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The iPhone SE is Dead, and the US Carrier System Killed It
Trade-in deals, promotions, and Americans' desire for the almighty flagship
I remember when the first iPhone SE was released. It was an iPhone with updated specs and was sold at a lower cost than the newly announced iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. This was an iPhone that retained the smaller form factor of the iPhone 5S and brought updated internals for those not ready to embrace the big-screen reality that the iPhone was morphing into. And as subsequent iPhone SE models were released, they retained the pieces of nostalgia by maintaining the home button while the more mainstream iPhones shifted to an all-screen design with Face Unlock instead of Touch ID.
But even that idea was due for an evolution. The fourth generation iPhone SE was going to take the body of an iPhone XR with the updated silicon that is found on the iPhone 14 Pro and sold at a lower cost. But those plans have now shifted as Apple has canceled production on an updated iPhone SE. There are a few theories about why Apple has pivoted away from the SE, the most prominent of which is supply chain issues. But I would suggest a different reason, especially here in the United States: carrier promotions and societal expectations.
