Is Apple launching iPhone SE? Here's what you must know

Apple CEO Tim Cook teased the release of a new product last week, calling it a "new member of the family." Presumably, this product will be the fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple’s most affordable phone which has been under speculations for months now. 

The forthcoming lower-cost iPhone SE will be launched at a time when consumer electronic manufacturers are seeking to integrate advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools into their devices. The upcoming device aims to outdo the renowned Android smartphones

The current generation of iPhone SE, launched in 2022, is currently priced at $429 and the upcoming version is expected to cost at a premium price to the outgoing variant. 

In January, the Cupertino-based tech giant predicted a significant surge in sales indicating that the company will recover from a dip in iPhone sales as it launches cutting-edge AI features to more regions and languages in the near future. 

However, a few credible analysts are cautious regarding the sales growth such a tool could provide, as the company is set to introduce a few AI-powered features in phases in some regions on its latest iPhone 16 series and iPhone 15 Pro model. 

According to Counterpoint Research, the upcoming iPhone SE model’s sales as part of total revenue for iPhones have significantly dropped from 10% from its launch in 2016 to about 1% last year. 

The iPhone SE model would reportedly be the last model among iPhones to feature the USB Type-C port for charging, marking a departure from its proprietary Lightning connector. 

Notably, the company has already discontinued the current SE and iPhone 14 models in the European Union as the product has yet to conform with local laws requiring USB Type-C charging standards. The latest SE model would bring it back to the EU.