The global market research firm TrendForce reports that, in the year’s second quarter, iPhone production volume increased by 13% due to the sales success of the 4-inch iPhone SE released in March.
The quarter saw Apple post an iPhone production volume of about 48 million units, TrendForce revealed in a press release. This is 13% higher than the previous quarter’s volume, and this growth has been attributed to “the shorter base period and steady sales of iPhone SE”.
Of the total iPhone units made during the just-gone quarter, roughly 9 million were the SE. TrendForce smartphone analyst Avril Wu has remarked that the little phone, which is priced from $399, “has helped prop up sales for Apple before the market launch of the next iPhone.”
The iPhone SE packs the A9 processor, Apple Pay and Live Photos support, and many other high-end features into a casing smaller than the flagship 4.7-inch iPhone 6S and 5.5-inch iPhone 6S Plus.