[NewsPoster]

Apple's new iPhone SE has been selling well, leading to stock-outs and shipping delays, according to Apple. The news aligns with anecdotal evidence showing the iPhone SE experiencing stock-outs at retail stores as well as shipping delays for online orders. Unfortunately for Apple's fiscal Q2 results, which showed the first decline in iPhone sales year-over-year since launch, the iPhone SE was not included in Apple's March quarter iPhone sales figures.


"We're thrilled with the response that we've seen on it," Apple CEO Tim Cook said of the iPhone SE. "It's clear there's a demand there that's much beyond what we thought, which is why we have the constraint that we have." The iPhone SE has met with rave reviews, with our own review giving the device a 4.5 out of 5 for its winning combination of high-end performance and value for money. It officially went on sale on March 24, in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands and the US. Its global rollout continued in April, with over 40 more countries added to the list of markets where the iPhone SE is now available, including the crucial emerging market of India. According to Apple, the iPhone SE is holding appeal for new iPhone users and Android switchers, as well as current iPhone owners who are still keen on a high-performance smartphone wrapped in a 4-inch form factor.

[Inkling]

Is the supply really "constrained" because of greater-than-expected demand? Apple shouldn't be surprised. Except for the absurdity of having only 16GB is the low-end model, it's a marvelous product, the best I've seen from Apple in years. Apple would see similar results if it'd offered alternatives to its anoxeric laptops and an easily repaired and upgraded component desktop. The latter would delight business IT departments. Apple is making a terrible mistake. It's created a iPhone that businesses like, but it doesn't offer a desktop they regard as practical and cost-effective. Apple has clever engineers. I could create a desktop that'd blow away its competition.

[panjandrum]

Yeah, this will almost certainly be my next phone. Was already told there would likely be a considerable wait unless I wanted one of the undesirable colors (i.e. the wait was shorter for pink or gold).

I'm still on the fence about needing to jump-ship however. Apple's insistence in preventing me from obtaining tools I need unless I jailbreak (I've been running all jailbroken iPhones since the 3 era) is finally wearing me down, especially as Apple has been doing a better job plugging the flaws used to do the jailbreaking. I'm just tired of the run-around, and considering that I used a total of only about a two dozen apps anyway my risk of snagging malicious apps if I move to Android is fairly low.

[Steve Wilkinson]

@Inkling - I'm guessing what surprised them is that they followed the Android-bigger-is-better thing and probably did some 'studies' showing a low number of people cared about 4" (or phone-sized-phones) anymore, kind of like MacNN did with their surveys. But, there was enough outcry that they've adjusted that view enough to produce the SE... and now they are finding that their previous research and attitudes were flawed. Hence, surprise.

And, I'd agree, the SE is one of Apple's best product introductions for a while now. At least it shows they are listening a bit... hopefully that will impact other areas (software and the Mac lineup). I agree to a point. I think Apple needs some better designed Macs, ALONG WITH some of what they are currently producing. For example, I think the iMac is a great product, but there should also be a machine somewhere between a Mini and a Pro (and, of course, a new Pro). Other than that, I think the hardware lineup is pretty strong.

The software side of things, though, is a different story. Apple really needs to get you know what in gear on that front. And, I'm really hoping the MacNN folks are wrong, and that Apple can actually focus on more than one product line, and what we've been seeing so far was a big bump they are correcting. That said, I fear maybe the MacNN folks are actually correct, and Apple is now chasing the Kardashians (which will be lucrative with the Kardashian crowd until they aren't the flavor of the month anymore). Then, Apple will be wondering how to get back all those artists, dreamers, creators, innovators and people who 'Think Different' that they once had, which drove their success.

[Steve Wilkinson]

@ panjandrum - No kidding. I've been thinking about starting a series of blog posts themed around something like Apple Stupid UI Tricks. It seems like I run across AT LEAST one each day anymore.

But, at least in Apple's favor (at the moment), where would you (or I) go? As bad as Apple is getting, the competition is still worse as far as I can see. But, it would be better for Apple if I were lounging by the pool, sipping a fancy drink with an umbrella in it, instead of standing by the ship's rail hoping theres some other boat or an island I could make it to.

Not too many years ago, I was singing Apple's praises to anyone who would listen. Now I'm starting to hesitate in recommending them at all. I'm not the only one. And, I don't think that's a positive thing (unlike some who seem enamored with quarterly earnings reports). Maybe I'm just old enough to have a few names like Novell or MySpace stuck in my head.