The newly launched iPhone SE combines the design of the 5s with the internals of the 6s. Its battery actually gives its bigger siblings a run for their money, which is quite a surprise. Our first impressions of the iPhone SE are that it feels like a premium device, but that by now we, like most consumers, are very used to larger devices. Before it launched, there was also a lot of speculation that the SE would be a ‘cheap’ iPhone. Launched for $399 (INR 39,000 in India), it’s the least expensive new iPhone you can get, and while it’s not ‘cheap’, it is relatively affordable.
But does this mean the phone will be a big hit? Are there really lots of people who’ve been holding off from upgrading because they don’t want to get a bigger phone, and is the price low enough that the iPhone SE will be a hit in markets such as India and China, where Apple now needs a win? I think Apple was quite intentional in mentioning that 33 percent of first time iPhone buyers have come in on the smaller 4-inch form factor, says Ben Bajarin, a prominent mobile industry analyst and the founder of Tech.pinions. Much of this has to do with the price more than the size, but I do feel Apple is positioning this product as the entry level iPhone with current generation specs at mid-range $399 pricing. Which means they are looking for new customers, which exist less in developed markets and more in markets like urban China, India, Indonesia, and even Brazil. So in short I think more emerging markets are the primary target for the SE.
In short, both the screen size as well as the price is expected to play a major role in influencing people’s decision to buy this newly launched device.
