"...an enormous engineering & supply chain challenge"

All in pursuit of an iPhone that's 1/16th of an inch thinner than what we have. Or: about 3/100ths of an inch thinner than the iPhone 6 from TEN YEARS ago. Nice to see that Apple is attempting a "moon shot" with this incredible iPhone, cough, "advancement." I sure hope there is some enormous and stunning surprise feature/innovation to this phone that the rumor mill has missed. If not, this might be the greatest waste of time, money and talent in pursuit of nothing special that I've ever seen from Apple. The iPhone Mini was a far bolder swing at a new form factor than this nonsense. 

Interesting. Just as the regular iPhones were brought a lot closer to their Pro counterparts with the 16 models, it seems the SE is about to get a whole lot closer to the regular iPhone IF these rumors pan out. Also of note: for all the "I want smaller and lighter" posts that you read about iPhone in the technosphere echo chamber, Apple is choosing to make the new iteration of its smallest and lightest phone bigger and almost certainly heavier than the model it will replace. You can bet that the data on the people who matter most to Apple--people who are actually going to buy an iPhone--supports this direction for the new SE. 

My only question is why this doesn't already exist as a Macbook option with Qualcom modems that are perfectly capable of fast 5G speeds? Why does the entire range of iPad models get the option but not Macbooks, not even the Pros, when both are mobile devices? My personal, cynical, unsubstantiated view: I think it's about Apple wanting to sell you both an iPad AND a Macbook, not one or the other, and so they've kept the internal modem option as an iPad-only exclusive. There is certainly no tech reason preventing a modem in a Macbook.  

It would be obscene for Apple to release a refreshed MBA in 2025 that is still stuck on the outdated and fairly useless (as in not widely-supported) WiFi 6E standard. Given the useful life of a Mac laptop, the world will have moved on to Wifi 8 by the time a replacement is needed, and the benefits of WiFi 7 will be completely missed. It makes no sense that even basic iPhones now support WiFi 7, while new releases of other, more expensive devices in Apple's lineup that have a much longer upgrade cycle remain stuck on 6E. I was ready to upgrade to the new M4 iMac, but the lack of WiFi 7 made that a pass until Apple supports what has become the mainstream standard.  

If I could run two Apple watches on one cellular plan, I'd be picking up that black Ultra 2 tomorrow to go with my natural Ti Ultra 1--it just looks THAT good, especially with the Ultra Modular face, which happens to be my fave, as well. It's interesting that for the Watch 10, Apple chose to go with a thinner case rather than keep the same thickness of Watch 9 and give users a bigger battery to fill the available space. Even at 2 years old, I'm still getting well into my second day on a charge with my Ultra 1. Overall, I'd say my Ultra is one of the most satisfying Apple products that I've ever owned. 

By the way: glad you called out the features Apple keeps adding to the Airpods Pro 2. Not nearly enough has been said about Apple adding FTC-approved and clinical grade hearing test and hearing aid functionality FOR FREE. About a year ago, I experienced SSHL in one ear (sudden sensorineural hearing loss), and by the time it was properly diagnosed (I thought I had allergies or a head cold), it was too late to correct. This new functionality in APP2 allows me to monitor the state of my hearing on an ongoing basis and to assess the sound and performance of a hearing aid, before investing thousands in one of the high-end, near-invisible aids on the market. I don't see APP2 as a real hearing aid solution as yet because of the size and limited battery life--no one wants to run around with APP2 in their ears at all times--but I hope this is a first step in Apple jumping more seriously into the huge hearing aid market. Yes, I giet the irony of Apple "fixing" a problem it helps create, but it's a market ripe for disruption, and I can't think of any company with more miniaturized audio knowledge, or with greater R&D resources, than Apple. When you consider that high-end, near invisible in-ear-canal aids fitted by an audiologist can cost $5,000-$7,000 per pair--yeah, the price of a Vision Pro PER EAR--this is the kind of high margin business that Apple loves.