The iPhone SE 4 is somewhat of an anomaly because where one report claims that the price-competitive model has been canceled, another talks about Apple’s expected costfor ordering its OLED panels. Now, one analyst believes that the company will not release it for the masses, but its engineering prototype will be used to develop the company’s highly anticipated custom 5G modem.

Several complications in 5G modem development can mean that it may not debut before 2026

Well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has taken to Twitter to provide an update on the iPhone SE 4. At this time, Apple is not expected to mass produce this iPhone in the future, but it should serve another purpose. The TF International Securities representative stated back in February this year that the low-cost model would adopt Apple’s in-house 5G modem, but it appears as if the technology giant will only use its engineering sample to test the baseband chip.

Depending on how the custom 5G modem performs while running in the iPhone SE 4, Apple will proceed with a mass production timeline. According to Kuo, if the test results are satisfactory, then the 5G modem can enter mass production as early as 2025. However, there is the possibility that Apple will be forced to push back the launch to 2026. Also, the chip’s manufacturing process will depend on how early Apple is eyeing its release, meaning that if the California-based firm wants to launch it much later, it could be fabricated on a cutting-edge node.

Updates on iPhone SE 4 research and prediction:

1. I previously predicted that the iPhone SE 4 would be a derivative model of the iPhone 14. However, my latest research indicates that this derivative model will likely be an engineering prototype for Apple in-house 5G baseband… https://t.co/9m5SjSvrKS

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) April 13, 2023

Kuo has not provided any explanation as to why the iPhone SE 4 will not be sold as a standalone device to the masses, but it may have to do with the lack of profitability from releasing such a model. With the iPhone SE 3, we still get that older design sporting the home button, along with an IPS LCD screen. The newer version could switch to OLED, along with Face ID support, and according to an earlier specifications rumor, it would be powered by the A15 Bionic.

All of these upgrades mean Apple’s manufacturing cost will increase, and it can no longer provide a low-cost model to customers while also keeping a healthy profit margin for itself. If such is the conundrum that Apple is facing behind closed doors, then perhaps it is for the best that the company sticks with its typical lineup, which includes announcing four high-end models in the fourth quarter annually. However, Kuo has been proven incorrect in the past, and if there is even a slight change in plans, our readers will know, so stay tuned.

News Source: Ming-Chi Kuo