Which iPhone models will Apple drop when the iPhone 14 launches?
It’s the end of the road for some iPhones
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When it comes to new phones,Applegiveth and Apple taketh away: when theiPhone 14launches in the next few hours, that means it’ll be the end of the line for at least one of the existing iPhone models. And the most likely candidate is theiPhone 11– which is currently the most affordable of the larger iPhones and whose predecessor, theiPhone XR, was discontinued last year.
That doesn’t mean the iPhone 11 is suddenly going to become obsolete. Far from it: theiOS 16compatibility guide says that you’ll be able to run Apple’s latest mobile OS on devices going back as far as theiPhone 8and thesecond generation iPhone SE.
This is more likely to be a commercial decision. Back in April, theIndia Timesreported that the iPhone 11 was eating into Apple’s sales of the2022 iPhone SE: for only $70 more it had a bigger display and a much more modern design than Apple’s most affordable iPhone. With a new, larger iPhone SE apparently on the horizon, Apple reportedly intends to stop making the iPhone 11, it’s bad for business.
So where does that leave budget buyers?
What will the most affordable iPhone be after the iPhone 14 launch?
There are multiple conflicting reports of Apple’s plans for the post-iPhone 14 lineup, but the focus appears to be on selling the iPhone SE (2022) – so it’s possible that the iPhone minis could be for the chop too.
Apple is reportedly working on a new, larger iPhone SE based on the iPhone XR, but that isn’t likely to be launched for some time yet. Some reports predict theiPhone 13may get a price cut, but Apple may prefer to keep the iPhone 12 as its budget option.
Here’s the line-up, as it stands ahead ofApple’s ‘Far Out’ September 7 event:
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Apple also tends to discontinue its Pro models when new ones come out, so theiPhone 13 ProandiPhone 13 Pro Maxare likely to get the chop this week; Apple was similarly ruthless with the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max this time last year.
The wild cards here are the minis, which could be much more desirable after a price cut – but that might cannibalise sales of the iPhone SE. On that basis, we think that the post-launch iPhone line-up may look something like this (prices are based on the most credible predictions for the cheapest version of each model):
We won’t have to wait long to find out: the Apple Event is on Wednesday 7 September and of course we’ll be posting live with all the important announcements and analysis.We’ll also be tracking all thebest iPhone dealsso that no matter what model you want, you’ll be able to get it for the very best possible price.
Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir,Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock bandUnquiet Mind.
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