iPhone SE: all about Apple’s cheapest smartphone

It took 3 years for Apple to re-introduce an inexpensive option for its iPhones, since in 2017 it released the iPhone SE at a price of $ 499. However, the specifications of this phone were quite limited compared to the iPhone 6s at that time, since its camera was only 1.2 MP, it had a plastic body and it had a memory of only 16gb, which for the moment was not enough, according to CNET. Even so, Apple completely renewed this new terminal and has launched it again, this time at an even more affordable price and with features shared with the latest iPhone 11.

Although paying $ 400 for a new iPhone was considered impossible, Apple made it happen since that will be the price of the iPhone SE 2020, presented  April 15 without previous events or announcements, amid global confinement. The iPhone SE arrives to replace the iPhone 8, which was still sold in Apple stores but will now be discontinued to make way for this new terminal, with a body quite similar to the iPhone 8 but with current features, according to the newspaper El País.

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Like many inexpensive smartphones, the iPhone SE is also compact in size, ideal for those who prefer a phone that can be conveniently operated with one hand. Its screen is 4.7 inches, a smaller size compared to the iPhone 11 or the iPhone X that have 5.8 inches.

Screen

Beyond the size, its screen is Retina HD quality with 1334 x 750 pixels, giving a pixel density of 326 pp, similar to that of the iPhone 11 (324pp). This has True Tone technology, which allows you to adapt the colors and brightness according to the ambient lighting. It also comes with an oleophobic coating to avoid stains left by fingerprints, the glass is scratch resistant and has a proximity sensor.

Camera

As for its camera, the iPhone SE puts a single lens back on Apple phones, but according to Xataka this is the same one that the iPhone 11 uses. It is a 12MP rear camera and f / 1.8 aperture, with Optical stabilization to avoid undesirable movements when recording and the option of making videos in 4K resolution at 60fps. The front camera is also the same as the latest models: a 7 MP lens with f / 2.2 aperture.

Processor

The main advantage offered by the new iPhone SE is the 64-bit 650 MHz 8-core A13 Bionic chip. This is the most recent processor that Apple has manufactured and that has given them better results. Furthermore, this chip has Artificial Intelligence to improve the quality of the photographs. In the same way, it increases the performance and speed of the interface remarkably, since it can perform a billion operations per second, according to what was outlined by Xataka. The battery capacity is barely 1821 mAh, and although it is significantly less than the iPhone 11, it is the same as the iPhone 8. Apple ensures that its duration will be similar to that of the iPhone 8, that is, 8 hours of video in streaming and up to 13 hours of local video, slightly less than iPhone 11, according to Applesfera. Likewise, it will have a 3gb RAM memory, one gigabyte less than the iPhone 11.

Other features

The iPhone SE comes with the latest WiFi technology, called WiFi 6, which offers better connectivity by being faster and giving greater range, it is also waterproof and dustproof, this time with the IP67 standard, less than the IP68 of the iPhone 11. Another specification is that it will have wireless charging and fast charging. However, the charger that comes by default is not fast charging, so another one must be purchased if you want to apply the 50% fast charge in half an hour, according to Xataka. Finally, this model will feature stereo sound.

Face ID face unlock will not be around this time, but fingerprint unlock with Touch Id technology will be available. The body of the iPhone SE is virtually identical to that of the iPhone 8, with aluminum frames and back glass, with three colors: white, black and red "special edition". Similarly, it will not have a headphone jack, but it will come with headphones with a Lightning connection that will allow you to insert them in the same place as the charger.

Also read: 5 smartphones with the best cameras

A bet that responds to the market

If Apple seeks to participate in the market for cheap smartphones, it is for something, and that is that despite the fact that according to CNET, smartphone sales globally have decreased 38% since February due to the pandemic, this drop mainly affects the high-end models, as the trend in the last two years shows that “cheap” smartphones are the best sellers. According to the research firm Canalys, the best-selling smartphone of 2019 was the iPhone XR, which at the time was the cheapest model in the X range. Likewise, of the 10 best-selling smartphones, 5 were economic options such as the Samsung Galaxy A10 or Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, according to UnoCero review.

The price of the iPhone SE is $ 399 for the 64gb version of storage, $ 449 for the 120gb and $ 549 for 256gb.