iPhone 15 production trials begin, but SE 4 may be cancelled

The new phones won’t be these

Apple’s partner Foxconn has already begun trial production of the iPhone 15 devices, but Apple has reportedly cancelled production of the next iPhone SE.

Production testing has begun, report claims

Apple and its partners traditionally trial mass production of new devices as they head toward introduction. This usually means testing the production facilities and identifying any flaws or potential flaws in components or process.

This part of production even has an original name, “NPI” or ‘New Product Introduction’ – don’t confuse it with mass production, which won’t begin until later this year.

Apple has been expected to launch four iPhone models this year. Foxconn is now pulling together trials so it can assess the costs and necessary equipment to produce these machines. The production process will then be refined to introduce efficiency and scale.

Testing a more robust chain?

I’m not certain, but I feel like NPI is a little earlier than usual this year.

I’m thinking this may reflect a sense of urgency across Apple and its partners, who will be seeking to introduce production at facilities outside China, including India, this year.

It also likely reflects continued attempts on the part of all the partners to ensure the production and supply chains are sufficiently resolute, given the strain they have been placed under in recent years.

Is this thing on?

In related news, Apple has also reportedly cancelled production of the fourth generation iPhone SE, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. We don’t know if this is correct, but given the cadence for the handset sees a refresh every two years rather than annually, we’ll wait and see what happens in 2024.

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