Apple iPhone SE Cancelled, Could Continue to Use Qualcomm 5G Chips: Report

Apple has reportedly abandoned plans to launch an iPhone SE in 2024. According to an analyst, the Cupertino-California based tech giant has cancelled the fourth generation iPhone SE planned for next year. The analyst also claimed that Apple was planning to introduce its first in-house 5G chip on the handset, before packing it on its flagship iPhone 16 series. The reported cancellation of iPhone SE, however, could mean that Apple would continue to use Qualcomm chips on its phones in 2024.

According to a blog post by technology analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s instructions to its supply chain suggests that production and shipment plans for the fourth generation iPhone SE have been cancelled. As per Kuo, Apple had initially planned to launch the iPhone SE as the first phone with its in-house 5G chip onboard in 2024, before including it on its iPhone 16 lineup.

However, with the reported cancellation of the fourth generation iPhone SE, the company could continue to use Qualcomm’s 5G chips on its phones. According to Kuo, Apple was concerned that the performance of its in-house chip would not match up to Qualcomm’s.

The latest revelation comes after the analyst had tweeted in December that the 2024 iPhone SE could either be cancelled or postponed, likely due to underwhelming sales of the third generation iPhone SE, the iPhone 13 Mini, and the iPhone 14 Plus.

Apple refreshed its iPhone SE variant in 2022, launching the third generation of its low-end iPhone in March. The third generation iPhone SE is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic SoC and features a 4.7-inch display.

Apple has been working to reduce its dependence on other manufacturers and moving towards making in-house components for its devices. The company is reportedly planning to move on from Qualcomm’s cellular modem chips and use its own chipsets by the end of 2024 or early 2025. The company is also planning to replace Broadcom’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip on its devices with a custom in-house chip in 2025.