Review: Apple's 4" iPhone SE is better than we deserve

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Comments

  • Reply 61 of 98
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member
    larrya said:
    I object to the title. "Better than we deserve"? Seriously?  Try laying off the Koolaide once in a while! 
    Are you really that literal?

    Man, life must be difficult.
  • Reply 62 of 98
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    Mid-season cash grab? Wtf. This phone is better than the more expensive 5S it replaced. It's the cheapest entry point for an iPhone ever with many of the same specs as the flagship device. How the hell is that a cash grab? Because it doesn't have a new industrial design? That's BS.
    Of course a 2016 release would be better and pricier than a 3-yr old device, brainiac. And for $399 we sure DESERVE a kickass phone. But cramming pieces of last year's tech into a 2013 shell has complacency written all over it -all the more for a company synonymous with "thinking different" in terms of industrial design.

    Steve Jobs had said "Apple is focused on the future, not the past." Obviously that's not the case anymore. 
    Yeah. Like copy-catting the earlier-than-Apple "phablet" makers and the "brilliant" (/s) slippery soap bar design was really getting out there on the edge, and "thinking different".
    pscooter63
  • Reply 63 of 98
    6Sgoldfish6Sgoldfish Posts: 108member
    mac_128 said:
    Of course a 2016 release would be better and pricier than a 3-yr old device, brainiac. And for $399 we sure DESERVE a kickass phone. But cramming pieces of last year's tech into a 2013 shell has complacency written all over it -all the more for a company synonymous with "thinking different" in terms of industrial design.

    Steve Jobs had said "Apple is focused on the future, not the past." Obviously that's not the case anymore. 
    Of course not. It has strategic planning written all over it. Apple has the premium market, they have most of the middle class market, what they don't have is the low end, and as Apple pushes the boundary of how they are expanding iPhone sales, the low end is the last frontier for Apple. Repackaging an established device with the latest upgrades allows them to do that without sacrificing quality, something Jobs always said he wouldn't compromise on. You seem to be expecting a groundbreaking new device from Apple, when what they've done is release a spec bump in an existing model, mid-cycle no less ... A practice Steve jobs presided over with the Mac line for over a decade. A practice that has made Apple an industry leader.
    You say strategic planning, I say grasping at straws to placate Wall Street projections. Indeed I am expecting a groundbreaking new device. Such as a Mac-related breakthrough announcement during WWDC, the entire product line of which is long in the tooth, and a jaw-dropping iPhone 7 in September. With iPhone SE I had tempered expectations, and reserved hope for at least a clever feat of design ingenuity. A "one more thing", if you'd rather. It didn't happen. If you don't want to take my own word for it, you can take Walt Mossberg's, who also called it derivative and misses even the slightest semblance of "wow factor". 

    Again I beg to differ. Logistics/ supply chain practices have indeed put billions in Apple's coffers, but it was the unrelenting envelope pushing that turned Apple into an industry leader.
    edited April 2016 hjmnl
  • Reply 64 of 98
    6Sgoldfish6Sgoldfish Posts: 108member
    bobschlob said:
    Of course a 2016 release would be better and pricier than a 3-yr old device, brainiac. And for $399 we sure DESERVE a kickass phone. But cramming pieces of last year's tech into a 2013 shell has complacency written all over it -all the more for a company synonymous with "thinking different" in terms of industrial design.

    Steve Jobs had said "Apple is focused on the future, not the past." Obviously that's not the case anymore. 
    Yeah. Like copy-catting the earlier-than-Apple "phablet" makers and the "brilliant" (/s) slippery soap bar design was really getting out there on the edge, and "thinking different".
    Well, that's a different subject altogether. Unfortunately, for all their billions, there isn't a post-Jobs design that wows. As an Apple enthusiast, I find it worrisome. 
    tallest skilasdasdhjmnl
  • Reply 65 of 98
    512ke512ke Posts: 782member
    I am going to buy this phone for my honey but I have one big problem. With that camera and high res video, the entry level memory is not going to make for a happy experience. If you take a couple of decent sized videos, that memory will be done. But, the phone is VERY hard to find (so far) in anything more than 16GB capacity. I wish Apple had ditched 16 in favor of 32. THEN this would be a truly kick ass 4" smartphone.
    AirunJae
  • Reply 66 of 98
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    mac_128 said:
    Of course not. It has strategic planning written all over it. Apple has the premium market, they have most of the middle class market, what they don't have is the low end, and as Apple pushes the boundary of how they are expanding iPhone sales, the low end is the last frontier for Apple. Repackaging an established device with the latest upgrades allows them to do that without sacrificing quality, something Jobs always said he wouldn't compromise on. You seem to be expecting a groundbreaking new device from Apple, when what they've done is release a spec bump in an existing model, mid-cycle no less ... A practice Steve jobs presided over with the Mac line for over a decade. A practice that has made Apple an industry leader.
    You say strategic planning, I say grasping at straws to placate Wall Street projections. Indeed I am expecting a groundbreaking new device. Such as a Mac-related breakthrough announcement during WWDC, the entire product line of which is long in the tooth, and a jaw-dropping iPhone 7 in September. With iPhone SE I had tempered expectations, and reserved hope for at least a clever feat of design ingenuity. A "one more thing", if you'd rather. It didn't happen. If you don't want to take my own word for it, you can take Walt Mossberg's, who also called it derivative and misses even the slightest semblance of "wow factor". 

    Again I beg to differ. Logistics/ supply chain practices have indeed put billions in Apple's coffers, but it was the unrelenting envelope pushing that turned Apple into an industry leader.
    How were the 3G and 3GS envelope pushing phones? Or the rainbow colored iMacs and iPods? Nobody was expecting Apple to announce a phone with mostly flagship specs for $399. Heck most people assumed it would be $549 or $499 at the lowest. This is a big deal because it now means the entry point for an iPhone starts at $399. And right now Walmart is offering $100 off new phones which means someone can get flagship iPhone specs for $299. That's huge. 
    asdasdargonaut
  • Reply 67 of 98
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    ireland said:
    The space-grey with matte edges is a lot nicer looking than I imagined it would be. Hopefully I don't regret getting rose-gold. Been using iPhones with white front for several years now. Perhaps I needed a change?
    I am really missing the brilliance of the polished champfered edge. It gave the phone a jewel like vibe.

    >:x
    edited April 2016 6Sgoldfishargonaut
  • Reply 68 of 98
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    I am a bit disappointed by how lazy the Design team has been. They could have replaced the solid white/black chin and head for the antennas with a distinct white/black line, much akin to the 9.7 inch iPad Pro.

    >:x
    6Sgoldfishargonaut
  • Reply 69 of 98
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    mr o said:
    I am a bit disappointed by how lazy the Design team has been. They could have replaced the solid white/black chin and head for the antennas with a distinct white/black line, much akin to the 9.7 inch iPad Pro.

    >:x
    Money, money, money, money, money
    6Sgoldfishpscooter63
  • Reply 70 of 98
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    If people haven't read it yet (and if it's alright for me to post it here), Gruber has a great writeup of the SE as well. http://daringfireball.net/2016/03/the_iphone_se

    (Again; great job here, Neil)
    pscooter63chuck1252
  • Reply 71 of 98
    tommy0gunstommy0guns Posts: 119member
    iPhone 5S and SE are pretty much the same phone. The SE feels a smidge zippier. But you could just wipe your old 5S and get pretty similar results. Everything else about it is identical in the real world. The battery drains the same, the pics are the same, calls and texts are the same, Siri and maps work the same, except the "Hey Siri". Apple Pay, I'll use a couple times a year. 

    Basically we got an iPhone 5SS. It's the same "S" upgrade we've come to know. The one where they up the engine and also give you that 1 feature. I'm happy with my purchase. It turbo charges a phone that was already pretty sweet.
    edited April 2016
  • Reply 72 of 98
    why-why- Posts: 305member
    I'd love to see one in black and gold
  • Reply 73 of 98
    cintoscintos Posts: 113member
    rhonin said:
    Not a bad update however to classify it as a 4.5 / 5 when it is only marginally better than a 5S is a bit of a misnomer. Is it worth an upgrade from a 5S on a 2 year or payment plan? Don't think so. I can see this as more of an entry level device. Still, they could have done better.
    Marginally better? Suggest you look at the specs - unless you are only focused on the superficial 4" form factor rather than all the great electronics inside. True, for some folks its all about the cover, not the book.
    pscooter63
  • Reply 74 of 98
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    why- said:
    I'd love to see one in black and gold
    Me too, and I've mentioned that before also.

    I happen to like black bezels, and for people who like black bezels, they have no choice at all! 

    There's only one model to choose, while white bezel phones come in three different models.


    6Sgoldfish
  • Reply 75 of 98
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Maybe most readers here don't have kids... But would have been nicer if the reviewer had asked some kids to try it out and included their opinions. Am thinking of buying two of these for my younger kids. 
    Make sure you get the 64gb versions if they are approaching or already are in their teens!
    ps4dailyloveAirunJae
  • Reply 76 of 98
    geojohngeojohn Posts: 11member
    A ridiculous fawning headline. 
    The SE is a desperation move by Apple to plug a gap in the iPhone range and boost flagging sales and share price.
    Stuff existing parts from the 6 into the existing 5 case and Hey Presto! A "new" product!!
    No further design flair or imagination required for what should have been done when the 6 was released. 
    Reviewers and devotees tremble with excitement. The Apple logo matches the phone color! The antenna is matte!! Oh my God!!!
    And no Apple product is a bargain, at 40% or so profit.
    6Sgoldfishhjmnl
  • Reply 77 of 98
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    geojohn said:
    A ridiculous fawning headline. 
    The SE is a desperation move by Apple to plug a gap in the iPhone range and boost flagging sales and share price.
    Stuff existing parts from the 6 into the existing 5 case and Hey Presto! A "new" product!!
    No further design flair or imagination required for what should have been done when the 6 was released. 
    Reviewers and devotees tremble with excitement. The Apple logo matches the phone color! The antenna is matte!! Oh my God!!!
    And no Apple product is a bargain, at 40% or so profit.
    Get your facts straight. The parts are from the 6S, Apple's current flagship phone.
  • Reply 78 of 98
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member

    mac_128 said:
    Of course not. It has strategic planning written all over it. Apple has the premium market, they have most of the middle class market, what they don't have is the low end, and as Apple pushes the boundary of how they are expanding iPhone sales, the low end is the last frontier for Apple. Repackaging an established device with the latest upgrades allows them to do that without sacrificing quality, something Jobs always said he wouldn't compromise on. You seem to be expecting a groundbreaking new device from Apple, when what they've done is release a spec bump in an existing model, mid-cycle no less ... A practice Steve jobs presided over with the Mac line for over a decade. A practice that has made Apple an industry leader.
    You say strategic planning, I say grasping at straws to placate Wall Street projections. Indeed I am expecting a groundbreaking new device. Such as a Mac-related breakthrough announcement during WWDC, the entire product line of which is long in the tooth, and a jaw-dropping iPhone 7 in September. With iPhone SE I had tempered expectations, and reserved hope for at least a clever feat of design ingenuity. A "one more thing", if you'd rather. It didn't happen. If you don't want to take my own word for it, you can take Walt Mossberg's, who also called it derivative and misses even the slightest semblance of "wow factor". 

    Again I beg to differ. Logistics/ supply chain practices have indeed put billions in Apple's coffers, but it was the unrelenting envelope pushing that turned Apple into an industry leader.
    Well, that's your opinion. Not a fact, and Walt Mossberg's expectations don't make it any more so than yours. I will agree that Apple probably should not have held an "event" to introduce these things. They even seemed to realize it by holding it in their little theater on their campus. The SE is a spec-bumped product, that just should have been released quietly, along with the watch bands. Likewise for the 9.7" iPad Pro. A press release would have been fine. There should have been "one more thing", but it didn't need to be some kind of flagship 4" phone that surpasses the 6s in specs and features. They can save that for when it makes more financial sense, after the next generation phones debut and have a long two year lifespan ahead of them.

    So it's unfortunate your expectations were not met, but considering the rumors well in advance of the event, there were no surprises that it didn't amount to more. In the end, your failure to be excited is not Apple's fault.
  • Reply 79 of 98
    "However, those who have made the jump to Apple's larger 4.7- and 5.5-inch phones aren't likely to be looking back"
    I'm sure there are a few who DID make the jump and are considering going back, like myself. I still have my (water damaged) iphone 5 in a drawer and comparing to my 6S it still feels a better size to me personally. If only this was released 6 months ago.
  • Reply 80 of 98
    kiowavtkiowavt Posts: 95member
    3D touch is, to me at least, so much nothing. As annoying as it is handy. If this had been available when the iPhone 6s Plus came out, and I needed a new phone to enable a switch to T-Mobile I would have chosen it. Still had my 5s cases then, too. :-)
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