There have been a lot of rumors recently that Apple had been developing an alleged fourth-generation iPhone SE, but the latest rumors state that such a product will not be launched since those of Cupertino would have canceled it completely. It was said that the iPhone SE 4 would resemble the physical design of the iPhone XR and iPhone 11, but that it would include 5G connectivity and other more advanced specifications than those of these models. And from this cancellation it seems that the biggest beneficiary would be, coincidentally, Qualcomm.
This collateral benefit is due to the fact that, and under what the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo affirms, Apple planned to introduce its first self-designed 5G chip in the iPhone SE 4 next year. Ming-Chi Kuo comments as follows:
“Due to concerns that the performance of its own 5G chip might not keep up with Qualcomm’s, Apple initially planned to mass-release its 5G chip in 2024 and let the low-end iPhone SE 4 adopt it first in order to do so. decide whether to let the iPhone 16 use its 5G chip or not, depending on the state of development of the iPhone SE 4 »
Nevertheless, the cancellation of the iPhone SE 4 has significantly increased the chances that Qualcomm will remain the exclusive provider of 5G chips for the new iPhone 16 series of 2024, something that improves the first indications that Qualcomm would start losing orders for the iPhone as early as 2024.
With the iPhone SE 4 off the table, seemingly indefinitely, Qualcomm will remain Apple’s sole provider of broadband chips for the iPhone for all of next year. A great benefit for Qualcomm that would extend its great agreement with Apple to provide this important component in its devices.
Apple’s 5G chip will have to wait at least one more time.