iPhone 16e Sales Lag Behind SE Models Despite Bestseller Status

The iPhone 16e is one of Europe’s top-selling smartphones, yet its early sales figures still lagged significantly behind those of Apple’s previous mid-tier models, according to Counterpoint Research.

‌iPhone 16e‌ launched in February, marking the company’s first attempt in recent years to redefine its mid-range offerings with a product distinct from its “SE” branding. Despite debuting on Europe’s Top 10 smartphones list in its first full month of availability, the model failed to match the initial traction of its predecessors.

Counterpoint Research finds that the ‌iPhone 16e‌ was the ninth best-selling smartphone in Europe in March, representing 8% of Apple’s total iPhone sales in the region and 2% of the broader smartphone market. In Western Europe, the device performed slightly better, securing the seventh position overall.

However, the ‌iPhone 16e‌’s early performance marks a clear departure from the success of the ‌iPhone‌ SE models that preceded it. The third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE from 2022 ranked sixth on the same European bestseller list during its first month and accounted for 12% of Apple’s regional ‌iPhone‌ sales.

The second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE from 2020 performed even more strongly, achieving third place overall and making up 19% of Apple’s European ‌iPhone‌ sales in its debut month. Compared to these benchmarks, ‌iPhone 16e‌ sales were down 17% versus the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2022) and down 20% compared to the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2020), according to Counterpoint.

Unsurprisingly, the primary reason identified for the ‌iPhone 16e‌’s weaker debut is its higher launch price. The 16e starts at €699 ($599) in Europe. This is a significant increase over the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2022), which debuted at €519 ($429), and the ‌iPhone‌ SE (2020), which launched at €479 ($399).

Additionally, the mid-tier smartphone market in Europe is increasingly price-sensitive; consumers are showing increased interest in refurbished and second-hand iPhones, which further complicates Apple’s efforts to drive volume through new mid-range hardware.

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