Apple has long been rumored to have plans to launch a new iPhone SE 4 device as a new budget model for those who don't want to pay for more high-end models like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. However, despite those rumors there has so far been no indication from Apple that the phone is on the way, and it's continued to be pushed back in terms of when analysts and commentators expect it to be released. Now, it seems that Apple has taken a key step towards making the new phone available.
According to a new report by IT Home, Apple is now ready to give BOE the contract to build the new displays for the iPhone SE 4 after Samsung Display and Tianma were also thought to have been in discussions with Apple. Today's report says that Samsung has decided to withdraw itself from negotiations over concerns in relation to pricing, despite already having iPhone 14 OLED displays that it could potentially have used.
It's reported that Apple wanted to get the price of iPhone SE 4 displays down to around $25 per panel while Samsung wasn't ready to budge from a $30 per panel price point. Tianma now seems unlikely to be the supplier of choice, however, with the company reportedly struggling to meet Apple's quality requirements which now leaves BOE as the primary option for Apple.
It's thought that the OLED panels that will be used in the iPhone SE 4 will consist of parts that were already used in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 displays which means that manufacturers like BOE will already have everything they need to get the contract up and running. It's also said that suppliers have been bidding to take on Apple's business since around August last year.
The display that the iPhone SE 4 will use is thought to be a 6.1-inch affair like the iPhone 14 with Face ID included. A USB-C port will also obviously replace the Lightning port of the current iPhone SE while an Action button is also expected to be part of the setup. The lack of the Home button will be the biggest new feature for a lot of people, making the iPhone SE 4 appear more premium than any iPhone SE that came before it.
It still isn't clear what internal components Apple will use in terms of chips or cameras, but the budget iPhone will surely use an older chip in an effort to help Apple cut costs.
