Earlier this week, Apple announced their iPhone SE 2020, a refresh to their very popular iPhone SE back in 2016. But this time around, they’ve refreshed the phone’s design by implementing it into the iPhone 8’s body, but upgraded internals and a killer RM1999 price point. Now keep in mind, that RM1999 price is very integral to Apple’s strategy with their latest iPhone.

Why?

Simply because there’s never been such a cheap, NEW iPhone before. Take a step back from the very isolated, and niche space that we are in; the tech industry. Majority of the general public don’t really care about the latest and greatest processors, 120 refresh rate displays, quad-camera setups, and any number of other ‘features’ smartphone manufacturers are implementing in their devices right now. Apple included.

This time around, they’ve brought an iPhone for RM1999. A very very affordable iPhone, which plenty of people would pick up solely because of two factors: It’s an iPhone, and it’s cheap.

Moms, dads, older family members, parents buying a phone for their kids, struggling university students, and so many more. They won’t care for the fact that it’s a small 4.7-inch screen, only has one camera, 3GB RAM, an outdated design, or a smaller 1821mAh battery. It’s still a new iPhone. While it features that one camera, reportedly, it’s an upgrade from before and it comes with the latest camera processing software you can find with the upgraded A13 Bionic chip powering the iPhone SE 2020. That’s the same processor housed in the iPhone 11 Pro.

Not to mention the fact that an iPhone now undercuts plenty of Android devices releasing in this day and age. In a time where a brand new iPhone costs less that OnePlus’s latest devices, it’s hard to argue it’s appeal. It’s just a fact, people still want iPhones, and well, because they’re Apple.

Think about it, how many people have you seen, even in 2020, are stilling using an iPhone 6, or iPhone 7, or even an iPhone 8. There’s a bunch of people still desperately holding on to these devices. The iPhone SE 2020 will also be supported by Apple for another 5-6 years in terms of software updates adding to it’s longevity.

How can you fight against that? Apple is Apple, for a reason. People WANT iPhones. The iPhone SE 2020’s appeal has even got me intrigued, thinking ‘oh, I could probably switch over now’. But me, being a tech head, I can’t go back to a huge bezel design and a small 4.7″ screen. Though keep in mind, I play with the latest and greatest devices released, so I have a skewed perception of the smartphone industry.

But for the average, everyday consumer, they’d be willing to accept the iPhone SE 2020 for all its flaws and still be okay with it especially at RM1999. Why?

Simply because, it’s an iPhone.