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Comment by doctoboggan | Hacker News Reader

Is this a replacement for the "SE" line? It seems similar to the previous SE models in that it's cheaper, uses an older body, and is released in an off month. The marketing copy in the OP also compares it to the older SE phones.

I am guessing that's the end of the small phone line at Apple.

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> I am guessing that's the end of the small phone line at Apple.

That really ended with the 13 mini on which I'm typing this comment and that I'll hold onto till it's no longer supported.

I have been keeping my 12 Mini in as pristine condition as possible. I often keep the phone in my vest pocket and really hate the size of … well … anything larger than the Mini. Best form factor ever for me.

Same here. I'm hoping there will be a 19 mini

It wouldn't be crazy for them to offer a mini only every several generations. If the problem is that there isn't enough demand to justify design and tooling, it would make sense to let demand grow for 5-6 years, then release a new mini that all small phone lovers will buy.

Yup, Apple still makes a new iPad mini every 3-4 years, despite it being clearly worse on paper than the mainline iPad. But the last version was mostly a spec bump.

I recently figured the only way to pull that off would be to brand it as „iPhone 19 - Steve Jobs edition“. Apple, feel free to run with it.

That really ended with 1st Gen SE.

Yes, this replaces the SE which was not really that small. The SE screen was small but the case not so small. This 16e is less that 0.25 inches bigger in the diagonal.

It’s funny that the marketing for this is about introducing a new member of the family. But it doesn’t also mention that one other member has been disowned/excommunicated

It's like when your employer says "we're all one big family" and then fires people. Makes you wonder what their families are like...

"Is Uncle Dave coming this Thanksgiving?"

"No, he was adopted by a competing family. We're suing."

From a marketing perspective, it's probably ancient history. They've had three rounds of iPhone launches between now and the launch of the 13 mini, and the 13 mini was discontinued a year and a half ago. Even if the 16e had been a mini-sized phone (or available in this size and a mini size), it would have been weird for marketing to highlight that market segment and draw attention to that 1.5-year absence.

I think they are referring to today's discontinuation of the 3rd gen iPhone SE, since the 16e is so different from the previous SE phones.

I feel you're correct because this is the iPhone that appeals to me, and no new iPhone ever appeals to me.

Yeah, they took the SE off their website at the same time as they announced this.

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