Apple Could Launch Low-Price iPhone But Vetoes New iPhone SE, Report Says

When Apple launched the iPhone 16e on Feb. 28, it meant that the price of entry to the world of Apple phones leapt up from $429 for the iPhone SE to $599 for the (admittedly significantly improved) iPhone 16e. I think the iPhone 16e is good value, but there’s no denying that a really affordable iPhone is no longer on sale. So, will Apple release a new iPhone SE and if so, when?
What will replace the iPhone 16e?
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According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, we can expect a bit of a wait at the very least. “There’s no telling if Apple will ultimately build a new iPhone SE or another lower-end model. I personally think such a move would help the company in growth markets like India and Eastern Europe. But, as of now, Apple has no plans to do so.”
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This makes sense: Apple wanted to bring Apple Intelligence to its most affordable iPhone and that meant upgrades to storage and other components, which meant the price rose. I absolutely don’t think Apple could launch a new iPhone that’s not Apple Intelligence-compatible.
As seeming proof of this thinking, it just updated an existing product, the iPad, which is not capable of Apple Intelligence, but the updated model has stuck with the same bargain-basement $349 price.