Apple's first big product launch event of 2022 is right around the corner, and although the company reportedly plans to unveil a number of different things across several device categories this Tuesday, March 8, most of the public attention will undoubtedly be focused on the third-generation iPhone SE.
This bad boy has long been expected to spread 5G speeds to the cash-strapped iOS-loving masses, which could crucially contribute to a major boost in the overall sales figures of the world's second-largest handset vendor. But just how popular will the iPhone SE (2022) prove both in the short term and long run?
According to one generally reliable insider and new Twitter joiner, global shipments are likely to reach anywhere between 25 and 30 million units this year alone. Needless to say that's a big number for a non-flagship model with an outdated design and a single rear-facing camera in tow, but one fairly limited survey seems to suggest said number could end up even higher. Much higher.
What is 40 percent of one billion people?
Even if you're really bad at math, it shouldn't take you more than a few seconds to get a result that's waaaaaay higher than 30 million. Fortunately for Samsung, you can't expect a survey conducted on a little over 2,500 "adult US iPhone owners" to be relevant for a global user base estimated at around a billion people last year.
That's a big prospective slice of a massive global pie.
That's simply not how these things work, but broadly speaking, the latest report published by SellCell hints at strong iPhone SE 5G (or iPhone SE Plus 5G) demand stateside likely to drive early sales numbers to far better levels than the 4G LTE-only 2020 generation.
No matter how small the sample size, 40 percent is an absolutely huge share, equating in this particular case to more than 1,000 people who currently intend to buy the next-gen iPhone SE either for themselves or someone else.
Of course, pre-launch purchase intentions can always change after a device is actually announced and commercially released, but given how much we know about the iPhone SE 3, we really don't expect consumer excitement to substantially drop tomorrow or next week.
Who knew an affordable iPhone with 5G and a compact size could be so highly desirable?
Not when the top two reasons for buying this handset are its low price and the need for many people to upgrade from an older phone rather than some dreamy design unlikely to materialize... this year or an internal upgrade of any sort.
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Somewhat surprisingly, 5G speeds are in third place, followed by the compact body of the third-gen iPhone SE, with the good old fashioned Touch ID fingerprint sensor also named as a key reason of interest by a solid 6.7 percent of prospective buyers.
iPhone 11 out, iPhone SE (2022) in
You might also be surprised to hear that the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 is at the top of the list of devices whose owners are planning to "upgrade" to the 4.7-inch iPhone SE 3. Despite the relatively advanced age of the 2019-released iPhone 11 and the super-advanced Apple A15 processor expected to power the next-gen SE, that doesn't feel like the most... natural transition.
It looks like screen real estate is not that important for that many people after all.
The second-gen iPhone SE, in case you're wondering, is way down in tenth place on the same list, behind the older iPhone XR but also the newer iPhone 12, which help the iPhone 11 complete this... interesting podium.
The fact that not a lot of people are thinking of replacing the iPhone SE (2020) with its 2022 sequel once again highlights the minimal importance of the massively hyped-up 5G upgrade while making the aforementioned 25 to 30 million unit shipment projection that much more impressive.
Clearly, Apple fans are putting greater value on affordability and processing power nowadays than wireless speeds, perhaps bothered by the still-modest 5G improvements delivered by America's top carriers compared to the 4G LTE "era."
Obviously, not everyone is looking for a new iPhone right now.
By the way, the "lower technical specs" of the iPhone SE 3 are not quoted by that many users as a major buying deterrent, with way more people simply not looking for an upgrade at this time or waiting for the iPhone 14 family instead.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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