5G iPhone SE Shipments Expected to Reach Up to 30 Million Units This Year

Apple's new third-generation iPhone SE with 5G connectivity is set to go on general sale on Friday, and Taiwan-based analysts have today shared their shipment expectations for the device over the coming year.

iPhone SE 3 stacked
Apple's new ‌iPhone‌ SE shipments are expected to reach 30 million units in 2022, according to estimates by DigiTimes research analysts Sean Lin and Luke Lin. That's at the top-end of the predicted number of second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE (2020) units that Apple managed to ship in the first year of its release.

Apple is said to have prepared components for under five million units of the new ‌iPhone‌ SE in the first quarter of 2022, but actual shipments for the entry-level smartphone are expected to be lower than that in the first quarter.

In the next quarter, shipments are expected to rise to 11 million units, with volumes in the third quarter to stay at around the same level before slowing down in the fourth quarter, leading up to the launch of Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 14 series.

According to DigiTimes, the availability of the new ‌iPhone‌ SE is expected to significantly drive up 5G handset shipments to non-China markets in 2022, with a significant cross-section of customers preferring its lower price and traditional ‌iPhone‌ design with a physical Home button.

In 2021, around 280 million 5G handsets were shipped to non-China markets, according to the analysts, but the number is expected to rise sharply by over 60% to over 450 million units, accounting for 63.5% of worldwide volumes. In China, by contrast, where nearly 80% of shipments are already 5G devices, shipment growth this year is only expected to be in the single digits.

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Top Rated Comments

bluecoast Avatar
40 months ago
The tech press: this is a tired looking phone, we can’t recommend it
30m people: take our money.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacBH928 Avatar
40 months ago
if its not broken, don't fix it:

-touch id
-full screen (no notch)
-thumb can reach all screen (one hand operateable)
-half the price of iphone 13

Whats not to like!?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dweebe Avatar
40 months ago
Waiting for all the hot takes about how the SE is a horrible form factor and that Apple should get rid of its low cost option because it damages the brand.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hyperchaotic Avatar
40 months ago

why would someone buy this over a mini?
I'd get the Mini but there are plenty of people out there who like the form factor and the button at ~62% of the price of the 12 mini (in Canada at least).

Anecdotally, I have friends who are excited about getting a 5G phone with latest SoC with 4GB of RAM in a design they know and love, one of them are replacing an iPhone 7 who would otherwise be due for its second battery replacement.

Nothing wrong in that, it's good there's choice.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sdfox7 Avatar
40 months ago

if its not broken, don't fix it:

-touch id
-full screen (no notch)
-thumb can reach all screen (one hand operateable)
-half the price of iphone 13

Whats not to like!?
I just bought and set up my new Apple iPhone SE 128GB in Starlight today at the Apple Store. The color of the metal is subtle--it's almost silver and it's almost gold. I'm a guy in my 30's and I'm pleased that it's not girly at all, and I like the white back glass, seems elegant to me. The phone is fantastic.

I have a 2TB iCloud subscription so I don't think the 256GB is required nor as good of a value.

I can't shake the old form factor, I've been using the home button for years. Old habits die hard I guess. The SE and home button must be popular enough with people like me so Apple continues to make them.

I have a Best Buy near my house but they wanted to force me to activate one with Verizon for $40 when I can just take the Verizon SIM out of my old phone and put in my new one. I told them I was paying the phone in full and had my own SIM and could I avoid the fee? They said no so I went to Apple instead.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LFC2020 Avatar
40 months ago
Estimates by DigiTimes. ?‍♂️
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)