26 ms·

New iPhone SE

269 points by 0xedb 5y ago

paul7986 5y ago
I wish they just include a modern Touch ID in their latest phones that's what keeps me away from the latest and almost greatest. Love to have a better camera but it's Touch ID or nothing! I bought the X and loathed the unlock UX especially if you ever might need to use your phone in the car.
loeg 5y ago
Oh, I want this. I "upgraded" from an iPhone 8 to an iPhone 12 two years ago and dislike almost everything new about the 12 -- the size (too large), FaceID (never as reliable as pressing the fingerprint button was). iPhone 8, but faster and with better battery life? Lovely.
- eisa01 5y ago
  What about the 13 mini?
  - josefresco 5y ago
    My wife has it.... chonky as hell. It looks and feels (not operates obviously) like a step back from her sleek and thin 6S.
    - markdown 5y ago
      > My wife has it.... chonky as hell. That's a feature, not a bug. I can't stand thin phones.
      - josefresco 5y ago
        True to a certain extent, but she also has a pop socket etc. and it's quite thicc
    - ghostpepper 5y ago
      Obviously "chonky" is about as subjective a descriptor as they come but as someone who held onto the original SE until the minis came out, I really don't feel like my 12 mini is significantly larger than the original SE. I really like the sharp edges better than the rounded ones on the 6S/7/8/SE2
      - rtpg 5y ago
        The 12 mini is in between the original SE and the iPhone 8/existing mainline iphones/new SEs. Talking about a pretty small size difference, but hey everyone has their preferences (I loved my xperia with a 3.5 inch screen)
  - loeg 5y ago
    It also uses FaceID.
- markdown 5y ago
  I recommend the 13mini. I reckon the choice between the 13 mini and SE comes down to whether you'd prefer much better photos and videos.
  - loeg 5y ago
    TouchID vs FaceID is a bigger criteria than photo quality for me.
- deltarholamda 5y ago
  I have the 2016 SE, and I love it. Hate FaceID, hate the idea of FaceID. I don't use the fingerprint ID either. I don't even lock the phone. I really like the home button, and I was scared they were going to drop it. Glad it made the cut at least one more time. If I can't have my Blackberry Bold back, I'll take this. I tried the bigger iPhone 7 Plus to see if the larger screen helped with the crappy screen keyboard, but it didn't, so I'd rather have the smaller device.
- r00fus 5y ago
  I was a huge touchID fan until my finger skin started cracking. Then I had to use tricks like resetting touchID quarterly and taking touchID scans of soaked (but dry) hands so I could use actually unlock my phone consistently. FaceID is more consistent even with masks (using watch unlock). It's too bad they don't sell a larger version - I'd consider going back.
  - nusaru 5y ago
    Was it too difficult to revert to using a normal passcode? Genuine question; I too am a fan of touch ID. I’d get annoyed to have to update it constantly.
- 0x38B 5y ago
  I tried an iPhone 12 for two weeks and then went back to my old Pixel 2 - it was a nice phone with a great camera, but nothing wowed me. And I missed my fingerprint sensor. I then bought a secondhand iPhone SE (2020) and could not be happier. It does everything I need. Love Touch ID. The only thing that’d make it better is a headphone jack to plug my Shures into.
simpss 5y ago
if anyone knows good android alternatives for a smaller smartphone (something like sony xperia compact series) I'd love to hear about it. Currently, it seems like the iphone SE is alone in the segment?
- sfblah 5y ago
  I used to use a Motorola phone I got off Amazon for like $200. It was great, but various factors have caused me to return to using an iPhone. Looking online a bit maybe it was the G7 plus? My favorite "feature" of these Android phones is the price. It's like having insurance on your phone. If you lose or break it, it's not $1500 down the tubes.
  - fouc 5y ago
    > My favorite "feature" of these Android phones is the price Honestly that's my favorite feature of iPhones too. I've always bought used iPhones 2-3 generations behind. And they're often supported for many years. Current iPhone is 1st generation SE 2016, probably worth less than $80 and runs latest iOS.
    - sokoloff 5y ago
      I’ve usually bought 1-2 generations behind, often at the $250-400 price point, and then run them for 3-4 years or so. I just replaced the battery on my wife’s X and that looks like it’ll now go well past the 4 year mark.
- hammock 5y ago
  iPhone 13 Mini is even smaller than this (and lighter). And with a larger screen due to slimmer bezels.
  - simpss 5y ago
    According to this[0] iphone 13 mini is 5.4" and according to the OP new SE is 4.7" 0 - https://www.apple.com/iphone-13/ https://www.apple.com/iphone-13/
amoorthy 5y ago
Wow, the home button reappears! Love this. On my iPhoneX I've had the touch screen get into a frozen state so many times and there is no way to unlock or dismiss apps. And then there's the face ID unlock issue when you're wearing a mask or not looking right at the screen... which is better solved with thumbprint unlock. I get that you lose screen real estate with bringing back the home button but I think it's the right call.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- melling 5y ago
  The home button isn’t reappearing. It’s an upgrade to the SE, which always had the home button
  - ComradePhil 5y ago
    SE started as a copy of their previous models (iPhone 5) and then SE2 was a copy of iPhone 8. The SE series is not defined by its design because iPhone 5 and 8 were very different design-wise. The thing that is different about the SE series is the lower price.
    - dejj 5y ago
      Do you know of any gimmick, e.g. case that brings the button and its tactile feedback to 11,12,13?
  - amoorthy 5y ago
    Ah silly me. Thanks for the clarification.
- nebula8804 5y ago
  I am not sure about iPhone X but I thought there was a new mode on the latest iOS that allows you to add a second Face ID unlock when wearing a mask? Its an additional setup you have to do I think?
azinman2 5y ago
Interesting to me to see how few upvotes this has gotten in one hour (10). Perhaps not so popular HN? Which is surprising, because I feel like before the relaunch many people complained it didn't exist and wanted it.
- nebula8804 5y ago
  Its just a spec upgrade from last years phone no?
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - omgwtfbyobbq 5y ago
    I'd say so. In my experience, different carriers have been discounting/clearing out many of Apple's 4g models at pretty good prices over the last year.
- newaccount74 5y ago
  People would upvote it if came with USB-C or brought back the headphone jack.
  - bjoli 5y ago
    You say this as a joke, but after seeing this phone my wife decided to buy an android phone. She wants a 3.5mm jack. She has been holding out for apple to change their mind and give her an update path from her 6s.
    - newaccount74 5y ago
      I'm not saying it as a joke, I've switched to a Samsung phone myself because it comes with USB-C and a headphone jack. I miss some Apple things like iMessage, but I just got so sick of carrying extra cables and dongles everywhere.
    - rpmisms 5y ago
ilamont 5y ago
My mom uses an old iPhone 5, and is only giving it up this year because the carrier will no longer support 3G. I am glad the new SE phone is available ... the button and small form factor are really important for her.
- brimble 5y ago
  The single home button was such a brilliant UX move. It's been weird to watch them ditch it. Such a genius little safety blanket for ordinary users. "WTF is going on?!" Press home—the only button visible on the face of the phone—and you're back in familiar territory.
  - ilamont 5y ago
    The other thing I love about the button is the fingerprint reader. Far superior to facial recognition IMHO.
    - brimble 5y ago
      I was one of the people who could never get the damn thing to work right. And re-training it a few times a year just to get it back up to a ~50% success rate, because of humidity changes, was no fun. Eventually I just started using a code again, since I'd end up there more often than not anyway. But it seems like it was probably awesome for people who didn't have trouble with it.
      - teekert 5y ago
        Yeah for me it works great. I feel like now everything opens automatically as long as the thing is in the general direction of my face, whereas one used to have to constantly make a conscious action (push the fingerprint reader).
        brimble 5y ago
        Yeah, to be clear, the fingerprint reader is what never worked well for me. 2-3x a year of re-training because it'd stop working at all if the air (and so, my skin) got too dry, or too wet. Pretty bad success rate even when it was "working". Masks aside, face unlock has worked great for me. [EDIT] But if touch-to-unlock had worked for me, and if I had to take one or the other, I might prefer it.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
asimops 5y ago
If only it had android
ydnaclementine 5y ago
Pretty sure that's a lightning port on the bottom unfortunately. Waiting for usb-c like the ipads
- paxys 5y ago
  Even if/when they do introduce usb-c on iPhones, it will start with the high end models not the SE. The regular iPad doesn't have usb-c either.
- onphonenow 5y ago
  Lighting is a much firmer connector from what I've experienced. The latency on audio is also miles better if you do music. I returned an ipad with USB-C - unusable.
  - wozniacki 5y ago
    I've heard that USB C is inferior too but shouldn't this be a settled issue one way or the other ( whether Lightning is superior or USB C is superior ) especially on HN. Either it is or it isn't. Charging is way too important to be left to the whims of some European regulator looking to penalize Apple. I have no preference in the matter and just want something that is superior in performance. All I've seen on this matter is these kinds of videos on it USB-C is TRASH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXO0LtDvt-M
    - gknoy 5y ago
      I can't speak to Lightning, since other than my macbook we're a non-apple household, but USB-C has been a game-changer as far as cable management in our house. Between chargers that negotiate the right amount of charging, and having cables that work on all of the laptops/chromebooks/phones, its orders of magnitude better than micro-usb was. (The only problem I know of is that fast-charging depends on your cords.) I'd much rather have a less-optimal phone charging cord + port (usb-c) that lets me use any of my five accessible chargers than have to sit down and recognize which cord works with which device, or negotiate with my wife or kids over the (fewer) phone-only cords. :)
als0 5y ago
Still not small enough. The 1st gen SE was perfect in size and easy to grip. The iPhone 13 mini is smaller but still easily falls out of my hand if I'm not paying attention. Alas, we live in the age of phablets.
- uxp100 5y ago
  It's a little bigger, but thinner, right? I also went 1st gen SE for 5 years, and am hoping my 13 mini lasts 5 as well (with a battery replacement at some point), but I drop this phone way more than my SE. I think the edges are slipperier.
  - masklinn 5y ago
    Yes at 7.3mm the 8 design reused by the SE2 and 3 is quite a bit thinner than the SE’s 7.6mm, though it’s at least a blessing they used the 8’s shell because the 6 to 7 shell was only 7.1. The XR and 11 went way up to 8.3, but then the 12 went back down to 7.4, and the 13 back up a notch to 7.65. IME it’s not just that the edges are slipperier (though they are), it’s also that the rounded edges offer way less secure a grip than the flat edges of the 5S shell. And the phone is bigger and less well balanced, so holding it single-handed it always teeters on the edge. I currently have an 11, which replaced a 6S. I’d not seen they’d thinned the phones again so I’m quite dismayed, the 6S was an absolute horror show which I kept dropping. The 11 is significantly better, though I still drop it way more than I’m comfortable with. I miss the 4S design. Not only do I still think it better looking, it was more safer, and easier to use: picking the 6S from a table was an exercise in frustration. The 11 is better, but it’s not great. The 4S was easy, you just… gripped it. You didn’t have to claw your fingers under so it didn’t slip.
- paxys 5y ago
  There is no market for small smartphones. The mini line has consistently underperformed, and may get cancelled completely in the next refresh. People who complain about large screens online are unfortunately a vocal minority.
  - dijit 5y ago
politelemon 5y ago
Could the mods please consider grouping up all these announcement threads? We really don't need separate ones for every individual thing. Looking at the guidelines as well, these are more promotional and marketing in nature than something that "gratifies one's intellectual curiosity."
- htk 5y ago
  I’m fine with different threads for different products. Each product merits its own discussion.
- MandieD 5y ago
  The discussion around a big monitor with a processor powerful enough for ca. 2020 flagship iPhone is going to be a bit different than the discussion prompted by their phone for people who miss the 2013 flagship iPhone.
jazzyjackson 5y ago
I don't suppose there's any reason to expect a price cut on the 13 minis someday, is there?
- criddell 5y ago
  Apple sells refurbished phones for around a 20% discount.
  - SmellTheGlove 5y ago
    Apple hasn't even put the iPhone 12 on the refurbished store yet. It's going to be a while.
- fckgw 5y ago
  Apple doesn't cut the price on their phones, they stay the same price until replaced the next year. You can often find some retailer discounts later in the cycle but the Mini and SE are in different market segments as far as Apple is concerned.
  - ceejayoz 5y ago
    Sure they do. You can still buy an iPhone 11 for $499 at https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-11 https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-11. Launch price $699. The iPhone 12 is similarly still available for $599 at https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-12 https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-12. Launch price, again, $699. (The iPhone 13 mini is, unsurprisingly, $699. It'll almost certainly drop to $599 when the 14 comes out, and $499 when the 15 does.)
MrBuddyCasino 5y ago
The 2nd gen SE is a nice phone, but battery life is terrible. Couldn't find any numbers, has this improved?
- kemayo 5y ago
  The announcement post does mention "better battery life" a bunch. No explicit numbers, though.
  - npage97 5y ago
    From tech spec pages: iPhone SE (3rd gen) (https://www.apple.com/iphone-se/specs https://www.apple.com/iphone-se/specs) Video playback: Up to 15 hours Video playback (streamed): Up to 10 hours Audio playback: Up to 50 hours iPhone SE (2nd gen) (https://support.apple.com/kb/SP820?locale=en_US https://support.apple.com/kb/SP820?locale=en_US) Video playback: Up to 13 hours Video playback (streamed): Up to 8 hours Audio playback: Up to 40 hours So looking like a ~25% improvement. For some reason Apple likes to hide the mAh... so not sure how much is the chip vs possibly a bigger battery?
- pattyj 5y ago
  Video playback up from 13 hrs to 15 hrs Streamed video playback up from 8 hrs to 10 hrs Audio playback up from 40 hrs to 50 hrs According to https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphoneSE2ndgen,iphoneSE3rdgen https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphoneSE2ndg... It's the same thickness so who knows if the battery has more capacity. I would think it's more likely that going from A13 7nm to A15 5nm chip nets ~20% battery
  - kube-system 5y ago
    I am guessing it has the same or very similar battery and that the battery life difference is primarily due to changes in the silicon.
  - fomine3 5y ago
    5G could make battery life worse a bit, so disable it could improve more.
rchaud 5y ago
Is this still 16:9? Or has it gone the ultra-narrow aspect ratio of all the other phones?
- Synaesthesia 5y ago
  Still 16:9
Wiseacre 5y ago
If there any confirmation on if this new version is compatible with no sim card? One of the things I enjoy about the pixel budget phones is that it's simless but I was thinking of switching.
- ThePhysicist 5y ago
  Yes it is, see spec.
  - Wiseacre 5y ago
    I had trouble finding it on the product page, even after scrolling through all the animations.
- 0x38B 5y ago
  The second-gen iPhone SE supports eSim - I use a SIM card for Verizon and then another carrier with eSim. I can have both active at once, make calls, etc. Uses more battery but is super practical. Is this what you were talking about?
  - Wiseacre 5y ago
    Yes, thank you.
TAKEMYMONEY 5y ago
Giant bezels, no USB, and a physical button? Feels very outdated compared to the rest of the lineup announced today.
- kcartlidge 5y ago
  No USB isn't great, but personally: - Giant bezels => easy grip without touching the screen or covering it - Physical button => still works better for unlocking than FaceTime (especially with a mask) Virtually every other phone doesn't "suffer" from those "drawbacks" so this is probably my next phone when my current 2nd gen SE expires.
  - 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
    USB C isn't exactly everything it's cracked up to be. You can't exactly just grab any USB C cable and plug it into any USB C port and it works. I still need to keep that one USB C cable with thunderbolt and charging specifically for my laptop. Except now I have to label it or be careful with cable management. I'd rather be able to just look at the connector and tell what it does rather than this silly game of "this USB C cable is fat, maybe I can use it to charge my laptop". USB C ports are harder to clean too.
    - leetcrew 5y ago
      I choose to look at it from a glass half-full perspective. any usbc cable is at least as good as a standard usb2 cable. anything past that is a bonus. it's mildly annoying that some cables support high wattage PD and some don't, but it sure beats carrying around two dedicated cables all the time. but if it really bugs you that much, why not just find a cable that supports all the features you need, buy a few of those, and hide the rest? they're not that expensive...
      - 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
        You still can't tell the capabilities of the USB C port just by looking at it. I don't buy the "saves a cable" argument. My laptop is all USB C (made sure all the ports had all the same capabilities) and now I need to carry a dongle everywhere if I want to remain compatible with the other screens that I need to use or if I want to use a wired keyboard or mouse. And a good dongle is not cheap. Mostly what USB C does well, is if you are not an iPhone user, and ask someone for a charging cable. It will fit. I'd rather just carry my own cable than have spent that dongle money.
cehrlich 5y ago
If I needed a new phone I'd probably get this - will get 5+ years of security updates, and does everything else ok.
- new_stranger 5y ago
  I'm not a person with lots of free time that wants to update to the latest and greatest every year. I now appreciate apple phones knowing I can upgrade when I want and not in 1 year, 9 months when Google/Samsung drop support for my phone. Also, CalyxOS on Android provides that same concept of support for old pixels if you want to just keep using your phone as-is.
  - JazzXP 5y ago
    This is what pushed me back to Apple after a single Android device. After 18 months, it was running like crap, and when I bought it, it was considered one of the best flagship Android devices available (there was another that was equal, so it was a coin toss between them).
    - duxup 5y ago
      Yeah there's an Android Slowdown Syndrome that I don't know what it is... but Android has it. My wife's old iPhone 8 still runs fine. All my old android phones from that time are a mess.
      - FredPret 5y ago
        Maybe there’s an AI that insinuates itself onto Android phones as it finds them
      - spicybright 5y ago
        I bought the first android phone, the G1, back in the day. It had a peculiar bug where the entire phone would slowdown if you had too many text messages stored, among other things. A factory reset would fix it though. A bit disappointing that solution still needs to be a thing.
madspindel 5y ago
Could someone confirm it has the U1 chip needed for Airtag precision find?
- waffleiron 5y ago
  It does not according to the apple.com compare between iphone 13 and new SE
- kube-system 5y ago
  Unfortunately it doesn’t look like it. I was really hoping for this.
JamesAdir 5y ago
Another mini iPhone with premium features, and still the Android ecosystem doesn't have a comparable size/features competitor although there are dozens of manufacturers.
- krzyk 5y ago
  Pixel 4, and previously Pixel 1, 2, 3. All had smaller (non-XL) versions that had the same hardware except the screen/battery.
- wryun 5y ago
  Sony Xperia 10 III? (same width) Asus Zenfone 8
  - websap 5y ago
    Zenforce....lol
- mackrevinack 5y ago
  samsung's s10e is only slightly bigger than the SE and its still a decent phone and has a fingerprint sensor on the side where god intended for it to be. wireless charging. lots of things you dont get on a lot of "premium" devices these days, sd card slot, headphone jack, extra programmable button. sony's XZ1 compact is smaller than the SE and still works great, but i only use it as a music player so im not exactly doing anything that taxing. phones plateaued for me a few years back so keep that in mind. all the new "features" that phones have these days dont really seem like anything i need
  - amanzi 5y ago
    I still love my S10e! The battery is fading a bit now, but apart from that it's my perfect device - good size, fingerprint sensor on the side, headphone jack, SD card slot (I store my entire music collection on the SD card), and it just got upgraded to Android 12.
    - 5y ago
prototypeasap 5y ago
So, to summarize: perfect size for one handed operation; Physical button is also a fingerprint reader (but i don't see the confirmation everywhere, only on some sites). No 3.5 jack (sigh). I am still a very content user of 2nd gen SE. Thanks to the controversy with purposeful "slowing down" of aging phones, i was able to get a discounted battery replacement a few years back. So, my phone is holding up very well! But if it does break - i guess I'll be getting this one instead of 'smallish' Pixel.
- dstick 5y ago
  Get the iPhone Mini, you won't regret it. I've used up 5 of the original SEs. The iPhone Mini's design is perfect and the actual SE in terms of usability. This SE has those round edges again which significantly lessens the grip.
- 1980phipsi 5y ago
  I would love to get a 3.5 jack on an Apple product again
- idonotknowwhy 5y ago
  What's it like in terms of camera app open speed? I made the mistake of getting a midrange android phone after phones became over 1 grand AUD. Missed so many photos due to the 2 seconds it takes to open. Ended up getting a $1500 phone again to get the >1 second camera opening speed, like my 5 year old flagship had. Are apple's cheap phones fast with opening the camera app and then taking a photo?
  - smoe 5y ago
    Not very scientific test, just pressing start stop on the stop watch on Google with one hand and opening the photo app and taking a picture with the other a couple of times. On my iPhone SE 2nd gen, after some practise, I can get .5 to .75 seconds. When including unlocking the phone first, it's closer to 2s.
    - throwanem 5y ago
throwawayboise 5y ago
Too big. Too expensive.
- tomcam 5y ago
  What's got equal specs at that size and a lower price?
Nition 5y ago
The original iPhone SE (2016) is still the most powerful small smartphone ever made. Here's everything released since 2015 that's SE size or smaller: https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nHeightMax=125&nWidthMax=60&sFormFactors=1 https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nHeightM... This SE, and the previous one, are significantly larger. The iPhone 13 Mini is closer to original SE size but still larger (around 8mm longer and 6mm wider).
- incanus77 5y ago
  I agree. I'm an iOS developer (and Apple developer of 20 years) and I'm still using one.
- aidenn0 5y ago
  I suppose it depends on your definition of small and powerful. My phone is smaller in width and height than the SE (which is what your gsm arena filters on), but has a larger volume due to being twice as thick and weighs 3g less. With 6GB of ram and a 8-core (4 big + 4 little) 2GHz MediaTek CPU, it's more powerful than the dual core A9. On the other-hand its 480x854 screen is much lower resolution.
  - Nition 5y ago
    Can I ask what phone that is? I admit I'm being a little unfair on "small", to suit my own preference. But you could fit a 5" edge-to-edge screen in original SE size (the iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4" screen), and it'd be fantastic. Hell you could do a 4" screen - same size screen as the original SE - but make it edge-to-edge and the phone would be tiny and just as functional (except maybe battery life...).
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - aidenn0 5y ago
      Unihertz Jelly 2. 3" screen, Android 11.
stjohnswarts 5y ago
I wish my fingers weren't so fat :(
TheDudeMan 5y ago
Rounded sides are no bueno. But I do miss the fingerprint reader in the "better" models.
- BigComrade 5y ago
  Yeah, this rounded metallic chassis was in a lot of older iPhones. I think they might use their old inventory to produce these budget phones.
  - kube-system 5y ago
    It’s the same chassis design as the previous SE, which was the same as the 8. They are probably not using older inventory but likely using existing tooling and processes, which likely saves a significant amount of money. If Foxconn/Pegatron/Wistron doesn’t have to retrain people and/or build new tools, they can do the work for cheaper.
freeqaz 5y ago
What's the camera like on this one? I owned the last-gen SE and it's camera was the main reason that I upgraded to the 13 Mini. It was truly awful -- it made my Pixel 2 XL's camera seem WAY, WAY better than what the SE had. Looking at the press release, I don't see anything about any "new" camera tech. The lens looks pretty similar too. Is anybody able to confirm if this is the same camera as the last gen model?
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- jcoder 5y ago
  It’s in the sub-headline, and there’s an entire section about it: iPhone SE features an all-new camera system powered by A15 Bionic, with a 12-megapixel ƒ/1.8 aperture Wide camera that offers incredible computational photography benefits, including
  - freeqaz 5y ago
    Awesome, thank you! I must have missed it while scrolling through the swoopy animations.
  - tomaskafka 5y ago
    12-megapixel ƒ/1.8 is an unchanged camera from 2020 SE. They are running with iPhone 8 cameras for another few years and trying to fix the image quality with software.
- plaidfuji 5y ago
  Agreed, everything else I love about my current SE, but the camera was near zero improvement over my 6. If it’s single lens it’s likely to still be a significant shortcoming. They try to workaround it with better image processing algos but it’s not the same.
  - geerlingguy 5y ago
    Isn't it basically the same lens + sensor package from the iPhone 8? If so, it's a bit long in the tooth, and no amount of computational power on the A15 chip is going to overcome its shortcomings.
pil0u 5y ago
My iPhone 7 Plus has the same specs. Literally. https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone7plus,iphoneSE3rdgen https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone7plus,...
- have_faith 5y ago
  >the same specs. Literally They seem to differ in many metrics
- nighthawk454 5y ago
  except for a 5-generations-newer chip, 5G, double the storage, display improvements, and 5+ years of software support i'm not saying it's much of an improvement. but some of those old iphones are around the stagnation point of phone progress for the average user. the 5 year difference translates to ~half the launch price, with modernizations and future support. it's a pretty good deal and upgrade for someone coming from an older iphone 7, who doesn't need a $1k "flagship". doesn't seem like a fault at all that it's not even more better. this isn't the spec phone
Javipok 5y ago
On one hand, I actually grew to love the current size of iPhones, 13 feels just right. On the other hand, touch id worked so much better for me. Not only with masks in public, but also the fact that I unlocked my phone as I took it out of my pocket and it was unlocked when it was in front of me. Seems like such a small difference but I still miss that convenience. Now with this phone, it's hard to tell which I care about more.
- TMWNN 5y ago
  >On one hand, I actually grew to love the current size of iPhones, 13 feels just right. On the other hand, touch id worked so much better for me. Not only with masks in public, but also the fact that I unlocked my phone as I took it out of my pocket and it was unlocked when it was in front of me. Only Sprint offering an amazing upgrade caused me to move to iPhone 13. I really don't like Face ID for the reasons you mentioned. I like the phone otherwise but really wish that it also had Touch ID. If Apple doesn't want to mar the front with a physical touch sensor, it can put it on the back; I have an Android phone that has this. If iPhone 14 has both I will quickly upgrade to it.
- mynameisvlad 5y ago
  I have had no real issues with Face ID. The Apple Watch integration for masks was great and gave me haptic feedback whenever my watch unlocked it, and the new (beta?) feature allowing it to work without a watch works from the get go >90% of times, with the other 10% asking me to look down so it can better map out the eyes. In fact, my iPad Mini is the only device that is Touch ID only and I find I expect it to be unlocked by just looking at it, and always have to remember to tap the power button.
- paul7986 5y ago
  Indeed the UX of grabbing your phone and it's unlocked in one step is a superior UX. Face ID is three steps. As a UX professional I strive for the simplest UX(less is more). Maybe Apple doesn't strive for the same thing in this regards? I do hope they add Touch ID back to all their phones someday.. fingers crossed!
  - 5y ago
ramesh31 5y ago
I've been using my iPhone 5 since 2013. I get comments every single day from people who absolutely love it and want to know what model it is. I'm convinced it's the single best product Apple has ever made. Until another true 4 inch screen iPhone exists, this will be it for me.
- amanzi 5y ago
  My youngest daughter has the original iPhone SE which is the same form factor as the iPhone 5 but runs the latest iOS. This is perfect for her since she's only 11 and this is the only phone that can fit into her pockets. Some of her friends have comically large Android phones!
mleonhard 5y ago
Where is it assembled? I prefer to buy products made in democracies rather than those made by the red party.
- legofr 5y ago
  We definitely need laws that require companies to display this information online as well so that ethical shoppers aren't forced to go to the stores to avoid Made in China products.
- anujdeshpande 5y ago
  If previous SE models are an indication, this one will also be manufactured in India https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/apple-iphone-se-2020-is-now-made-in-india/2063870/ https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/apple-i...
  - captn3m0 5y ago
    It usually takes atleast few months before Apple shifts manufacturing to India.
- kepler1 5y ago
  You must have a lot of trouble buying anything, since I assume you apply your principles consistently? Clothing manufactured in countries that overlook child labor, chemicals / metals in your electronic devices coming from dictatorships, oil in your car coming from environmentally devastated areas?
  - mleonhard 5y ago
    Virtuous choices are still virtuous, even when one chooses them inconsistently. Due to globalization, there are few 100% moral products. When I'm making a purchase, I usually spend some energy investigating the morality of different options. I have limited energy and funds. It's always a tradeoff between research time, product cost, product quality, and product availability. I put more energy into big-impact things like housing, transportation, electronics, job, etc. You judged me and wrote that I'm inconsistent. When you wrote your comment, I think you were experiencing a self-righteous feeling. You probably enjoyed that feeling. Pay attention to that. It's not the same as happiness or satisfaction. The self-righteous feeling doesn't help you. It enables small human groups to expel or punish rule-breakers. When a human feels self-righteousness, they stop thinking clearly. Similar behavior happens with anger & fear. When a person feel self-righteousness, they blindly follow their leaders and shun/attack/kill the accused. Personally, I think self-righteousness has little place in modern society.
drusepth 5y ago
For anyone ctrl+f'ing headphone jack / 3.5mm: it doesn't have one.
mleonhard 5y ago
This phone includes many user-hostile design choices. These show that Apple continues to put profit over UX and the environment. :( - Glass on the back - Missing no lip to protect the camera and screen when the phone is dropped or placed on on a surface with abrasive particles. Even worse, the camera and screen actually protrude from the case, increasing the chance of damage. - The edges are not shock-absorbing - The finish is slippery
- jgalentine007 5y ago
  Who doesn't use a case? Especially with a $600+ device? Everything you mentioned are the same for the Galaxy phone I just replaced with an iPhone Mini 13.
  - kube-system 5y ago
    Well, this isn’t a $600+ device, for starters. :)
    - DrBenCarson 5y ago
      $470+ incl tax :)
      - kube-system 5y ago
        $459.03 where I’m at.
    - jgalentine007 5y ago
      Yeah, my bad, but my point still stands, no?
      - kube-system 5y ago
        Yeah I agree with you. I do sometimes wish that phones were made of ugly textured injection molded nylon or ABS so that we didn’t have to buy cases. Nobody needs a case to protect the finish on their power tools or their remote control or their key fob. But phones have to be pretty to sell so we get delicate shiny designs instead and basically everything needs a case by default.
vdo 5y ago
I still use a 6S and was wanting to get an SE, but was worried about the 5G thing. This is such welcome news. My mom has an SE (not sure what year) and it is really nice. My 6S has held up really well. My boyfriend and I lived at campgrounds for the spring/summer of 2021 and during all this, I would use my phone's hotspot as a mobile router for my laptop/ps4, and had it plugged into a portable power bank all day, and that really killed my battery. Not a good idea. A bit of a non-standard use. While my battery life is quite terrible, it never ceases to amaze me that it is still so usable, that it still gets updates, and it's not terribly laggy (it is better compared to my boyfriend's LG Stylo 4 which he got in 2020 and is kind of a mess despite being a beast; tbf he's lost that thing 3x and it's survived things no phone should). I carry a small battery bank with me if I will be out for more than a couple hours so I am not without a phone, but I know it is a bit silly. I've considered switching to android because of cheaper options, but the longevity thing really has me thinking I want to stay with apple. I will miss the headphone jack, though.
- aerovistae 5y ago
  "worried about the 5G thing"?
  - vdo 5y ago
    As far as I know the SE doesn't/didn't do 5G? I was looking into getting one but the lack of 5G is why I remember thinking it wouldn't be a good choice.
protoster 5y ago
Excellent! A worth successor to my iPhone 7. I'm happy that they offer a model with only a single camera, as I was scared that I would eventually be forced to upgrade to a model with three cameras, which would be a complete waste for me.
shp0ngle 5y ago
This is definitely not for me. In 2022, having LCD display, huge bars and just one camera, when Android phones give me for the same price much better display and cameras, not worth the money. But it's fine, if I was in the business of buying a new phone and wanted a discount, I would buy an old iPhone XS or 11 Pro or something. I have XS and the speed is great, I care more about screen and cameras than CPU speed. (Which is good enough anyway.) If someone wants this, good for them I guess.
- HNHatesUsers 5y ago
- tomaskafka 5y ago
  XS team here too - it's the last budget-friendly iPhone with a portrait camera. While a wide camera is a useless gimmick (or a requirement for AR that hasn't arrived yet), a portrait camera allows for great photo composition. Apple knows it and uses this as a gate to force people who care about photography into the $1000+ Pro range.
amai 5y ago
How does it compare to iPhone 13 Mini?
moltar 5y ago
I want the original SE back with better specs. All this other SE not really SE in my mind. Just an imitation :)

269 points by 0xedb 5y ago

I wish they just include a modern Touch ID in their latest phones that's what keeps me away from the latest and almost greatest. Love to have a better camera but it's Touch ID or nothing! I bought the X and loathed the unlock UX especially if you ever might need to use your phone in the car.

loeg 5y ago

Oh, I want this. I "upgraded" from an iPhone 8 to an iPhone 12 two years ago and dislike almost everything new about the 12 -- the size (too large), FaceID (never as reliable as pressing the fingerprint button was). iPhone 8, but faster and with better battery life? Lovely.

eisa01 5y ago
What about the 13 mini?
- josefresco 5y ago
  My wife has it.... chonky as hell. It looks and feels (not operates obviously) like a step back from her sleek and thin 6S.
  - markdown 5y ago
    > My wife has it.... chonky as hell. That's a feature, not a bug. I can't stand thin phones.
    - josefresco 5y ago
      True to a certain extent, but she also has a pop socket etc. and it's quite thicc
  - ghostpepper 5y ago
    Obviously "chonky" is about as subjective a descriptor as they come but as someone who held onto the original SE until the minis came out, I really don't feel like my 12 mini is significantly larger than the original SE. I really like the sharp edges better than the rounded ones on the 6S/7/8/SE2
    - rtpg 5y ago
      The 12 mini is in between the original SE and the iPhone 8/existing mainline iphones/new SEs. Talking about a pretty small size difference, but hey everyone has their preferences (I loved my xperia with a 3.5 inch screen)
- loeg 5y ago
  It also uses FaceID.
markdown 5y ago
I recommend the 13mini. I reckon the choice between the 13 mini and SE comes down to whether you'd prefer much better photos and videos.
- loeg 5y ago
  TouchID vs FaceID is a bigger criteria than photo quality for me.
deltarholamda 5y ago
I have the 2016 SE, and I love it. Hate FaceID, hate the idea of FaceID. I don't use the fingerprint ID either. I don't even lock the phone. I really like the home button, and I was scared they were going to drop it. Glad it made the cut at least one more time. If I can't have my Blackberry Bold back, I'll take this. I tried the bigger iPhone 7 Plus to see if the larger screen helped with the crappy screen keyboard, but it didn't, so I'd rather have the smaller device.
r00fus 5y ago
I was a huge touchID fan until my finger skin started cracking. Then I had to use tricks like resetting touchID quarterly and taking touchID scans of soaked (but dry) hands so I could use actually unlock my phone consistently. FaceID is more consistent even with masks (using watch unlock). It's too bad they don't sell a larger version - I'd consider going back.
- nusaru 5y ago
  Was it too difficult to revert to using a normal passcode? Genuine question; I too am a fan of touch ID. I’d get annoyed to have to update it constantly.
0x38B 5y ago
I tried an iPhone 12 for two weeks and then went back to my old Pixel 2 - it was a nice phone with a great camera, but nothing wowed me. And I missed my fingerprint sensor. I then bought a secondhand iPhone SE (2020) and could not be happier. It does everything I need. Love Touch ID. The only thing that’d make it better is a headphone jack to plug my Shures into.

simpss 5y ago

if anyone knows good android alternatives for a smaller smartphone (something like sony xperia compact series) I'd love to hear about it. Currently, it seems like the iphone SE is alone in the segment?

sfblah 5y ago
I used to use a Motorola phone I got off Amazon for like $200. It was great, but various factors have caused me to return to using an iPhone. Looking online a bit maybe it was the G7 plus? My favorite "feature" of these Android phones is the price. It's like having insurance on your phone. If you lose or break it, it's not $1500 down the tubes.
- fouc 5y ago
  > My favorite "feature" of these Android phones is the price Honestly that's my favorite feature of iPhones too. I've always bought used iPhones 2-3 generations behind. And they're often supported for many years. Current iPhone is 1st generation SE 2016, probably worth less than $80 and runs latest iOS.
  - sokoloff 5y ago
    I’ve usually bought 1-2 generations behind, often at the $250-400 price point, and then run them for 3-4 years or so. I just replaced the battery on my wife’s X and that looks like it’ll now go well past the 4 year mark.
hammock 5y ago
iPhone 13 Mini is even smaller than this (and lighter). And with a larger screen due to slimmer bezels.
- simpss 5y ago
  According to this[0] iphone 13 mini is 5.4" and according to the OP new SE is 4.7" 0 - https://www.apple.com/iphone-13/ https://www.apple.com/iphone-13/

amoorthy 5y ago

Wow, the home button reappears! Love this. On my iPhoneX I've had the touch screen get into a frozen state so many times and there is no way to unlock or dismiss apps. And then there's the face ID unlock issue when you're wearing a mask or not looking right at the screen... which is better solved with thumbprint unlock. I get that you lose screen real estate with bringing back the home button but I think it's the right call.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
melling 5y ago
The home button isn’t reappearing. It’s an upgrade to the SE, which always had the home button
- ComradePhil 5y ago
  SE started as a copy of their previous models (iPhone 5) and then SE2 was a copy of iPhone 8. The SE series is not defined by its design because iPhone 5 and 8 were very different design-wise. The thing that is different about the SE series is the lower price.
  - dejj 5y ago
    Do you know of any gimmick, e.g. case that brings the button and its tactile feedback to 11,12,13?
- amoorthy 5y ago
  Ah silly me. Thanks for the clarification.
nebula8804 5y ago
I am not sure about iPhone X but I thought there was a new mode on the latest iOS that allows you to add a second Face ID unlock when wearing a mask? Its an additional setup you have to do I think?

azinman2 5y ago

Interesting to me to see how few upvotes this has gotten in one hour (10). Perhaps not so popular HN? Which is surprising, because I feel like before the relaunch many people complained it didn't exist and wanted it.

nebula8804 5y ago
Its just a spec upgrade from last years phone no?
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- omgwtfbyobbq 5y ago
  I'd say so. In my experience, different carriers have been discounting/clearing out many of Apple's 4g models at pretty good prices over the last year.
newaccount74 5y ago
People would upvote it if came with USB-C or brought back the headphone jack.
- bjoli 5y ago
  You say this as a joke, but after seeing this phone my wife decided to buy an android phone. She wants a 3.5mm jack. She has been holding out for apple to change their mind and give her an update path from her 6s.
  - newaccount74 5y ago
    I'm not saying it as a joke, I've switched to a Samsung phone myself because it comes with USB-C and a headphone jack. I miss some Apple things like iMessage, but I just got so sick of carrying extra cables and dongles everywhere.
  - rpmisms 5y ago

ilamont 5y ago

My mom uses an old iPhone 5, and is only giving it up this year because the carrier will no longer support 3G. I am glad the new SE phone is available ... the button and small form factor are really important for her.

brimble 5y ago
The single home button was such a brilliant UX move. It's been weird to watch them ditch it. Such a genius little safety blanket for ordinary users. "WTF is going on?!" Press home—the only button visible on the face of the phone—and you're back in familiar territory.
- ilamont 5y ago
  The other thing I love about the button is the fingerprint reader. Far superior to facial recognition IMHO.
  - brimble 5y ago
    I was one of the people who could never get the damn thing to work right. And re-training it a few times a year just to get it back up to a ~50% success rate, because of humidity changes, was no fun. Eventually I just started using a code again, since I'd end up there more often than not anyway. But it seems like it was probably awesome for people who didn't have trouble with it.
    - teekert 5y ago
      Yeah for me it works great. I feel like now everything opens automatically as long as the thing is in the general direction of my face, whereas one used to have to constantly make a conscious action (push the fingerprint reader).
      - brimble 5y ago
        Yeah, to be clear, the fingerprint reader is what never worked well for me. 2-3x a year of re-training because it'd stop working at all if the air (and so, my skin) got too dry, or too wet. Pretty bad success rate even when it was "working". Masks aside, face unlock has worked great for me. [EDIT] But if touch-to-unlock had worked for me, and if I had to take one or the other, I might prefer it.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

asimops 5y ago

If only it had android

ydnaclementine 5y ago

Pretty sure that's a lightning port on the bottom unfortunately. Waiting for usb-c like the ipads

paxys 5y ago
Even if/when they do introduce usb-c on iPhones, it will start with the high end models not the SE. The regular iPad doesn't have usb-c either.
onphonenow 5y ago
Lighting is a much firmer connector from what I've experienced. The latency on audio is also miles better if you do music. I returned an ipad with USB-C - unusable.
- wozniacki 5y ago
  I've heard that USB C is inferior too but shouldn't this be a settled issue one way or the other ( whether Lightning is superior or USB C is superior ) especially on HN. Either it is or it isn't. Charging is way too important to be left to the whims of some European regulator looking to penalize Apple. I have no preference in the matter and just want something that is superior in performance. All I've seen on this matter is these kinds of videos on it USB-C is TRASH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXO0LtDvt-M
  - gknoy 5y ago
    I can't speak to Lightning, since other than my macbook we're a non-apple household, but USB-C has been a game-changer as far as cable management in our house. Between chargers that negotiate the right amount of charging, and having cables that work on all of the laptops/chromebooks/phones, its orders of magnitude better than micro-usb was. (The only problem I know of is that fast-charging depends on your cords.) I'd much rather have a less-optimal phone charging cord + port (usb-c) that lets me use any of my five accessible chargers than have to sit down and recognize which cord works with which device, or negotiate with my wife or kids over the (fewer) phone-only cords. :)

als0 5y ago

Still not small enough. The 1st gen SE was perfect in size and easy to grip. The iPhone 13 mini is smaller but still easily falls out of my hand if I'm not paying attention. Alas, we live in the age of phablets.

uxp100 5y ago
It's a little bigger, but thinner, right? I also went 1st gen SE for 5 years, and am hoping my 13 mini lasts 5 as well (with a battery replacement at some point), but I drop this phone way more than my SE. I think the edges are slipperier.
- masklinn 5y ago
  Yes at 7.3mm the 8 design reused by the SE2 and 3 is quite a bit thinner than the SE’s 7.6mm, though it’s at least a blessing they used the 8’s shell because the 6 to 7 shell was only 7.1. The XR and 11 went way up to 8.3, but then the 12 went back down to 7.4, and the 13 back up a notch to 7.65. IME it’s not just that the edges are slipperier (though they are), it’s also that the rounded edges offer way less secure a grip than the flat edges of the 5S shell. And the phone is bigger and less well balanced, so holding it single-handed it always teeters on the edge. I currently have an 11, which replaced a 6S. I’d not seen they’d thinned the phones again so I’m quite dismayed, the 6S was an absolute horror show which I kept dropping. The 11 is significantly better, though I still drop it way more than I’m comfortable with. I miss the 4S design. Not only do I still think it better looking, it was more safer, and easier to use: picking the 6S from a table was an exercise in frustration. The 11 is better, but it’s not great. The 4S was easy, you just… gripped it. You didn’t have to claw your fingers under so it didn’t slip.
paxys 5y ago
There is no market for small smartphones. The mini line has consistently underperformed, and may get cancelled completely in the next refresh. People who complain about large screens online are unfortunately a vocal minority.
- dijit 5y ago

politelemon 5y ago

Could the mods please consider grouping up all these announcement threads? We really don't need separate ones for every individual thing. Looking at the guidelines as well, these are more promotional and marketing in nature than something that "gratifies one's intellectual curiosity."

htk 5y ago
I’m fine with different threads for different products. Each product merits its own discussion.
MandieD 5y ago
The discussion around a big monitor with a processor powerful enough for ca. 2020 flagship iPhone is going to be a bit different than the discussion prompted by their phone for people who miss the 2013 flagship iPhone.

jazzyjackson 5y ago

I don't suppose there's any reason to expect a price cut on the 13 minis someday, is there?

criddell 5y ago
Apple sells refurbished phones for around a 20% discount.
- SmellTheGlove 5y ago
  Apple hasn't even put the iPhone 12 on the refurbished store yet. It's going to be a while.
fckgw 5y ago
Apple doesn't cut the price on their phones, they stay the same price until replaced the next year. You can often find some retailer discounts later in the cycle but the Mini and SE are in different market segments as far as Apple is concerned.
- ceejayoz 5y ago
  Sure they do. You can still buy an iPhone 11 for $499 at https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-11 https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-11. Launch price $699. The iPhone 12 is similarly still available for $599 at https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-12 https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-12. Launch price, again, $699. (The iPhone 13 mini is, unsurprisingly, $699. It'll almost certainly drop to $599 when the 14 comes out, and $499 when the 15 does.)

MrBuddyCasino 5y ago

The 2nd gen SE is a nice phone, but battery life is terrible. Couldn't find any numbers, has this improved?

kemayo 5y ago
The announcement post does mention "better battery life" a bunch. No explicit numbers, though.
- npage97 5y ago
  From tech spec pages: iPhone SE (3rd gen) (https://www.apple.com/iphone-se/specs https://www.apple.com/iphone-se/specs) Video playback: Up to 15 hours Video playback (streamed): Up to 10 hours Audio playback: Up to 50 hours iPhone SE (2nd gen) (https://support.apple.com/kb/SP820?locale=en_US https://support.apple.com/kb/SP820?locale=en_US) Video playback: Up to 13 hours Video playback (streamed): Up to 8 hours Audio playback: Up to 40 hours So looking like a ~25% improvement. For some reason Apple likes to hide the mAh... so not sure how much is the chip vs possibly a bigger battery?
pattyj 5y ago
Video playback up from 13 hrs to 15 hrs Streamed video playback up from 8 hrs to 10 hrs Audio playback up from 40 hrs to 50 hrs According to https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphoneSE2ndgen,iphoneSE3rdgen https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphoneSE2ndg... It's the same thickness so who knows if the battery has more capacity. I would think it's more likely that going from A13 7nm to A15 5nm chip nets ~20% battery
- kube-system 5y ago
  I am guessing it has the same or very similar battery and that the battery life difference is primarily due to changes in the silicon.
- fomine3 5y ago
  5G could make battery life worse a bit, so disable it could improve more.

rchaud 5y ago

Is this still 16:9? Or has it gone the ultra-narrow aspect ratio of all the other phones?

Synaesthesia 5y ago
Still 16:9

Wiseacre 5y ago

If there any confirmation on if this new version is compatible with no sim card? One of the things I enjoy about the pixel budget phones is that it's simless but I was thinking of switching.

ThePhysicist 5y ago
Yes it is, see spec.
- Wiseacre 5y ago
  I had trouble finding it on the product page, even after scrolling through all the animations.
0x38B 5y ago
The second-gen iPhone SE supports eSim - I use a SIM card for Verizon and then another carrier with eSim. I can have both active at once, make calls, etc. Uses more battery but is super practical. Is this what you were talking about?
- Wiseacre 5y ago
  Yes, thank you.

TAKEMYMONEY 5y ago

Giant bezels, no USB, and a physical button? Feels very outdated compared to the rest of the lineup announced today.

kcartlidge 5y ago
No USB isn't great, but personally: - Giant bezels => easy grip without touching the screen or covering it - Physical button => still works better for unlocking than FaceTime (especially with a mask) Virtually every other phone doesn't "suffer" from those "drawbacks" so this is probably my next phone when my current 2nd gen SE expires.
- 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
  USB C isn't exactly everything it's cracked up to be. You can't exactly just grab any USB C cable and plug it into any USB C port and it works. I still need to keep that one USB C cable with thunderbolt and charging specifically for my laptop. Except now I have to label it or be careful with cable management. I'd rather be able to just look at the connector and tell what it does rather than this silly game of "this USB C cable is fat, maybe I can use it to charge my laptop". USB C ports are harder to clean too.
  - leetcrew 5y ago
    I choose to look at it from a glass half-full perspective. any usbc cable is at least as good as a standard usb2 cable. anything past that is a bonus. it's mildly annoying that some cables support high wattage PD and some don't, but it sure beats carrying around two dedicated cables all the time. but if it really bugs you that much, why not just find a cable that supports all the features you need, buy a few of those, and hide the rest? they're not that expensive...
    - 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
      You still can't tell the capabilities of the USB C port just by looking at it. I don't buy the "saves a cable" argument. My laptop is all USB C (made sure all the ports had all the same capabilities) and now I need to carry a dongle everywhere if I want to remain compatible with the other screens that I need to use or if I want to use a wired keyboard or mouse. And a good dongle is not cheap. Mostly what USB C does well, is if you are not an iPhone user, and ask someone for a charging cable. It will fit. I'd rather just carry my own cable than have spent that dongle money.

cehrlich 5y ago

If I needed a new phone I'd probably get this - will get 5+ years of security updates, and does everything else ok.

new_stranger 5y ago
I'm not a person with lots of free time that wants to update to the latest and greatest every year. I now appreciate apple phones knowing I can upgrade when I want and not in 1 year, 9 months when Google/Samsung drop support for my phone. Also, CalyxOS on Android provides that same concept of support for old pixels if you want to just keep using your phone as-is.
- JazzXP 5y ago
  This is what pushed me back to Apple after a single Android device. After 18 months, it was running like crap, and when I bought it, it was considered one of the best flagship Android devices available (there was another that was equal, so it was a coin toss between them).
  - duxup 5y ago
    Yeah there's an Android Slowdown Syndrome that I don't know what it is... but Android has it. My wife's old iPhone 8 still runs fine. All my old android phones from that time are a mess.
    - FredPret 5y ago
      Maybe there’s an AI that insinuates itself onto Android phones as it finds them
    - spicybright 5y ago
      I bought the first android phone, the G1, back in the day. It had a peculiar bug where the entire phone would slowdown if you had too many text messages stored, among other things. A factory reset would fix it though. A bit disappointing that solution still needs to be a thing.

madspindel 5y ago

Could someone confirm it has the U1 chip needed for Airtag precision find?

waffleiron 5y ago
It does not according to the apple.com compare between iphone 13 and new SE
kube-system 5y ago
Unfortunately it doesn’t look like it. I was really hoping for this.

JamesAdir 5y ago

Another mini iPhone with premium features, and still the Android ecosystem doesn't have a comparable size/features competitor although there are dozens of manufacturers.

krzyk 5y ago
Pixel 4, and previously Pixel 1, 2, 3. All had smaller (non-XL) versions that had the same hardware except the screen/battery.
wryun 5y ago
Sony Xperia 10 III? (same width) Asus Zenfone 8
- websap 5y ago
  Zenforce....lol
mackrevinack 5y ago
samsung's s10e is only slightly bigger than the SE and its still a decent phone and has a fingerprint sensor on the side where god intended for it to be. wireless charging. lots of things you dont get on a lot of "premium" devices these days, sd card slot, headphone jack, extra programmable button. sony's XZ1 compact is smaller than the SE and still works great, but i only use it as a music player so im not exactly doing anything that taxing. phones plateaued for me a few years back so keep that in mind. all the new "features" that phones have these days dont really seem like anything i need
- amanzi 5y ago
  I still love my S10e! The battery is fading a bit now, but apart from that it's my perfect device - good size, fingerprint sensor on the side, headphone jack, SD card slot (I store my entire music collection on the SD card), and it just got upgraded to Android 12.
  - 5y ago

prototypeasap 5y ago

So, to summarize: perfect size for one handed operation; Physical button is also a fingerprint reader (but i don't see the confirmation everywhere, only on some sites). No 3.5 jack (sigh). I am still a very content user of 2nd gen SE. Thanks to the controversy with purposeful "slowing down" of aging phones, i was able to get a discounted battery replacement a few years back. So, my phone is holding up very well! But if it does break - i guess I'll be getting this one instead of 'smallish' Pixel.

dstick 5y ago
Get the iPhone Mini, you won't regret it. I've used up 5 of the original SEs. The iPhone Mini's design is perfect and the actual SE in terms of usability. This SE has those round edges again which significantly lessens the grip.
1980phipsi 5y ago
I would love to get a 3.5 jack on an Apple product again
idonotknowwhy 5y ago
What's it like in terms of camera app open speed? I made the mistake of getting a midrange android phone after phones became over 1 grand AUD. Missed so many photos due to the 2 seconds it takes to open. Ended up getting a $1500 phone again to get the >1 second camera opening speed, like my 5 year old flagship had. Are apple's cheap phones fast with opening the camera app and then taking a photo?
- smoe 5y ago
  Not very scientific test, just pressing start stop on the stop watch on Google with one hand and opening the photo app and taking a picture with the other a couple of times. On my iPhone SE 2nd gen, after some practise, I can get .5 to .75 seconds. When including unlocking the phone first, it's closer to 2s.
  - throwanem 5y ago

throwawayboise 5y ago

Too big. Too expensive.

tomcam 5y ago
What's got equal specs at that size and a lower price?

Nition 5y ago

The original iPhone SE (2016) is still the most powerful small smartphone ever made. Here's everything released since 2015 that's SE size or smaller: https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nHeightMax=125&nWidthMax=60&sFormFactors=1 https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nHeightM... This SE, and the previous one, are significantly larger. The iPhone 13 Mini is closer to original SE size but still larger (around 8mm longer and 6mm wider).

incanus77 5y ago
I agree. I'm an iOS developer (and Apple developer of 20 years) and I'm still using one.
aidenn0 5y ago
I suppose it depends on your definition of small and powerful. My phone is smaller in width and height than the SE (which is what your gsm arena filters on), but has a larger volume due to being twice as thick and weighs 3g less. With 6GB of ram and a 8-core (4 big + 4 little) 2GHz MediaTek CPU, it's more powerful than the dual core A9. On the other-hand its 480x854 screen is much lower resolution.
- Nition 5y ago
  Can I ask what phone that is? I admit I'm being a little unfair on "small", to suit my own preference. But you could fit a 5" edge-to-edge screen in original SE size (the iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4" screen), and it'd be fantastic. Hell you could do a 4" screen - same size screen as the original SE - but make it edge-to-edge and the phone would be tiny and just as functional (except maybe battery life...).
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - aidenn0 5y ago
    Unihertz Jelly 2. 3" screen, Android 11.

stjohnswarts 5y ago

I wish my fingers weren't so fat :(

TheDudeMan 5y ago

Rounded sides are no bueno. But I do miss the fingerprint reader in the "better" models.

BigComrade 5y ago
Yeah, this rounded metallic chassis was in a lot of older iPhones. I think they might use their old inventory to produce these budget phones.
- kube-system 5y ago
  It’s the same chassis design as the previous SE, which was the same as the 8. They are probably not using older inventory but likely using existing tooling and processes, which likely saves a significant amount of money. If Foxconn/Pegatron/Wistron doesn’t have to retrain people and/or build new tools, they can do the work for cheaper.

freeqaz 5y ago

What's the camera like on this one? I owned the last-gen SE and it's camera was the main reason that I upgraded to the 13 Mini. It was truly awful -- it made my Pixel 2 XL's camera seem WAY, WAY better than what the SE had. Looking at the press release, I don't see anything about any "new" camera tech. The lens looks pretty similar too. Is anybody able to confirm if this is the same camera as the last gen model?

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jcoder 5y ago
It’s in the sub-headline, and there’s an entire section about it: iPhone SE features an all-new camera system powered by A15 Bionic, with a 12-megapixel ƒ/1.8 aperture Wide camera that offers incredible computational photography benefits, including
- freeqaz 5y ago
  Awesome, thank you! I must have missed it while scrolling through the swoopy animations.
- tomaskafka 5y ago
  12-megapixel ƒ/1.8 is an unchanged camera from 2020 SE. They are running with iPhone 8 cameras for another few years and trying to fix the image quality with software.
plaidfuji 5y ago
Agreed, everything else I love about my current SE, but the camera was near zero improvement over my 6. If it’s single lens it’s likely to still be a significant shortcoming. They try to workaround it with better image processing algos but it’s not the same.
- geerlingguy 5y ago
  Isn't it basically the same lens + sensor package from the iPhone 8? If so, it's a bit long in the tooth, and no amount of computational power on the A15 chip is going to overcome its shortcomings.

pil0u 5y ago

My iPhone 7 Plus has the same specs. Literally. https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone7plus,iphoneSE3rdgen https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone7plus,...

have_faith 5y ago
>the same specs. Literally They seem to differ in many metrics
nighthawk454 5y ago
except for a 5-generations-newer chip, 5G, double the storage, display improvements, and 5+ years of software support i'm not saying it's much of an improvement. but some of those old iphones are around the stagnation point of phone progress for the average user. the 5 year difference translates to ~half the launch price, with modernizations and future support. it's a pretty good deal and upgrade for someone coming from an older iphone 7, who doesn't need a $1k "flagship". doesn't seem like a fault at all that it's not even more better. this isn't the spec phone

Javipok 5y ago

On one hand, I actually grew to love the current size of iPhones, 13 feels just right. On the other hand, touch id worked so much better for me. Not only with masks in public, but also the fact that I unlocked my phone as I took it out of my pocket and it was unlocked when it was in front of me. Seems like such a small difference but I still miss that convenience. Now with this phone, it's hard to tell which I care about more.

TMWNN 5y ago
>On one hand, I actually grew to love the current size of iPhones, 13 feels just right. On the other hand, touch id worked so much better for me. Not only with masks in public, but also the fact that I unlocked my phone as I took it out of my pocket and it was unlocked when it was in front of me. Only Sprint offering an amazing upgrade caused me to move to iPhone 13. I really don't like Face ID for the reasons you mentioned. I like the phone otherwise but really wish that it also had Touch ID. If Apple doesn't want to mar the front with a physical touch sensor, it can put it on the back; I have an Android phone that has this. If iPhone 14 has both I will quickly upgrade to it.
mynameisvlad 5y ago
I have had no real issues with Face ID. The Apple Watch integration for masks was great and gave me haptic feedback whenever my watch unlocked it, and the new (beta?) feature allowing it to work without a watch works from the get go >90% of times, with the other 10% asking me to look down so it can better map out the eyes. In fact, my iPad Mini is the only device that is Touch ID only and I find I expect it to be unlocked by just looking at it, and always have to remember to tap the power button.
paul7986 5y ago
Indeed the UX of grabbing your phone and it's unlocked in one step is a superior UX. Face ID is three steps. As a UX professional I strive for the simplest UX(less is more). Maybe Apple doesn't strive for the same thing in this regards? I do hope they add Touch ID back to all their phones someday.. fingers crossed!
- 5y ago

ramesh31 5y ago

I've been using my iPhone 5 since 2013. I get comments every single day from people who absolutely love it and want to know what model it is. I'm convinced it's the single best product Apple has ever made. Until another true 4 inch screen iPhone exists, this will be it for me.

amanzi 5y ago
My youngest daughter has the original iPhone SE which is the same form factor as the iPhone 5 but runs the latest iOS. This is perfect for her since she's only 11 and this is the only phone that can fit into her pockets. Some of her friends have comically large Android phones!

mleonhard 5y ago

Where is it assembled? I prefer to buy products made in democracies rather than those made by the red party.

legofr 5y ago
We definitely need laws that require companies to display this information online as well so that ethical shoppers aren't forced to go to the stores to avoid Made in China products.
anujdeshpande 5y ago
If previous SE models are an indication, this one will also be manufactured in India https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/apple-iphone-se-2020-is-now-made-in-india/2063870/ https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/apple-i...
- captn3m0 5y ago
  It usually takes atleast few months before Apple shifts manufacturing to India.
kepler1 5y ago
You must have a lot of trouble buying anything, since I assume you apply your principles consistently? Clothing manufactured in countries that overlook child labor, chemicals / metals in your electronic devices coming from dictatorships, oil in your car coming from environmentally devastated areas?
- mleonhard 5y ago
  Virtuous choices are still virtuous, even when one chooses them inconsistently. Due to globalization, there are few 100% moral products. When I'm making a purchase, I usually spend some energy investigating the morality of different options. I have limited energy and funds. It's always a tradeoff between research time, product cost, product quality, and product availability. I put more energy into big-impact things like housing, transportation, electronics, job, etc. You judged me and wrote that I'm inconsistent. When you wrote your comment, I think you were experiencing a self-righteous feeling. You probably enjoyed that feeling. Pay attention to that. It's not the same as happiness or satisfaction. The self-righteous feeling doesn't help you. It enables small human groups to expel or punish rule-breakers. When a human feels self-righteousness, they stop thinking clearly. Similar behavior happens with anger & fear. When a person feel self-righteousness, they blindly follow their leaders and shun/attack/kill the accused. Personally, I think self-righteousness has little place in modern society.

drusepth 5y ago

For anyone ctrl+f'ing headphone jack / 3.5mm: it doesn't have one.

mleonhard 5y ago

This phone includes many user-hostile design choices. These show that Apple continues to put profit over UX and the environment. :( - Glass on the back - Missing no lip to protect the camera and screen when the phone is dropped or placed on on a surface with abrasive particles. Even worse, the camera and screen actually protrude from the case, increasing the chance of damage. - The edges are not shock-absorbing - The finish is slippery

jgalentine007 5y ago
Who doesn't use a case? Especially with a $600+ device? Everything you mentioned are the same for the Galaxy phone I just replaced with an iPhone Mini 13.
- kube-system 5y ago
  Well, this isn’t a $600+ device, for starters. :)
  - DrBenCarson 5y ago
    $470+ incl tax :)
    - kube-system 5y ago
      $459.03 where I’m at.
  - jgalentine007 5y ago
    Yeah, my bad, but my point still stands, no?
    - kube-system 5y ago
      Yeah I agree with you. I do sometimes wish that phones were made of ugly textured injection molded nylon or ABS so that we didn’t have to buy cases. Nobody needs a case to protect the finish on their power tools or their remote control or their key fob. But phones have to be pretty to sell so we get delicate shiny designs instead and basically everything needs a case by default.

vdo 5y ago

I still use a 6S and was wanting to get an SE, but was worried about the 5G thing. This is such welcome news. My mom has an SE (not sure what year) and it is really nice. My 6S has held up really well. My boyfriend and I lived at campgrounds for the spring/summer of 2021 and during all this, I would use my phone's hotspot as a mobile router for my laptop/ps4, and had it plugged into a portable power bank all day, and that really killed my battery. Not a good idea. A bit of a non-standard use. While my battery life is quite terrible, it never ceases to amaze me that it is still so usable, that it still gets updates, and it's not terribly laggy (it is better compared to my boyfriend's LG Stylo 4 which he got in 2020 and is kind of a mess despite being a beast; tbf he's lost that thing 3x and it's survived things no phone should). I carry a small battery bank with me if I will be out for more than a couple hours so I am not without a phone, but I know it is a bit silly. I've considered switching to android because of cheaper options, but the longevity thing really has me thinking I want to stay with apple. I will miss the headphone jack, though.

aerovistae 5y ago
"worried about the 5G thing"?
- vdo 5y ago
  As far as I know the SE doesn't/didn't do 5G? I was looking into getting one but the lack of 5G is why I remember thinking it wouldn't be a good choice.

protoster 5y ago

Excellent! A worth successor to my iPhone 7. I'm happy that they offer a model with only a single camera, as I was scared that I would eventually be forced to upgrade to a model with three cameras, which would be a complete waste for me.

shp0ngle 5y ago

This is definitely not for me. In 2022, having LCD display, huge bars and just one camera, when Android phones give me for the same price much better display and cameras, not worth the money. But it's fine, if I was in the business of buying a new phone and wanted a discount, I would buy an old iPhone XS or 11 Pro or something. I have XS and the speed is great, I care more about screen and cameras than CPU speed. (Which is good enough anyway.) If someone wants this, good for them I guess.

HNHatesUsers 5y ago
tomaskafka 5y ago
XS team here too - it's the last budget-friendly iPhone with a portrait camera. While a wide camera is a useless gimmick (or a requirement for AR that hasn't arrived yet), a portrait camera allows for great photo composition. Apple knows it and uses this as a gate to force people who care about photography into the $1000+ Pro range.

amai 5y ago

How does it compare to iPhone 13 Mini?

moltar 5y ago

I want the original SE back with better specs. All this other SE not really SE in my mind. Just an imitation :)