With 'cheap' iPhone, Apple targets fans and companies in times of crisis

The new SE iPhones, in three different colors

The new SE iPhones, in three different colors

After months of rumors, the Apple yesterday announced a new smartphone model. Called the iPhone SE, the device does not bring major innovations to the market. On the contrary: with iPhone 8, launched in 2017, but with updated specifications, the cell phone seeks to insert itself in the American manufacturer's product line as an affordable option for the brand's fans. The quotes are justified by the price: in the USA, the devices will be sold for prices between US $ 399 and US $ 549.

Here in Brazil, the line is similar: still with no expected launch date, the iPhone SE will reach the market for values ​​between R $ 3.7 thousand and R $ 4.5 thousand already the models announced by the company last year, in the iPhone family 11, ranging from R $ 5,000 to R $ 10,000. There will be three colors for sale: white, black and red.

It is not the first time that the company uses the SE code to name a device in 2016, something similar was done to please users looking for smaller screen phones, but with updated settings. In addition to fitting in the hand, the SE line seeks to cater for those looking for a cheaper, high-performance smartphone. In the case of the mobile phone launched yesterday, this means a processor and the latest generation memory, but an LCD screen and the absence of the facial recognition sensor, Face ID, implemented by the company since 2017.

New iPhone has Touch ID, like the old ones

New iPhone has Touch ID, like the old ones

Another detail the presence of a rear camera with only one lens is something that Apple has not done since 2018 and that other Android devices, even at an intermediate price in the market, have already left behind. In a session with journalists, of which state participated, the company bets on dedicated chip and artificial intelligence to generate better photos than those of the competition, even going against the industry.

Fitting

For analysts, the device should not be seen as a major launch, but rather a product with the potential to serve some types of specific consumers. There are a group of people, about 15% of the total, who are looking for good phones, but which are small and comfortable, says Frank Gillett, vice president of research at American consultancy Forrester.

Another specific demand, according to the analyst, is that of companies that use iPhones as corporate phones and see the device as a good cost-benefit. Only customers who buy a cell phone for security and usability, not for the quality of the camera, agree Annette Zimmermann, vice president for research at Gartner Consulting.

In addition, she says that the device can make a lot of sense for loyal Apple users, but they usually wait a few years to change phones. The fact that it emerged in the midst of an economic crisis further reinforces the potential of the device, he says. However, it is good to remember that Apple is keeping an eye on its own users. It is not competing with those who today buy a cheaper Android device.

In a note to investors, Daniel Ives, an analyst at the consulting firm Wedbush, believes that the new device is expected to sell around 25 million units by the end of 2020. According to him, the device should have been launched in March, but delays were caused by account production difficulties in China. In the country, where most iPhones are manufactured, factories have been idle for several weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the view of Annette Zimmermann, the launch of this iPhone SE does not guarantee that everything is fine in the production line of the company of Tim Cook. Apple has not yet reached land, but it is almost there, says the analyst. There may be problems to meet demand in the coming months and it is quite possible that we will see a delay in the launch of the next iPhone, he says, referring to a future model of Apple traditionally, the company launches handsets with great innovations in the first half of September.

It is very unlikely that we will see a new iPhone in September or October, reiterated Ives, from Wedbush. In the call with journalists, the company said it was doing everything to deliver the iPhones as quickly as possible.