Buy now or wait? Apple's new iPhone SE vs. the rumored 'iPhone 7'

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  • Reply 21 of 46
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    mjtomlin said:
    ireland said:
    No excuses for Schiller if it pans out like this and anyone who defends Apple on this will only embarrass themselves.

    Personally I think iPhone 7 should start with 64 GB and offer 128 (add 100) and 256 (add 249, ~€1,000)

    I assume you don't run a company that makes products? If you did, you might understand how pricing and margins work. You create a device with specifications to meet the projected margins you want to achieve. This is the actual "base" model. Then you say, "What can we do to offer a cheaper model - but make sure it isn't as appealing in order to enable up-selling? Then to make up for the loss of margins from that model, we'll also offer a higher end model."

    The 16GB model serves a clearly defined purpose; a less expensive entry model for those who don't need a lot of storage - it's that simple. You don't have to have a ton of storage if you're not interested in storing massive amounts of data on the device. The two biggest storage hogs are media (mainly movies) and gaming. Where might neither of these ever be needed in a mobile device? I'd guess the biggest market would be the enterprise where most data is accessed and stored in the company's cloud infrastructure and apps are created specifically for it.

    Would it be nice if Apple decided to bump up the storage space on all of its devices? Yes it would. Who wouldn't want more for less? However, I believe before Apple ever does that, it'll bump up the amount iCloud storage it gives its users for free.
    $650 for a so called 'entry level' iPhone is obscene. Any new user is going to use their device constantly, they'll take a multitude of photos, and video, they'll get all the social media apps, and all the popular games, and they'll probably put their entire music collection on it. It wouldn't be long before that user has to start managing/juggling all of those things because they were unaware how fast they use up 16GB, or whatever is left by the OS. That does not make for a good user experience. 
  • Reply 22 of 46
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    bdkennedy said:
    I wanted to jump all over the SE because I love the classic design. But I have to wait to see what the 7 offers.
    You mean to see if the 7 offers a 4" model? Or to see if it has some feature you can't live without? Considering the main difference between the SE & 7 is likely to be screen size (even a 4" 7 is not likely to have all of the features of the 4.7" model simply because there's not enough space), I'm not sure why this is even an issue.

    However, if you qualify for the Apple upgrade program, just buy the SE now, make payments for 6 months, if the 7 is something you want to upgrade to, then pay off the SE, trade it in, and get the 7 and keep making your monthly payments on that instead.

    mjtomlin said:
    dwharris said:
    I have the 5s (32gb) and especially with iOS 9.3, it is working quite well.  I am committed to the 4" form, so my thought is to wait until the 7 comes out and see if the SE -- likely to be around for awhile -- drops in price then.

    I'm thinking the SE model will be around for at least two years and the price will remain as is until it is finally upgraded. At that point, I doubt Apple will keep it around at lower price, just as with the 5S, they'll want to dump it in favor of pushing the latest SoC. Which is what this new model is all about, making sure it lasts. By keeping around older technology, you can sell for less, but you also eventually hold yourself back from needing to support those older devices. As of right now, everything Apple sells has at least an A8 with 1GB RAM (except the iPad mini 2 which has an A7). In three years time this will be the minimum requirements for iOS.

    There won't be a price drop when the 7 comes out in September since it's already $150 less than the iPhone 6, which presumably the 6s will drop to as well. Granted there will only be a $50 difference between a $449 iPhone 6 and the SE, which is about all a slightly larger screen is worth, especially since it has fewer features. 

    However, I do expect there to be a 4" 7 series phone released either in March, which seems to make sense as a counter release date to the primary iPhone line to boost sales during a traditionally slow period, or possibly with the release of the 7s. Either way, when that phone arrives -- which I expect to be priced at $599 -- I also expect the SE to drop to $299 to maintain its relative distance from the 6s, and give Apple even more access to the low budget market. By the time the 6s drops to the $449 spot, the SE could also drop as low as $199 breaking new ground for Apple and pulling in a whole new customer base. 
  • Reply 23 of 46
    macplusplusmacplusplus Posts: 2,112member
    paxman said:
    ireland said:
    If it's $649 for 16 GB iPhone 7 in the US that means it's be €699 for a 16GB iPhone 7 in Ireland. That's poor form from Apple if true. It should be €699 ($649) for 32 GB model and and additional 50 for the 64 GB model and an addition 100 for 128 GB model.

    In my experience the vast majority who get the 16 GB model of the latest handset are teenagers and they use phones the most. Therefore, and for other reasons a 16 GB 7 iPhone in 2016 is a poor product and Apple should not offer it for sale. The flagship iPhone this September should start with 32 GB. Apple already has the SE if customers want a more budget iPhone. No excuses for Schiller if it pans out like this and anyone who defends Apple on this will only embarrass themselves.

    Personally I think iPhone 7 should start with 64 GB and offer 128 (add 100) and 256 (add 249, ~€1,000).

    iPhones are no longer used like phones and should be viewed as computers. A 16 GB flagship iPhone computer in 2016 should not exist.
    I think it is fine to offer a 16GB phone but Apple should make its limitations very clear. To sell a 16GB phone to people who simply do not understand the issues (parents who get the cheapest for their kids) only serves the purpose of creating dissatisfied customers. A 16GB phone is fine for some people who hardly take photos, never listen to music and who do not buy a huge amount of apps. In my experience these are not teen-agers but often their parents, or even grand parents.  
    Or maybe those who want to make room in their budget to buy an iPad or Mac or Apple Watch. Apple sells an ecosystem, not individual phones. And unlike other platforms, many people think on several Apple products at once when buying. And that is the correct way to shop Apple...

    Keep the iPhone cheap but buy a 128 GB 9.7 inch iPad Pro alongside. This is as simple as that... If you have an iPad, your iPhone is just a tethering device, and maybe a bit camera, nothing more. You don't need >16 GB to use it with Apple Watch, either.
    edited March 2016
  • Reply 24 of 46
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    If Apple goes OLED, I would also expect to see a reduction in the handset size. That's 'almost' worth waiting for, but not quite.
    I'm going to be jumping on the SE next month.
  • Reply 25 of 46
    No phone jack, at least for me, is a deal breaker.
  • Reply 26 of 46
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    What ? is it right question like do you want to buy BMW 3 or 7 series ? Both cars different in size, power, price and features..Same goes for iphone SE and 7.
    edited March 2016
  • Reply 27 of 46
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    mjtomlin said:

    I assume you don't run a company that makes products? If you did, you might understand how pricing and margins work. You create a device with specifications to meet the projected margins you want to achieve. This is the actual "base" model. Then you say, "What can we do to offer a cheaper model - but make sure it isn't as appealing in order to enable up-selling? Then to make up for the loss of margins from that model, we'll also offer a higher end model."

    The 16GB model serves a clearly defined purpose; a less expensive entry model for those who don't need a lot of storage - it's that simple. You don't have to have a ton of storage if you're not interested in storing massive amounts of data on the device. The two biggest storage hogs are media (mainly movies) and gaming. Where might neither of these ever be needed in a mobile device? I'd guess the biggest market would be the enterprise where most data is accessed and stored in the company's cloud infrastructure and apps are created specifically for it.

    Would it be nice if Apple decided to bump up the storage space on all of its devices? Yes it would. Who wouldn't want more for less? However, I believe before Apple ever does that, it'll bump up the amount iCloud storage it gives its users for free.
    $650 for a so called 'entry level' iPhone is obscene. Any new user is going to use their device constantly, they'll take a multitude of photos, and video, they'll get all the social media apps, and all the popular games, and they'll probably put their entire music collection on it. It wouldn't be long before that user has to start managing/juggling all of those things because they were unaware how fast they use up 16GB, or whatever is left by the OS. That does not make for a good user experience. 

    If you think the price is ridiculous, you can join the legions of Windows and Android users who believe all of Apple's products are overpriced.

    However, it's not an entry level iPhone and I never said it was. The entry level iPhone starts at $399 - the iPhone SE. It's an entry model to the flagship line. Plain and simple. You're not paying for storage, you're paying for some other new component that's always expensive to manufacture until yields hit a certain level.

    A person that is new to a platform may play and discover everything it is capable of doing and once they hit ANY limit - not just storage. Then they'll know those limitations when it's time to upgrade. And sorry, If you see ... (16GB) ... (64GB) ... (128GB) ... as the only differences between models and do not ask WHY, then it's your own damned fault.
  • Reply 28 of 46
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    wood1208 said:
    What ? is it right question like do you want to buy BMW 3 or 7 series ? Both cars different in size, power, price and features..Same goes for iphone SE and 7.
    A little more gets you an 8 series... B)
  • Reply 29 of 46
    Is it possible the 7 will be SE sized and then they will offer the 7s for big iP lovers?
    I've got fairly big hands, but have NOT adjusted to the 6s. I want a smaller unit.
  • Reply 30 of 46
    kenaustuskenaustus Posts: 924member
    My wife has been waiting for the SE for a long time - her hands are too small to be comfortable with the  larger phones so I'll be in line to take care of her later this week.

    As for me, I lost my 5S a while back and went with the 6S, but got the program where I can trade it in every year.  That avoids all indecision on my part.   :)

    The one complaint I have on the 6S (and some previous phones) is that the Do Not Disturb button above the volume buttons on the side stick out too far - too easy for the grandkids to flip the switch.
  • Reply 31 of 46
    kevin keekevin kee Posts: 1,289member
    jason98 said:
    iPhone 7 major "features":
    - No antenna lines
    - No ugly camera bump

    Pretty novel approach to innovation, let's break something first, then fix it with pride.
    I wouldn't say they both are "novel". It's rather an innovation for solution.
  • Reply 32 of 46
    yojimbo007yojimbo007 Posts: 1,165member
    Stupid comparison.. They are not intended towards the same demographics... SE is not the latest flagship.. Its intended for the budget conscious and china and india mainly.. Not for someone looking for the latest and greatest. SE is a great phone 1) if u love smaller phones ......2) if you budget does not allow the top of the line. Its not a competition for the flagship iphone 7 for 1 second.
  • Reply 33 of 46
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    sc0rch3d said:
    I'm on Android but greatly appreciate the level of competition between droids and fruits. Device-agnostic comments - no matter what you're waiting for...good practice is to wait minimum 2-3 months after release to see all the reviews and potential problems. you'll feel more confident about your purchase and be rid of early adoption anxiety. - Best practice is to buy 1 generation older right after the new release. You'll know everything there is to know about the device + prices at stores and online (especially like Swappa or eBay) will be VERY favorable to your budget (people, please stop buying on contract and Next-like programs...own your device!)
    Absolutely right....for Android phones. Apple didn't seem to have any issue with iPhone...maybe bug in iOS but that can be easily fixed with iOS updates.
  • Reply 34 of 46
    bdkennedy said:
    I wanted to jump all over the SE because I love the classic design. But I have to wait to see what the 7 offers.
    I'm with you.  I want something that's "feature rich," but w/o the larger screen.  I'm very happy with the look and feel of the 5s so the SE sounds good. I just want to make sure it's materially better than the 5s.

    I really don't want a phone that's any bigger than the 5s.  In the "old days"  The "new thing" was that phones were getting smaller and smaller.   If I want to use a bigger screen I have an iPad mini that I can carry in my back pocket.   But it's close enough to September for me to wait and see if the iPhone 7 is so much better than the SE that I'll give in and get a phone that's bigger than what I really want.  

    I'm one of those "older people" that they were talking about. But I'm certainly not less educated.  I miss using DOS.  I bought the first IBM PC for $4500.   It had 64K of RAM and no hard drive.  When it became available I bought a 10 MB external hard drive that was the size of a loaf of bread. 

     That's a long enough walk down memory lane. I'll wait to see what features the iPhone 7 has and then I'll make a decision. 

  • Reply 35 of 46
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member

    sog35 said:



    We go over this same crap each year.  Why the hell should people who only need 16GB phones need to pay more for a 32GB phone or 64GB phone?  If you start the iPhone7 at 32 or 64GB it will either cost more or Apple will have to take other shortcuts.  So why should people who only need 16GB be punished?

    Bottom line is there is still a HUGE chunk of iPhone users who are perfectly fine with 16GB. Apple probably sells about 40,000,000 16GB phones a year. And with streaming music, streaming video, and cloud I don't see this changing any time soon.

    And if the $100 premium to go to 64GB is too much then just wait.  Just wait 3-4 months and you will see iPhones at $100 off everywhere. Then you can get your nice 64GB phone for $650.  All it takes is the patience to wait a few months until the launch window ends. Can't wait?  Too bad then.  You want something first and early you got to be willing to pay more.  Really simple.
    Not really. You see 32GB in lowest tier in iPad Pro. Apple may just do away with 16GB for iPhone as well. 32/128/264 seems like an attractive lineup. However, we won't see $100 in jumping storage tier, but $150 just like in iPad Pro. 
  • Reply 36 of 46
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    No phone jack, at least for me, is a deal breaker.
    Sure Mr. One Post!. What else has there been the deal breaker for you? VGA port, Ethernet Port on laptop? 
  • Reply 37 of 46
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    2oh1 said:
    The premise of the article is dumb.

    If you want a 4 inch iPhone, buy now.  If you want a 4.7 or 5.5 inch iPhone, wait a few months and get the 7 or 7 Plus.  It's that simple.
    Not sure if you want 7 if it looks like this new leak pic?

    edited March 2016
  • Reply 38 of 46
    maclvr03maclvr03 Posts: 198member
    I have a 6 now and cannot wait to get a 7 Plus. It's funny how the 6 size feels so normal now and I want something bigger. I wish the 7 was coming out this summer instead of the fall. I'll wait for it though. Also, waiting on the 2nd Apple Watch. I refuse to buy the first one after I've waited this long. 
  • Reply 39 of 46
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    The only impact the SE has on iPhone 7 waiters are those who were hoping & waiting for a small pocket option with the 7. Now that the SE has revealed itself the small pocket crowd has what they've been waiting for and they'll jump sooner rather than later and spend some of their tax refund cash on a new SE.

    I'm running a 6+ and I have to say it's still a damn good phone that fits the bill for me in every way possible. The ONLY complaint I have with the 6+ is the power-off/sleep button on the side rather than the top. I hoped they would revert this well-intentioned but poorly-executed design choice with the 6S release - but they didn't. So what I'm saying is that the iPhone 6/6S releases were super solid and I'm not feeling the urge to jump to a new phone anytime soon unless it completely blows my mind.  

    All this crazy talk about Apple deleting the defacto industry standard headphone jack in favor of a proprietary connector is a red herring. Such a move would create massive discontent and alienate hundreds of millions of customers while providing incremental value too a tiny few. If there is truly a need to change the standard audio connector and disrupt hundreds of millions of customers, it should be done through a consortium that also includes audio equipment suppliers. The change should be rolled out under a pre-defined schedule, much like the transition from NTSC to HDTV broadcast standards.

    The 3.5mm audio jack should be treated like the physical layer specification in a communication protocol standard. If Apple independently breaks ranks with the standard they will be widely and publically ridiculed, whether or not they stick a converter dongle in the box to allow legacy audio products to connect to the new proprietary socket. With such a tiny signal and so much noise I just cannot see Apple risking its reputation and customer loyalty in this area. It doesn't matter whether Lightning is technically better than 3.5mm. Customers are perfectly happy with the current standard and give it no thought. Remember what happened when IBM changed its expansion bus socket from ISA to Micro Channel? It caused a lot of backlash against IBM and spawned organized alternatives against IBM's approach. The alternatives won and the rest is history. 
    edited March 2016
  • Reply 40 of 46
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    anonemuss said:
    bdkennedy said:
    I wanted to jump all over the SE because I love the classic design. But I have to wait to see what the 7 offers.
    I'm with you.  I want something that's "feature rich," but w/o the larger screen.  I'm very happy with the look and feel of the 5s so the SE sounds good. I just want to make sure it's materially better than the 5s.

    I really don't want a phone that's any bigger than the 5s.  In the "old days"  The "new thing" was that phones were getting smaller and smaller.   If I want to use a bigger screen I have an iPad mini that I can carry in my back pocket.   But it's close enough to September for me to wait and see if the iPhone 7 is so much better than the SE that I'll give in and get a phone that's bigger than what I really want.  

    I'm one of those "older people" that they were talking about. But I'm certainly not less educated.  I miss using DOS.  I bought the first IBM PC for $4500.   It had 64K of RAM and no hard drive.  When it became available I bought a 10 MB external hard drive that was the size of a loaf of bread. 

     That's a long enough walk down memory lane. I'll wait to see what features the iPhone 7 has and then I'll make a decision. 

    I bought a PS 80 in 1987 for $8000... (that's 16K now), so I think I beat you on that count. Come on, nostalgic of DOS!
    Nostalgic for the C64 I get that (I loved that machine!), but DOS was a Microsoft turd from the start and everything that built on top was pretty much garbage.

    I ran version of a Unix Machine at home from 1990 onward (dialed into the university server to get to the Internet, ran www and Mosaic right from the start) and only used DOS and later Windows/Dos because gaming gave me no choice.
    edited March 2016
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