The iPhone SE 2 price is much higher in the UK than the US − here’s how much more you’re paying
The iPhone SE 2 has launched and the iPhone 8 has been discontinued, with the former replacing the latter as the new cheapest iPhone in Apple’s current lineup. However, the iPhone SE 2’s price might not look quite as attractive when you see how much it’s listed for in the US.
There are three iPhone SE 2 configurations, which command different prices. Here are the iPhone SE 2 UK prices:
- iPhone SE 2 (64GB) − £419
- iPhone SE 2 (128GB) − £469
- iPhone SE 2 (256GB) − £569
Seems pretty reasonable when you consider that the other iPhones in Apple’s current range start at £629 (iPhone XR), £729 (iPhone 11), and £1049 (iPhone 11 Pro).
But now look at the price listings for the iPhone SE 2 in the US (approximate dollars to pounds conversion in brackets):
- iPhone SE 2 (64GB) − $399 (~£320)
- iPhone SE 2 (128GB) − $449 (~£400)
- iPhone SE 2 (256GB) − $549 (~£440)
At first glance, this looks like consumers based in the UK have to pay approximately £100 more for the 64GB iPhone SE 2, £70 more for the 128GB model, and £129 more for the 256GB model than consumers based in the US.
However, it’s not quite that simple. Apple’s US price listings don’t actually show the iPhone SE 2’s true US price.
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This is because sales tax levels vary from state to state and even from county to county within states. Therefore the iPhone SE 2 can cost a different amount depending on where in the US you are.
The iPhone SE 2’s UK prices, on the other hand, do take into account VAT.
That said, let’s look at New York, where sales tax is set at 8.875%. By our calculations, a 64GB SE 2 would cost around $435 (~£350) there, while a 128GB model would cost around $490 (~£390), and a 256GB model would cost around $600 (~£480).
So when you take into account sales tax, the differences between US and UK prices are slightly smaller, but still fairly vast.
The iPhone SE 2 will be available to preorder from April 17, and will start shipping to buyers on April 24.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
