There are no conspiracy behind the iphone SE - it’s what the fans wished for and what the critics love to hate. it’s always been this way with Apple - polarized opinion vs massive sales.Like it or not, Apple embraced its past and listened to its fan.
One third of all iphone user chose to stick with 4" models either for the compact form factor. or, the hefty prices of the new generation. But those people needed to be brought upto speed so can Apple and the developers can eventually move on from the older hardware.