Data about the iPhone SE (2020) is either good news or bad news for Apple

Shipping times for the second-generation Apple iPhone SE are getting shorter according to banking giant JP Morgan. In a note to clients that was read by AppleInsider, Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee wrote that globally, during the phone's fourth week of release, shipments of the device are arriving at purchasers' homes in just 10 days. That is a decline from the 18 days that it took to receive the handset during its third week of release.

The analyst notes that a decline has also been seen in the U.S. where it now takes 15 days to receive the iPhone SE (2020) after it is ordered, down from the 22 days seen in the previous week. Delivery times are also shrinking for the iPhone SE (2020) in China and Western Europe. The latter includes the U.K. and Germany. While the U.S. accounts for 35% of global iPhone shipments, China and Western Europe each generate 15% of worldwide iPhone shipments. The data was compiled by using delivery dates posted by Apple's online store in several countries.

The reason for the faster shipment times could be good news for Apple or bad news for the company. It could mean that production of the phone has picked up giving Apple enough supply to meet demand. Or, it could mean that demand for the "more affordable" iPhone has been slowing down. If it is the former, it means that things at Apple's contract manufacturers are returning to normal.

The second-generation iPhone SE is based on the iPhone 8 hardware. That means it is equipped with a 4.7-inch LCD display carrying a resolution of 750 x 1334. There is no notch, no Face ID and the Touch ID fingerprint scanner returns to quickly unlock the device. Apple replaced the A11 Bionic chipset that powered the iPhone 8 with the A13 Bionic SoC that is found inside the iPhone 11 family. The A11 Bionic contains 4.3 billion transistors, about half the 8.5 billion found in the A13 Bionic; the amount of memory on the iPhone SE has been hiked by 50% from the 2GB on the iPhone 8 to 3GB; Apple says that thanks to the combination of a new Image Signal Processor and the neural engine on the A13 Bionic, the 12MP camera on the back panel is the best single-camera setup on any smartphone. And if you think that Apple's statement was a shot at the 12MP cameras on the mid-range Pixel 3a and Pixel 4a, you're 100% correct.

The Pixel 4a could be unveiled on June 3rd when the first Android 11 public beta will drop. Like the iPhone SE (2020), the Pixel 4a will be priced at $399 for the 64GB model. While it will have a 5.8-inch AMOLED display, under the hood will be the Snapdragon 730 chipset, no match for the A13 Bionic.

Apple didn't change the iPhone 8's front-facing 7MP FaceTime camera nor did it hike the capacity on the handset's battery (1821mAh). The device is available in Black, White, and (PRODUCT)RED with 64GB of storage ($399), 128GB of storage ($449), and 256GB of storage ($549).

With the economic realities of the global pandemic, a lower-priced iPhone is just what the doctor ordered. Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, "I have seen a strong customer response to iPhone SE which is our most affordable iPhone." The executive said that there are two main reasons for wanting this phone. One, it is for those who want a phone with a smaller form factor that also packs the latest technology. Cook also says that it is the phone for Android users who want to switch to iOS.