Compact phones are great, and internal components matter, but not in a device with 4" display. As a matter of fact iPhone SE has absolutely worse screen to body ratio in the industry - a little over 60%
If you talking about 4" screen size(length, width) comparing to iphone 4S than right. I wish from iphone 5, Apple had scaled 3.5" to 4" screen proportionally(length divide by width) to keep 3.5" ratio. Once the screen getting larger than 4", the ratio of 3.5" does not work out because typically screen(body) length is no problem but width has to fit comfortably, well in hand. You want to hold phone as phone not tablet in hand. Unfortunately, video format of 16x9 dictates screen design which is what happened in 4" iphone.
My wife STILL uses the 4s and refused to go with the 6 as I did. She would like to go with the SE, but only if she could continue to use her beloved 4s case.
Keep in mind this camera and other internals in the SE are only up to date for a few months. iPhone 7 and 7S will have upgraded specs and in a little over a year this phone will feel like the 5S.
While ended up buying the 6 plus when it came out, found the large screen a bonus, this inane trend to thinness has made me rethink my phone choices. Not anymore. This SE phone is spot on. I like the build quality and size because I have smaller hands. And it's great that it got a hardware boost. I'll trading this phone that I have in for the SE model.
Had you considered the 6/6s (4.7)? I am baffled by people in this thread who seem to ping-pong between the two extremes.
Quite satisfied with my 6+ battery life, unlike my wife having poor 5S. Now she's more than happy to make a jump to a much stronger SE battery. Obviously Apple is going in right direction, complying with customers' wishes. Two of those are being taken care of on the go - state of the art processors and prolonged battery life, and the third is yet to be addressed - wireless charging !
I've got mixed feelings about wireless charging. So far, as I can determine, you still need a device specific charging pad which is plugged into the mains with a wire. There seem to be a few generic chargers beginning to appear which is good provided that any compatibility issues are addressed. Sure, you could put all the family phones on a mat to charge overnight but I like MY phone by MY bedside. The only advantage I can see so far is that you place your device directly on a pad rather than fumbling for a cable port. Also, and I stand to be corrected about this, don't wireless chargers actually draw more power since charging is by an induction field instead of direct connection? I recall that there was a lot of discussion last summer about research into using wifi signals to charge batteries from as far away as 15 feet! If you could come up with a device that has no external ports (syncing and audio all being wireless) which picked up charge from residual electromagnetic energy around the house or office then that really would be something. On a sidenote, my original iPhone was a 3GS which my wife now has (who was never the most techy person and doesn't see why she should upgrade, she even has a PAYG tariff!); I finally had to replace the battery last week after almost seven years of continuous regular use.
Having mixed feelings or not, wireless charging is soon to become a competitive edge for producers in multiple industries and on multiple levels. Being a leader in its field, by no means is Apple gonna leave it out.
AI nailed it. Since I retired - before the introduction of the iPhone - I didn't need more than a cellphone. I carried a digital camera for occasional photos. The last feature phone died and I bought the cheapest Android model I could find. What a mediocre OS.
With the SE, I can link in and easily use everything in our wifi network + ApplePay + a camera better than the model I carried in another pocket. Now, if my usual Apple vendor will acknowledge my order [swamped, I guess] I'll be better off courtesy of Apple, once again.
Keep in mind this camera and other internals in the SE are only up to date for a few months. iPhone 7 and 7S will have upgraded specs and in a little over a year this phone will feel like the 5S.
Well, it's a good thing they priced it $50 less than they were previously selling the 5s for then.
And then in a little over a year, they will likely offer a 4" 7 with the latest specs for a premium price of $599, meanwhile the SE will probably drop to $299, with a full year of functional life left to go -- the SE might even see a $199 price point before it drops from the lineup.
"Putting its latest processor, camera and Apple Pay into the iPhone SE
accomplishes a few key goals. Perhaps most importantly, it takes the
worry out of buying a "low-end" model. Consumers who purchase the iPhone
SE can know with confidence that it will continue to be supported and
operate properly for years to come --?at least as long as the flagship
iPhone 6s sticks around, which carries the same internal specs."
Or until the battery gives out... Being a non user replaceable battery it will have a finite lifetime. Nice bit of planned obsolescence on Apple's part which is why I will never buy any iPhone, or Macbook from them. Apple started the trend of the non user replaceable battery while still trying to tell people they were trying to be a "green" company. Meanwhile they are contributing to huge amounts of e-waste with this policy.
unfortuantely your argument is a mess. despite not being "user" serviceable, the iPhone is certainly serviceable. battery replacement is a very standard procedure, thus your claims of planned obsolescence are merely FUD rubbish, like so many others now on AI. (don't get me started on the armchair CEOs)
do you likewise complain about modern cars? televisions?
anyway, I still have an original iPhone 4 in periodic use with its original battery, so more rubbish on your part. and many technically inclined users are comfortable doing battery swaps themselves (very easy on a 4 at least).
Lack of Touch 3D is the only negative making my wife and me (I) lean towards the 6s even though we were wanting the smaller format. I can see 3D Touch being implemented more and more and being very useful. Damn shame it isn't included.
I have a 6s and almost never use 3D Touch. I think it's an over hyped feature that is a waste of tech and money for the return you get in functionality.
You and you're needs, are the world; should write a song about that...
Others will disagree, but hey you have spoken so it must be true.
How is a phone based upon a 6 year-old design "built for the future?" Apple is creatively bankrupt and Apple Insider shows that Apple media outlets are far from impartial. This is basically a recycled iPhone 4 design which does not match any of Apple's currently shipping products. It feels like a desperate move to ship more products without actually developing any new products. Apple is needlessly fracturing its product lines. The simplicity is gone. This is what got Apple in trouble many years ago and before Jobs came back to simplify everything. Apple's current lineup contains needless complexity.
another one! please find your FUD packets under your seat.
then, please explain how the camera and A9 system chip that both match the current 6s could possibly be compared to something 6 years old and how it isn't built for the future (meaning will support many years of updates and use).
Exactly right. This photo will be a workhorse. Anyone with a three year old 5s knows how well it still performs and how well the timeless design has held up. There is no other phone around you can say that about. And unlike Android, Apple has fully supported their customers with it instead of abandoning them and moving on to the next model and next customer. The last east software iOS 9.3 run fantastic on my 5s with even better battery life than when I first bought it. You cannot say that about any Android device. The quality and longevity is there for all to see.
"We will put the Nexus 5 through some battery benchmarks to update our review in the light of its upgrade to Marshmallow, but it's already clear that Doze improves its standby time" --
And before we begin a strawman argument about how nobody buys Nexus and android fragmentation, your comment was "you cannot say that about any android device". That's the end of it.
Compact phones are great, and internal components matter, but not in a device with 4" display. As a matter of fact iPhone SE has absolutely worse screen to body ratio in the industry - a little over 60%
30 million 4" iPhone buyers last year alone proved you wrong on an epic scale. I'm seriously considering going back to a smaller phone from my iP6+. The smaller screen just seems to work better for me and my lifestyle.
I'm leaving my Note 4 for the SE and hope i get it Tues/Wed...
Makes things hell for developers though, because they have to make apps work on very big and very small screens which is a major hassle for a lot of apps.
I just preordered my 64 GB SE, first Apple iPhone for me. I've owned all Android previously, current phone is a Nexus 6 running N developer preview. I'm seriously looking to simplify my life LOL! Edit: while looking through the accessories list on Apple's website, is there a wall charger that is advantageous for slightly faster charging? I will probably just use the factory provided wall charger with a longer cord for now. Also has anyone had experience with the Lightning port docks? Apple's pictures make me think it would be fragile where it plugs into the dock (in the Lightning plug area of the dock)
"Putting its latest processor, camera and Apple Pay into the iPhone SE
accomplishes a few key goals. Perhaps most importantly, it takes the
worry out of buying a "low-end" model. Consumers who purchase the iPhone
SE can know with confidence that it will continue to be supported and
operate properly for years to come --?at least as long as the flagship
iPhone 6s sticks around, which carries the same internal specs."
Or until the battery gives out... Being a non user replaceable battery it will have a finite lifetime. Nice bit of planned obsolescence on Apple's part which is why I will never buy any iPhone, or Macbook from them. Apple started the trend of the non user replaceable battery while still trying to tell people they were trying to be a "green" company. Meanwhile they are contributing to huge amounts of e-waste with this policy.
unfortuantely your argument is a mess. despite not being "user" serviceable, the iPhone is certainly serviceable. battery replacement is a very standard procedure, thus your claims of planned obsolescence are merely FUD rubbish, like so many others now on AI. (don't get me started on the armchair CEOs)
do you likewise complain about modern cars? televisions?
anyway, I still have an original iPhone 4 in periodic use with its original battery, so more rubbish on your part. and many technically inclined users are comfortable doing battery swaps themselves (very easy on a 4 at least).
I actually use the original iPhone on a few occasions, with the original battery. The only thing that doesn't work is the power button on top. So switching it on means I need to connect it to a power source. Otherwise, it still works.
I am looking forward to getting the SE. As a phone, this is the prefect size to fit in your hand and pocket. Compared with the price of the 6+, it is possible to get an SE and an iPad for the times you need a bigger screen, or alternatively an Apple Watch. As for the design, this is a design classic, you don't hear of people not buying a new Porche because it is an old design. As for the screen to body ratio, of course this is going to be less than larger screen phones, you don't need larger bezels on a larger phone therefore you gain in screen to body ratio.
Thanks for clarity. Especially useful compared to all the sites run by editors [and policy] rather than geeks.
Ordered SE 16gb space grey this morning - showing earliest Apr 13 delivery.
Comments
With the SE, I can link in and easily use everything in our wifi network + ApplePay + a camera better than the model I carried in another pocket. Now, if my usual Apple vendor will acknowledge my order [swamped, I guess] I'll be better off courtesy of Apple, once again.
And then in a little over a year, they will likely offer a 4" 7 with the latest specs for a premium price of $599, meanwhile the SE will probably drop to $299, with a full year of functional life left to go -- the SE might even see a $199 price point before it drops from the lineup.
do you likewise complain about modern cars? televisions?
anyway, I still have an original iPhone 4 in periodic use with its original battery, so more rubbish on your part. and many technically inclined users are comfortable doing battery swaps themselves (very easy on a 4 at least).
Others will disagree, but hey you have spoken so it must be true.
then, please explain how the camera and A9 system chip that both match the current 6s could possibly be compared to something 6 years old and how it isn't built for the future (meaning will support many years of updates and use).
Nexus 5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexus_5
https://store.google.com/product/nexus_5
https://www.androidpit.com/how-marshmallow-affects-the-nexus-5-battery-life
"We will put the Nexus 5 through some battery benchmarks to update our review in the light of its upgrade to Marshmallow, but it's already clear that Doze improves its standby time"
--
And before we begin a strawman argument about how nobody buys Nexus and android fragmentation, your comment was "you cannot say that about any android device". That's the end of it.
I actually use the original iPhone on a few occasions, with the original battery. The only thing that doesn't work is the power button on top. So switching it on means I need to connect it to a power source. Otherwise, it still works.