Here’s the new iPhone SE
The new iPhone SE replaces the iPhone 8 with much better performance and at a lower launch price - released on April 24
Apple has finally launched its new and much anticipated iPhone SE, not to be confused with the 2016 model of the same name, instead it’s the successor to the iPhone 8.
The new iPhone SE design is similar to the iPhone 8, with its aluminium frame and back cover in glass. The front has a 4.7inch IPS LCD Retina display with True Tone colour, with the same resolution as the iPhone 8.
At the bottom there’s a home button with Touch ID and at the top a 7-megapixel front camera. The back has a single 12-megapixel camera and flash. It’s worth noting that the iPhone SE lacks the TrueDepth camera needed for Face ID.
The same processor as the iPhone 11
If Apple has been modest with the exterior design, the same can't be said about the interior. Under the screen is the same fast Apple A13 Bionic processor that is found in the iPhone 11. It comes with 64GB, 128GB and 256GB storage capacity.
Just like previous phones from Apple, the iPhone SE uses a Lightning port for charging and connecting to a computer. With an 18-watt fast charger, the phone's battery is charged to 50 per cent in just 30 minutes. You can also use Qi-compliant wireless chargers.
The IP67 rating means that the iPhone SE has some protection against dust and moisture. According to Apple, the phone can be immersed to a maximum of one metre depth for up to 30 minutes.
Battery life lasts, according to Apple, for a maximum of 13 hours of video viewing or 40 hours of music listening.
Set price alerts on the new iPhone SE here
The iPhone SE can use the same case as the iPhone 7 and 8
The new iPhone SE has the same dimensions as the iPhone 7 and 8. This means that the new iPhone can use both the covers and the screen protectors for the older models. If you already have an iPhone 7 or 8, and want to use your favourite cover for your new phone, then the iPhone SE is great. Also, bear in mind that covers and screen protectors for older phones can often be bought much cheaper than for brand new phones, so there may be some money to be saved here.
The iPhone SE lacks the Apple U1 circuit found in the iPhone 11
The new iPhone SE doesn’t come with custom U1 locator chip introduced with the iPhone 11. The U1 chip effectively acts as a localised GPS and can be used to identify other U1-compatible gadgets and find them with high precision. One featured product that is expected to utilise the U1 circuit is AirTags, a Bluetooth tracker that is rumoured to be released in 2020.
The iPhone SE supports Express Card, NFC & WiFi 6
Apple has been generous with the iPhone SE’s connectivity. The new model supports WiFi 6 for fast wireless networks, has NFC for Apple Pay and Bluetooth 5.0. There is also support for Express Card, a technology for contactless payments. With Express Card you can make payments without opening an app or even activating the screen first. You can even make payments up to five hours after the battery in your phone has run out.
The iPhone SE has new and improved Smart HDR
With the latest Apple A13 Bionic circuit, the iPhone SE gets several new camera features that the iPhone 8 does not have, including the new and improved Smart HDR introduced with the iPhone 11 series. With Smart HDR, the camera can identify different objects and with smart algorithms figure out how to best expose them. Thanks to the A13 Bionic, the iPhone SE also has a portrait mode, which the iPhone 8 Plus also has thanks to its extra telephoto lens.
- Support for WiFi 6 and 4G - but not 5G
- Double SIM card with e-SIM support
- Wireless charging with Qi charger
- Home button with Touch ID
- 64GB, 128GB and 256GB of storage
- Available in black, white and Product (RED)
- Released with iOS 13
- The iPhone SE costs from NZ$799
Apple stops selling the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
Apple has announced that they will stop selling the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Since the new iPhone SE is largely an improved iPhone 8, it may not come as a surprise.
Noteworthy is that there is no iPhone SE Plus at the time of writing. This means that Apple does not have a replacement for the slightly larger, 5.5-inch screen iPhone 8 Plus.
This also means that there is no longer a 5.5-inch iPhone with Touch ID on the market. Today, there is no indication that Apple has any plans for a larger iPhone SE that can replace the iPhone 8 Plus with Touch ID.