If you want to buy the 2022 iPhone SE, do it now

Who on earth would buy a 2022 model SE?

Afarstar said:

Who on earth would buy a 2022 model SE?

You don’t know the situation of everybody else in the world. I personally am not interested, but others may be.

I appreciate a notification like this from AppleInsider.

Afarstar said:

Who on earth would buy a 2022 model SE?

Potential switchers looking for an inexpensive entry point.

Parents pressured to buy an iPhone for their children who will probably break and/or lose it.

Poor people who want to feel rich.

People who prefer the smaller size (the next iPhone SE will be notably bigger). Related: people who don't get to have as many pockets as men.

Most US service workers, who can't afford a $1000-plus smartphone from any brand.

Yes, most of those people should wait three months and get the new one, but the new one is likely to cost more -- maybe only $70 more, or maybe $170 more. It would still be the cheapest iPhone, but that difference matters to people stuck in a job that pays at or near the US's criminal and stupid minimum wage, which just by-the-by hasn't gone up since ***2007***.

Bottom line: you're not everyman, Afarstar. Expand your horizons.

chasm said:

Yes, all those people should wait three months and get the new one, but the new one is likely to cost more -- maybe only $70 more, or maybe $170 more. It would still be the cheapest iPhone, but that difference matters to people stuck in a job that pays at or near the US's criminal and stupid minimum wage, which just by-the-by hasn't gone up since ***2007***.

EXACTLY. That difference would matter A LOT to many, many people in the SE target demo for all the reasons you mention and more. Which is why I don't think we're going to see a 17% price increase to $499 and NFW a whopping 40% increase to $599. Think of all the improvements Apple has made to iPhone and iPhone Pro since the X and 8 were released, improvements for which the costs to design, develop, test and retool have to be amortized over time, and yet it has done this without raising prices (in the U.S., at least) on even its priciest and therefore least price-sensitive model. In fact, when inflation is considered, the price of iPhones has dropped significantly over time. So why would there be a need to slap a 17% increase on the new SE, which will essentially be the fully amortized iPhone 14 tech with a better chip and (if rumors are true) an Apple modem, which should theoretically cut costs over licensing from Qualcomm. It just makes no sense. But we shall see. Maybe Apple will slap its biggest iPhone price increase ever on its most budget-minded buyers. 

charlesn said:

EXACTLY. That difference would matter A LOT to many, many people in the SE target demo for all the reasons you mention and more. Which is why I don't think we're going to see a 17% price increase to $499 and NFW a whopping 40% increase to $599. Think of all the improvements Apple has made to iPhone and iPhone Pro since the X and 8 were released, improvements for which the costs to design, develop, test and retool have to be amortized over time, and yet it has done this without raising prices (in the U.S., at least) on even its priciest and therefore least price-sensitive model. In fact, when inflation is considered, the price of iPhones has dropped significantly over time. So why would there be a need to slap a 17% increase on the new SE, which will essentially be the fully amortized iPhone 14 tech with a better chip and (if rumors are true) an Apple modem, which should theoretically cut costs over licensing from Qualcomm. It just makes no sense. But we shall see. Maybe Apple will slap its biggest iPhone price increase ever on its most budget-minded buyers. 

Agreed. But then why would anyone buy the iPhone 15 for $699, when the iPhone SE will (probably) Apple Intelligence, and the base iPhone 15 does not?