SE is clearly a 'budget' (at least for apple) phone. Some people really want a small phone that isn't.
The newest SE is substantially larger and worse.
I love my mini, but it’s also clear this is the last one.
I tried an iPhone 6S for a year before I got this phone. Couldn't stand the size. The current SE is the same size as the 6S. I'm basically stuck at a dead-end of phone size.
The current SE is not compact by historical standards. I'm not saying all phones need to be smaller, I just want one decent option.