40% of iPhone Users Plan to Buy iPhone SE 3, Survey Indicates

40 percent of iPhone users intend to buy the third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE, according to the findings of a survey by SellCell.

iphoneseback
Of the survey respondents that plan to buy the ‌iPhone‌ SE, 24 percent plan to use it as their main device, while 16 percent plan to give the device as a gift or use it as a secondary device. While most ‌iPhone‌ SE 3 buyers plan to use the device themselves, 10.9 percent plan to buy the device for a child, 10.2 percent plan to buy it for their partner or spouse, and 7.8 percent plan to buy it for a family member such as a parent or grandparent.

Most customers are planning to buy the third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE because of its price point, but 15.2 percent are mainly attracted to 5G connectivity, 11.3 percent prefer its compact form factor, and 6.7 percent prefer the Home Button with Touch ID.

Most users upgrading to the ‌iPhone‌ SE will be upgrading from the ‌iPhone‌ 11, accounting for 11.5 percent of models that users intend to part ways with once the new ‌iPhone‌ SE launches. Beyond the ‌iPhone‌ 11, 6.8 percent are planning to upgrade from the ‌iPhone‌ XR and 6.7 percent are planning to upgrade from the ‌iPhone‌ 12, but there is widespread appetite to switch to the ‌iPhone‌ SE across multiple ‌iPhone‌ generations, from the ‌iPhone‌ 6 through to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max.

Of the users who are not planning to buy the new ‌iPhone‌ SE, 66.2 percent said that they are still happy with their current ‌iPhone‌ model, 9.3 percent are waiting for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup to launch, 4.1 percent say that the device is too small, and three percent say that it is not premium enough.

The independent survey asked 2,549 adult ‌iPhone‌ owners in the United States about their thoughts on the third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. For a more detailed breakdown, see SellCell's full survey breakdown.

The third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE is widely expected to be announced at Apple's "Peek Performance" event on March 8, likely alongside the fifth-generation iPad Air, and potentially a redesigned high-end Mac mini and a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...
amazon black friday

Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More

Sunday November 23, 2025 7:12 am PST by
Black Friday deals have begun, and Amazon is one of the best places you can find steep discounts on numerous products this week. We've already collected all of the best Apple-related deals you'll find at Amazon (and other retailers) in our Apple Black Friday Deals post, so below you'll find other discounts on devices like Anker accessories, Beats headphones, video games, TVs, and more. Note:...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...

Top Rated Comments

entropys Avatar
49 months ago
40%!
riiight.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HappyDude20 Avatar
49 months ago
I think if there was an option titled

[HEADING=2]“I don’t want Face ID” [/HEADING]

that that would score as the highest reason
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Game 161 Avatar
49 months ago
40% lol I highly doubt that. most people who will buy this don't even know it's coming.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Red Oak Avatar
49 months ago
That survey is obviously flawed
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacD Avatar
49 months ago
40% my foot
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unami Avatar
49 months ago
Why anyone using an 11 would "upgrade" to a device with a smaller battery, smaller screen and worse camara is beyond me. Sure, the cpu will be slightly faster, but the 11 is still plenty fast. I call BS.

Sure, the SE is the "entry level/compromise" iphone, but it's way overpriced for it's old design and for what it does. Most people who could afford an 11 in the past will surely go for a "regular" iphone.

On the other hand, if true, maybe people don't want to pay €899 upwards for a phone anymore and this is a sign that apple will have to alter it's product strategy in the future. Would't count on it.

(Written from a SE2 with a nice form factor but terrible battery life)
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)