Budget fruit: the new iPhone SE will appear in Russia at the end of February

The fourth-generation iPhone SE smartphone may appear on Russian shelves on February 28, retail sources told Izvestia. It is expected that the exact date of the start of sales Apple will announce at the presentation, which was postponed until next week. Experts reported that the SE will be a good smartphone in its price segment - from 40 thousand to 70 thousand rubles. At the same time, they note that it will not make a coup, it is just a budget gadget from a popular brand.

What is known about the iPhone SE 4

In Russia, sales of iPhone SE 4 will begin at the same time as the rest of the world, told "Izvestia" in the industry. Apple has not yet disclosed the exact date to distributors, but a source in Russian retail notes that the start of sales is scheduled for the end of the month, most likely on February 28.

- We expect the start of sales at the end of February, but the date is not final, - said the interlocutor.

Other sources in retail chains have tentatively confirmed to Izvestia that the Russian start of sales is scheduled for the second half of February, but the exact date and cost of the novelty will be announced only after the official information from Apple.

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SE 4 will be the fourth generation of the budget line from Apple and will receive a number of significant innovations. First of all, the smartphone will lose the Home button, instead of it on the screen will be a cutout for the camera. At the same time, as you know, in the new models of the premium lineup from the cutout refused, instead of it in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 uses Dynamic Island technology.

One of the most significant updates will be the transition to the USB-C port, which will allow Apple to sell its devices in the EU, where all mobile gadgets are required to support charging through this standard, TelecomDaily CEO Denis Kuskov told Izvestia. In connection with the new rules, the company has already suspended sales of iPhone 14 and iPhone SE 2022 in the region at the end of 2024, he noted.

The iPhone SE could be Apple's first device to feature its own cellular modem, replacing Qualcomm chips. Other expected features include Face ID and support for Apple Intelligence, which will be made possible by the A18 processor. Presumably, the price of the new iPhone SE will be higher than the previous model, which cost about 40,000 rubles ($429) at launch in 2022.

"M.Video-Eldorado", restore: and MTS - plan to open pre-orders immediately after the world presentation.

Is it worth buying iPhone SE 4

Line iPhone SE - traditionally one of the most popular iPhone models in Russia. This is due to three factors: low price, classic design and very compact body, said the chief editor of T-Zh Nikita Boguslavsky.

- The target audience of SE is people who need comfort first of all from the phone. If the old iPhone is broken, the new SE does not need to choose for a long time, delving into the numbers, Pro, Max or the differences between Android-brands. The new SE doesn't take any getting used to because it's the same as nearly 15 generations of iPhones before it. It's small and light. And the rest of the requirements are minimal: it's a phone for communication, not a media combo or a creative studio," he believes.

The expert noted that until now SE were the only phones on the market that did not force the buyer to get used to gesture control, without the "Home" button. Such changes are a big stress for some users, so they delayed the transition to a "frameless" smartphone to the last. With the release of the iPhone SE 4 Apple finally buries the old design with a button under the screen. Although the current format of the iPhone "with bangs" can hardly be called new - it is seven years old this year. That seems like a long enough time for even the most technology-averse people to get used to it and have time to mentally prepare for it, he added.

According to Eldar Murtazin, a leading analyst at Mobile Research Group, the iPhone SE 4 will be quite expensive for Russia. There will not be a huge demand, as people buy either the latest models or old iPhones.

- If earlier in other economic conditions without the lack of restrictions from Apple, such models were bought by children and teenagers, or they were bought by young people, but now we have not so many options for the SE series in Russia, - said Eldar Murtazin.

Denis Kuskov believes that the phone will attract widespread attention, but much will depend on the price, which could be up to 70 thousand rubles. According to the expert, due to logistical difficulties, the price may be higher than in other countries. Among the strengths of the novelty he called the departure from Qualcomm and the use of 5G-modem of its own production.

- Apple has long sought to increase the average check for its products, but does not dare to make a shortage of innovations in the main line of iPhone. Now in the model lineup will be a smartphone, which Apple will nod on occasion and say: "If you can not due to financial reasons to afford our most innovative smartphones, we also have a suitable option for you," - said the editor-in-chief of the portal Ferra.ru Evgeny Kharitonov.

According to the expert, the iPhone SE will not be technologically obsolete at launch. The lack of ultra-wide-angle camera for buyers is not so critical - most people need only the main camera and optical zoom, which, by the way, is not even in the iPhone 16/16 Plus. At the same time, in terms of the quality of the main camera, display and speed of operation, this smartphone will be more efficient than Samsung Galaxy A55 or "mid-level Chinese". And low autonomy (4500 mAh) budget iPhone will be forgiven for the compact size of the case, summarized Evgeny Kharitonov.

At the same time, the head of "Smartphones" Wildberries David Davidian noted that Russians are still interested in smartphones in the upper price range. Among the "apple" phones of the new lineup, the share of 16 Pro Max accounts for almost a third of sales in physical terms, 16 Pro - more than 20% of the total number of iPhones on the marketplace, he added.