A design that is five generations old (the iPhone 6 design legacy carried forward), huge borders around the screen that even a ₹4,000 Android phone can’t get away with today, a very small 4.7-inch screen that goes totally against the new trend of large to largest screens, no face ID which is now a staple from Apple on all new iPhones, and a single camera (yes, one lens only) at the back which makes it literally many years behind in optical prowess – and all of this at a pretty hefty starting price of ₹42,500. At first glance and first impression you would dismiss the new iPhone SE as a disaster. You would be very wrong!
The new iPhone SE 2020 is actually a small little masterstroke from Apple because it addresses so many different issues and tactically will go on to become a very successful phone. Why? Well, it all boils down to these six factors.
Price matters
You would think that a starting price of ₹42,500 is massive. For that kind of money you could buy a state of the art flagship Android phone. You would be right, but you would also be absolutely missing the point. If you are in the Android domain then this isn’t the phone for you. But if you’re an Apple fan, if you love iOS, if you love that Apple logo at the back of your phone, if you’re entrenched within the Apple eco system, if you own other Apple products, if you like things simple and easy and if you’re a little constrained on the money front – the SE is an easy buy. It’s almost one-fourth the price of a fully-specced iPhone 11 Pro. And it has quite a few things similar to the 11 series (which is my next point).
The insides really matter
{{/usCountry}}The insides really matter
{{/usCountry}}Yes, Apple went with a design choice that almost everyone would scratch their heads about, but what they didn’t compromise on is the insides. The A13 bionic chip inside the SE is exactly the same as the one in the super expensive iPhone 11 series. No difference. So in terms of performance and smooth running, you’re buying the same phone. They also have a third-generation neural engine inside the SE. They gave it wireless charging, which is great for a starter iOS phone. They added a fingerprint sensor and gave it touch ID which makes so much more sense than a face ID in a world where we all wear masks now. The SE is a small little pocket-rocket in terms of performance.
Size matters (it always has)
From larger screens to better refresh rates, every company tries to outdo the other. But there is an audience for smaller phones and screens, lighter phones with size specs that aren’t overwhelming. Yes, people have smaller hands, people like things that fit in the front of their jeans pocket, a phone that fits better in a small handbag and a phone that doesn’t feel fragile and delicate with no sides and no bezels. Apple with the new SE scores big in this department: 4.7 inches screen size, 7.3 mm thin and 148 grams.
Camera matters too
Contrary to all beliefs, the SE can take great pictures with its one camera. Yes, it has no telephoto lens or any other wizbang add-on lens. But to most people that won’t matter. It is estimated that 90 per cent of all pictures taken are with the main single lens even with phones that have three to four lenses. For a price that is a small fraction of the iPhone 11, you’re getting almost exactly the same thing with the main lens because the processing inside is with the A13 bionic chip and the neural processing engine. Thus, the photo results owners will get will be more than satisfactory.
It beats the iPhone XR hands down
The XR is a great phone and its sales show that. But the SE actually beats it hands down. It’s about ₹10,000 cheaper for the same 64 GB version, the XR has a bigger screen but both phones have the same 326 ppi of pixel density, the iPhone SE has the A13 bionic chip with a third-generation neural engine while the iPhone XR has an A12 bionic chip with a second-generation neural engine.
Markets matter
Only Apple would have the guts to put out a phone that looks five years old and fill it with innards that beat the best of the best. Will the new SE Apple address the markets it truly wants to dominate: India and China. This is a phone built from the ground up for these two markets. Pity they didn’t call it the new iPhone IC – because these are the two countries this phone has literally been made for.
Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV, and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3
Techilicious appears every fortnight
From HT Brunch, April 26, 2020
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