Apple Reportedly Will Stop Sales Of IPhone SE And IPhone 14 In The European Union

IPhone 14, which still uses a Lightning port, is not sold in the European Union anymore (photo: x @bttf551112)

JAKARTA - Apple will reportedly stop sales of iPhone SE and iPhone 14 models that are still available on the EU market by the end of this year. This rumor first emerged from the French site, iGeneration, which states that the move is related to the EU's mandate on the use of USB-C ports on all smartphones sold in the region starting January 2025.

However, the EU regulation does not actually prohibit the sale of old devices designed before the law is enacted. The iPhone SE and iPhone 14 models, which still use a Lightning port, can still be sold as long as they are not designed after the law is enacted.

Not because of legal pressure, this termination is thought to be more related to Apple's strategy to ensure that all iPhone lines in 2025 can support the latest feature called Apple Intelligence. This feature is only available on the latest iPhone models, such as the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the entire iPhone 16 model.

The upcoming generation iPhone SE, which is planned to be released in the first half of 2025, is also predicted to support this feature. With a design that resembles the iPhone 14, this device is likely to come with a significant increase, such as a 48-megapixel rear camera, an OLED display, and a modem made by Apple itself. The price of the new iPhone SE is expected to rise to 499 from the current price of 429 US dollars.

Apple seems to want to encourage older iPhone users, including iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus users, to switch to the iPhone 17 line which is expected to be released in fall 2025. Apple may offer a higher exchange rate for older devices as incentives.

The move is also expected to help accelerate Apple's latest technology adoption across its product lines, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, which will gradually support Apple Intelligence.

Although Apple's decision could affect markets in the European Union, the company is likely to keep selling iPhone SE and iPhone 14 in other regions of the world until the stock runs out.