Apple plans to launch its next low-cost model, the iPhone SE 4, next year, with the company reportedly relying on Chinese supplier BOE to fulfill the display shipments responsibility. For the first time, the company is expected to switch to OLED technology for this model, and according to estimates, Apple will be spending quite an amount on just the panels; $80 million.
Report states that Apple will order around 20 million iPhone SE 4 OLED units
BOE will take the responsibility of supplying iPhone SE 4 OLED screens because it was not able to do the same with the iPhone 15, according to The Elec. With Samsung and LG seemingly preoccupied with providing Apple with panels for its flagship iPhone family slated to launch later this year, BOE has been tasked with the iPhone SE 4. This version is said to feature a 6.1-inch OLED, meaning that it will share the same diagonal screen size as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14.
While Apple can re-use some of the older, unsold inventory, the report states that BOE will provide approximately 20 million OLED units for the iPhone SE 4. Assuming Apple manages to sell all of these, that will be quite a large number added to its overall tally, with its success opening up several opportunities for the company in developing markets.
With each iPhone SE 4 panel being the LTPS variant, it is less costly to manufacture, with the report mentioning a $40 price per display. With 20 million units expected to be shipped next year, we are looking at an $80 million bill for Apple in display shipments alone, so that is quite a large sum of money. Then again, if the affordable iPhone is sold at the same $429 price as the iPhone SE 3, that alone amounts to $8.58 billion in sales, and that too for the base version.
Sure, the amount is nothing compared to the billions that Apple may make when the iPhone 16 series launches next year, but the iPhone SE 4 was never positioned as a device that would sell in droves. Instead, anyone who wishes to experience iOS or to gravitate towards Apple’s product range slowly will go for this one. Since customers will be treated to a newer design and obvious upgrades, it is more than possible that it will do well in multiple markets.
News Source: The Elec
