Apple has very little interest in your $300. They want to make big, premium, high-margin devices that sell for $800+.
It's the same reason they will never make a modular, upgradable desktop (no, the new MacPro does not count), the margins just aren't there. Apple only competes in spaces where they can make a lot of profit
It's funny because I am usually not interested in those types of products, but I still admire their commitment to their strategy.
Give me tiny iphone with 3.5" display and I'll give you my $1000. There is literally no competition in this space and enough people hanging on to SEs and complaining about pocketability that I'm positive it would still sell well. When I pull out my SE when hanging out with someone new, the most common reaction is "wow! I wish my phone was still that small" and a lot of complaints about big phones.
There is a huge untapped market here. I'm not suggesting it's bigger than the market for the XS Plus Max 7" behemoth... but it's certainly not negligible. There is a reason the iPod Nano and the iPod Classic were both popular.
It's the same reason they will never make a modular, upgradable desktop (no, the new MacPro does not count), the margins just aren't there. Apple only competes in spaces where they can make a lot of profit
It's funny because I am usually not interested in those types of products, but I still admire their commitment to their strategy.