Statistics released by research firm Localytics have revealed that, during the first three weeks of the iPhone SE’s retail availability, the UK, France, Hong Kong and Canada led the adoption charge.
The figures record the adoption rate at 1% in each of these markets. In fact, this rate surpasses the worldwide average by a significant margin; in the United States, the small but power-packed handset reached 0.4%, in line with this global average.
Forbes writer Ewan Spence has noted that countries with “more open and competitive markets”, where the system of smartphone contract subsidies is less rigidly adhered to, have more clearly embraced the iPhone SE, which sports the iPhone 5S’s 4-inch form factor but largely the iPhone 6S’s internals.
In general, the iPhone SE’s early adoption has been lower than that of the iPhone 6S series – an unsurprising development, given the rather less hype and publicity the smaller phone has attracted. Nonetheless, evidence remains that the iPhone SE’s sales have exceeded Apple’s initial expectations.
Indeed, in a new research note, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that his firm KGI Securities is revising up its prediction of iPhone SE sales for the 2016 fiscal year from 12 million to 16 million units.