New iPhone SE expected to ship 30 million units this year

Shipments of Apple's new ‌iPhone SE‌ are expected to reach 30 million units in 2022, according to estimates by DigiTimes research analysts Sean Lin and Luke Lin.

Apple is said to have prepared less than 5 million parts for the new iPhone ‌SE‌ in the first quarter of 2022, but actual shipments of the smartphone are expected to be lower than in the first quarter.

Shipments are expected to rise to 11 million units in the next quarter, with shipments remaining at roughly the same level in the third quarter and slowing in the fourth quarter, when the iPhone 14 series is released.

DigiTimes pointed out that the launch of the new ‌SE‌ in 2022 is expected to significantly boost shipments of 5G mobile phones in markets outside of China, as a considerable number of consumers prefer its lower price and traditional iPhone design with a physical Home button.

According to analysts, about 280 million 5G phones will be shipped to markets outside of China in 2021, but that number is expected to surge by more than 60% to more than 450 million units, accounting for 63.5% of global sales. In contrast, nearly 80% of shipments in China are already 5G devices, and shipment growth is expected to be only in the single digits this year.