Apple unveiled its latest budget version of the iPhone, the third-generation iPhone SE, capable of connecting to ultra-fast 5G wireless networks, an update that is now available on the company’s luxury models for more of a year.
The latest iPhone SE marks the first update of the simple version of Apple’s most popular product in almost two years. In the latest sign of inflationary pressures that have been shaking the economy, the new iPhone SE will sell for $ 429, 8% more than the $ 399 price tag of the latest version that launched it ago almost two years during the early stages of the pandemic. The new iPhone SE will be available in stores on March 18.
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As a precaution against the pandemic, Apple still refrained from inviting the media and other guests to face-to-face events that it has traditionally hosted to showcase its latest products. Instead, Apple aired the “Peek Performance” virtual event live from the theater named after co-founder Steve Jobs at its Cupertino, California headquarters.
The latest iPhone SE includes the A15 Bionic chip, “the fastest CPU in a smartphone,” according to Apple, as well as a longer-lasting screen, a longer-lasting battery than the latest model, and a new camera system of a lens that produces more detailed and realistic images. However, the most important selling points of the iPhone SE will probably be its compatibility with still-emerging 5G wireless networks and its relatively low price.
Apple Inc.
Even with the $ 30 price increase, the iPhone SE is still a big discount on the sleekest iPhone 13 line launched last fall. Consisting of four different models, iPhone 13 prices range from $ 700 to $ 1,100. All of them, like the iPhone 12s launched during the fall of 2020, can be connected to 5G phones.
While 5G networks aren’t widely available yet, the appeal of faster connections turned out to be a major attraction that helped encourage more iPhone enthusiasts to upgrade from older models. According to research group International Data Corp., the iPhone 13 proved to be such a hot product that it helped Apple outperform its rival Samsung and take on the mantle of the world’s best-selling smartphone for the past three months. last year.
During Tuesday’s presentation, Apple CEO Tim Cook boasted that the company has attracted more new iPhone users than ever since last fall, without providing specific numbers. “We’re excited that the new iPhone SE can take advantage of that momentum,” Cook said.
Push services
Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives expects Apple to sell about 30 million new iPhone SE models next year, filling a need among less affluent consumers who own one of the estimated 225 million iPhones they have. at least three and a half years old. .
While Apple doesn’t make as much money selling the iPhone SE as the more expensive models, it will still give the company more opportunities to sell subscriptions to music playback, video streaming, games, and other services that they have become great money generators. , said Tuong Nguyen, a smartphone analyst at Gartner.
“It’s about expanding the ecosystem,” Nguyen said. “It’s always nice when Apple can get you to buy a new phone. But it’s even better when they can subscribe to everything they can because that turns into recurring revenue.”
Apple’s services division has become a booming business that generated $ 68 billion in revenue during its most recent fiscal year, up $ 24 billion in 2016, the first year since the company’s release. your music playback service. The company’s success in services has also become a regulatory minefield, sparking antitrust lawsuits and proposed legislation seeking to loosen Apple’s sole control over its iPhone app store, which charges lucrative commissions on digital transactions processed on the device.
The iPhone itself remains Apple’s largest gold mine, with sales of $ 192 billion last fiscal year, despite a shortage of supply that has slashed production. Apple said in January that these problems were easing as the pandemic eased and vendors began to catch up with the delays.
In addition to the new iPhone SE, Apple also used Tuesday’s showcase to announce that it has reached an agreement with Major League Baseball to begin showing two Friday night games each week on its video subscription after l ‘sport would resolve a labor dispute that has already delayed the start of its season. The agreement is the latest foray by a major technology company into a niche in sports programming that has traditionally been dominated by established television channels.
Apple also has a new desktop version of its personal computer called Mac Studio that will cost between $ 2,000 and $ 4,000 for the processing unit. A premium display screen designed for Mac Studio will cost an additional $ 1,600. The company also released the latest version of its lightweight tablet, the iPad Air, for $ 600. All of these computer devices will be powered by Apple’s own chips.
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