Apple’s iPhone SE is the hot new thing in China… for now
The new entry-level iPhone is sold out on some shopping sites, but analysts say the real competition will come later this year with cheaper 5G phones
With the exception of a few upgrades, Apple’s new iPhone SE is largely a throwback to the iPhone 8 from 2017. But that hasn’t stopped it from flying off the shelves in China when it began shipping globally on Friday.
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This apparent enthusiasm may not last long, though.
Initial sales are largely propped up by discounts and promotions by online vendors, said Ethan Qi, an analyst at Counterpoint Research. Pinduoduo offered a 400 yuan (US$56) coupon for the iPhone SE in a flash sale event earlier this month. And JD.com is promising early buyers a credit up to full price of the phone that can be used to purchase the next generation of iPhones expected in the fall.
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The second-generation iPhone SE sports much of the same design as the retired iPhone 8 it replaces, including a 4.7-inch display, huge bezels and a home button with a built-in fingerprint sensor. But the primary attraction is what’s inside: Apple’s fastest A13 Bionic chip. With a starting price of just 3,299 yuan (US$465) in China, the iPhone SE has the same chip as the far pricier iPhone 11.
