enter the iPhone 12 mini
Priced only at US$399, the iPhone SE is certainly the most affordable of Apple’s latest releases. But what makes the budget-friendly iPhone so in-demand is the fact that it comes with the same microchip as the iPhone 11, the A13 bionic chip, the so-called fastest chip in the market right now.
The iPhone SE is popular because it matches the same specs as the iPhone 11. However, it comes with a more affordable price.
30% of iPhone SE sales upgraded from an older iPhone such as the iPhone 6. Interestingly, 26% of the phone’s sales were former Android users.
The phone’s affordability and specifications contributed most to its success. Unfortunately, things may go south for the mid-range iPhone if Apple releases the rumored iPhone 12 mini.
Apple is yet to confirm the existence of a supposed 5.4-inch screen iPhone 12 mini. However, there are already rumors that Apple will release it alongside the iPhone 12.
Not only that, the mini iPhone will come with an appearance similar to the original iPhone SE. But the biggest news of all is that the purported iPhone will have the new A14 Bionic chip.
So iPhone 12 Mini is probably the name of the small 5.4” iPhone.
iPhone 12 Mini size comparison vs the SE & SE2
This is an update of the post from Spring with the new design rendered.
Wallpapers here:https://t.co/85K56ZKGly#iPhone12Mini #iPhone12 #iPhoneSE #iPhone #Apple pic.twitter.com/6vzWQzvoZi
— 9TechEleven (@9techeleven) September 25, 2020
Losing its audience
The A14 chip is an upgraded version of the A13 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE. That means the iPhone 12 mini will have higher specifications than the iPhone SE.
It is also likely to have an affordable price compared to its flagship iPhone 12. This means that the mini iPhone will be in the same position as the iPhone SE a few months ago.
It will come with almost all the advantages that the iPhone SE had: affordability, upgraded specifications, and a more desirable position in an uncertain economic climate.
Because of this, the iPhone SE may have to share its target audience with the iPhone 12 mini. But being the more advanced phone, people may want to purchase the mini iPhone more.
images used courtesy of Daniel Romero/Flickr (1) and (2)