Apple announced the new iPhone SE last week, and the phone is now available to order in more than 40 countries, according to Apple. While Brazil is not in the first wave at launch, the 2020 iPhone SE may arrive in the country in the coming weeks, as ANATEL (Brazil’s FCC-equivalent) has just released the documentation of the product homologation process. More surprisingly, there’s evidence that Apple is planning to assemble the new iPhone in Brazil.
Right when Apple announced the new iPhone SE, the Brazilian Apple website showed some images of the iPhone that contained the engraving “Indústria Brasileira” (or “Brazilian Industry”) on the back, which is used for products that are manufactured or assembled in the country.
Apple has removed the images from the website, but they can still be accessed through a direct link, as shared on iHelp BR.
Even though Apple tried to hide such information, ANATEL has concluded the 2020 iPhone SE homologation process in Brazil today, and the public related documents corroborate the local assembly in the country. ANATEL mentions Foxconn Brazil as one of the product’s manufacturing units, which is located in Jundiaí, São Paulo.
This is not the first time an iPhone has been assembled in Brazil, though. Apple often assembles some products through Foxconn Brazil, such as the iPhone XR, to reduce the price in the local market. As the iPhone SE is considered an entry-level option, the company probably chose to do the same with it.
Brazil imposes high taxes on imported products, which includes almost the entire range of Apple devices. For that reason, there are some companies that invest in the local assembly process, as this grants a reduction in taxes to sell those products.
The price of the iPhone SE in Brazil will start at R$3,699, which is around $699. Believe it or not, the price could be much higher if the phone was entirely imported. Despite the official price, smartphones that are manufactured or assembled locally can be found in better deals at authorized resellers and carriers.
The iPhone SE model that will be sold in Brazil is the A2296, the same as in Europe and Australia. That’s an important aspect for Brazilians who intend to buy it abroad since the US model isn’t compatible with all LTE frequencies that operate in Brazil.
There’s still no word on when the new iPhone SE will be available to order in Brazil, but this doesn’t usually take long after ANATEL’s approval process.
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