There’s no sign of a $300 iPhone SE, only a more expensive one.
When the second-generation iPhone SE launched in 2020, it carried the title of Apple’s cheapest iPhone ever, with a price tag of $399 / £389 / AU$679 for the entry-level 64GB model. Hopes were high then, ahead of Apple’s 2022 March Event the Cupertino, California-based firm would repeat the trick and bring us a third generation of the popular iPhone SE at an equally palatable – if not even cheaper – price point. We even saw leaks that suggested the iPhone SE 2022 could cost as little as $300, which would be a defining point for Apple’s smartphone series, and a statement that would send shockwaves through the affordable Android market. The reality, however, is the complete opposite. Apple’s cheapest iPhone ever is gone, with the iPhone SE 2020 removed from the firm’s website, replaced with the more expensive iPhone SE 2022. So what’s happened? In short, the base-model of the new iPhone SE comes in $30 / £30 / AU$40 more expensive than its predecessor. That’s disappointing to see, but improvements have been made and it has been two years since the second generation iPhone SE landed – so let’s give Apple the benefit of the doubt for a minute.
