Apple 4-inch Smartphone iPhone SE Makes A Return to Its Online Store
NEWS: 01.21.19- After being absent from the Apple Store online for the past four months, the iPhone SE is back on sale, now in the Clearance Products section, for a limited time and quantities are almost certainly guaranteed to be scarce as remaining inventory of the device dwindles, swept up by those looking for an alternative to the ever growing trend of larger sized phablets as seen by the lineup of last year’s iPhones.
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The news comes from an article written by Jon Fingas this past weekend on Engadget who reports that, “Apple has quietly resumed selling the iPhone SE as a clearance item in the U.S.”
The two models available are for sale at the following clearance prices:
• iPhone SE 32GB- $249 (originally $349)
• iPhone SE 128GB- $299 (originally $449)
The models being sold are the 2017 refresh where capacities were doubled from the previous year’s models which were originally 16GB and 64GB at launch and priced at $399 and $499 respectively.
This is definitely good news and bodes well for those who were left in the dust with no other option for an upgrade when Apple seemingly and “officially” discontinued the 4-inch smartphone from its lineup with the announcement of the new iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max models in September of last year which were bigger and much more expensive compared to the smaller and budget-friendly iPhone SE.
The demise of the iPhone SE was a shock and disappointment to some, especially those awaiting the much talked about and long rumored successor, the iPhone SE 2 which was predicted to be released last year but never surfaced.
Those still clamoring for an iPhone SE 2 may still have a glimmer of hope.
According to Mike Peterson of iDrop News, “… fans of the 4-inch form factor shouldn’t give up all hope quite yet. It’s entirely possible that Apple could debut an iPhone SE 2 this coming Spring.”
“Quite frankly, adding an iPhone SE 2 to the 2018 lineup may have added unnecessary clutter,” explains Peterson. “Mainly since Apple made a point of emphasizing the iPhone XR’s relative affordability. What’s probable, but not certain, is that Apple decided to delay the iPhone SE 2 launch to 2019.”
Announced in March 2016, Apple dubbed the iPhone SE “the most powerful 4-inch phone ever.” The compact device packed the internal components of the then year old iPhone 6S from 2015and in a feat of innovation, scaled it down to fit into the smaller form factor of the then three year old design of the iPhone 5S from 2013 (which was itself the same enclosure, sans Touch ID, as the iPhone 5 from the year prior in 2012).
The iPhone SE initially did not do well during its release) but was a surprise hit for Apple during sales of the device in the latter half of 2016.
To purchase one of the discounted models of the iPhone SE (while supplies last), visit this special page or the Clearance Products section of the Apple Store online.