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iPhone SE (2016) iPhone SE 2 concept

Thoughts?

  • Total voters
    46
I

isaac_appleweed

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 16, 2018
37
173
United States
I've created a new iPhone SE 2 concept. To keep costs low, its outer appearance is almost exactly the same as the iPhone SE. No notches, no reduced-bezel display, no Face ID and no in-display Touch ID to burn holes in your pocket.

The internals are largely overhauled, and that's what matters.
Screenshot 2018-12-19 at 7.58.59 PM.png

New internals
  • A11 Bionic Chip with M11 co-processor from the iPhone 8 and X lineup
  • Rear 12-megapixel camera from iPhone 8 with quad-led flash
  • Storage options: 64 GB, 128 GB
  • Slightly larger 1,642mAh battery
  • Improved mono speaker
  • Touch ID Generation 2
  • Taptic Engine for Haptic Touch from iPhone XR
Other new things
  • New camera housing design with 'metallic border' look but no protrusion
  • No antenna lines around edges of the phone (likely impossible; just a concept)
  • 'iPhone' label font on back housing updated to Apple's new font ('SE' badge retained for old times' sake)
  • IMEI number and other unnecessary text removed for cleaner look
  • New 'Gold' colour finish (2018 9.7-inch iPad gold)
  • New exclusive jellyfish wallpaper (that you can download from the web)
  • Runs any major iOS firmware that iPhone 8 supports
Unchanged stuff
  • Identical 4.0" LCD screen (cutting costs for the extra storage and better processors)
  • Same thickness as iPhone SE at 7.6mm (or you get a camera bump and bendgate)
  • Same buttons
  • Headphone jack
  • 2GB RAM
  • Classic colour options: Space Grey, Silver
  • Lightning port
Price
  • USD $349 (64 GB), USD $399 (128 GB)
Availability
  • Probably never
Marketing slogan ideas
  • "Don't buy that stupid Palm phone when this one costs exactly the same."
  • "The phone for your kid that doesn't deserve the iPhone Xs."
  • "The most powerful 4-inch smartphone, because it's the only one on the market anyways."
  • "You can finally socialise again."
[doublepost=1545226808][/doublepost]Upgrades and the costs/trade-offs:
  • Glass back for "wireless" charging ("wireless" charging pad not included in box btw): Extra USD $50
  • IP 67 Water resistance: Removal of headphone jack
  • USB-C: Wait until iPhone XI comes out first
  • Bigger screen: Go get the iPhone 8
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: subjonas and animatedude
My work phone is a SE, hate the thing it’s like a toy, screen is way too small.
 
cableguy84 said:
I think they need to make the screen at least 4.7 inch if they are going to make a small budget phone
Click to expand...
Apple can do that by stretching the screen to the edges and reducing the bezels. But, the fingerprint sensor will either have to be within the display, or mounted on the back. Or, Apple will need to switch it up to Face ID.

In-display sensor/ Face ID = very expensive
Pixel 3-type back-mounted sensor = ugly (John Ive probably wouldn't approve)

Best possible case: Touch ID embedded within Apple logo on the back. Reduced-bezel screen for a higher screen-to-body ratio.

Problem: No longer a USD $349-399 budget phone. iPhone 7 will possibly be a cheaper option at this point, taking into account all the R&D needed for Apple to develop this new type of design.
 
I'd probably just buy one to put in my collection. Gotta have one MINT variation of each iPhone ever made, so, yeah, I chose "buy as a second phone".
 
The iPhone 7 is the entry level iPhone right now, IMO. I still don’t see them making a second generation iPhone SE. If they do, likely a different name.
 
Freakonomics101 said:
The iPhone 7 is the entry level iPhone right now, IMO. I still don’t see them making a second generation iPhone SE. If they do, likely a different name.
Click to expand...
I believe Apple will discontinue both the 7 and the 8 next year, to be honest. I think they’ll recognize how much this year backfired, and if they’re truly smart they’ll replace them with an SE2.
 
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isaac_appleweed said:
Best possible case: Touch ID embedded within Apple logo on the back.
Click to expand...

There is zero reason Apple would put a touch ID sensor on the back of this concept SE, when Face ID is there only form of biometric security that they will be using in the future. For the record, Apple even stated they tested touch ID on the back of the iPhone when they were in the process of developing face ID, and they ruled against that idea, as they deemed Face ID was the better measure.
 
Any new phone has to have at least the communications standards of the Xr. Fully compatible with the current US networks.

Though, to be honest, the 7+ is usable as a second phone that I don't carry on me. It was too large for me to really be happy with as my everyday phone in my pocket, or on my belt in clips that broke a few times getting in/out of cars.

For my use case, the more likely scenario is for me to buy a new model no larger than the Xr in 1 or 2 years with the eSim, so my backup line uses NO additional pocket space, and I have it on me. I've spent too much money on Apple this year (Mini, iPad Pro) to buy a phone. So I've made peace with staying with my X. Better size than the + models. On T-Mobile, it would be a different story.
 
Relentless Power said:
There is zero reason Apple would put a touch ID sensor on the back of this concept SE, when Face ID is there only form of biometric security that they will be using in the future. For the record, Apple even stated they tested touch ID on the back of the iPhone when they were in the process of developing face ID, and they ruled against that idea, as they deemed Face ID was the better measure.
Click to expand...
This concept iPhone SE is intended to be a truly budget phone. The Face ID module is expensive, and would take up a lot of space on the front of the phone. The redesigned bezels would also cause the price to increase. Another reader wanted the SE's screen to be larger, but to do so the home button needs to be gone. Keeping close to the USD $349-399 price, the Touch ID sensor needs to either stay embedded in a home button, or be moved to the back for a larger screen (and price increase).

If Face ID is put in the SE, with a notched 4.5-inch screen and a slightly larger chassis, the price will go up exponentially. The 2018 9.7-inch iPad, MacBook Air/Pro and iPhone 8 lineup still use Touch ID systems. Since the SE isn't a flagship, I don't see why Apple will scramble to implement Face ID in it.
[doublepost=1545278718][/doublepost]
Freakonomics101 said:
The iPhone 7 is the entry level iPhone right now, IMO. I still don’t see them making a second generation iPhone SE. If they do, likely a different name.
Click to expand...
Well, not many people expected the iPhone SE to happen in the first place. But you're probably right, that's why I've reflected it in my concept thread:
isaac_appleweed said:
Availability
  • Probably never
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
isaac_appleweed said:
I've created a new iPhone SE 2 concept. To keep costs low, its outer appearance is almost exactly the same as the iPhone SE. No notches, no reduced-bezel display, no Face ID and no in-display Touch ID to burn holes in your pocket.

The internals are largely overhauled, and that's what matters.
View attachment 811577
New internals
  • A11 Bionic Chip with M11 co-processor from the iPhone 8 and X lineup
  • Rear 12-megapixel camera from iPhone 8 with quad-led flash
  • Storage options: 64 GB, 128 GB
  • Slightly larger 1,642mAh battery
  • Improved mono speaker
  • Touch ID Generation 2
  • Taptic Engine for Haptic Touch from iPhone XR
Other new things
  • New camera housing design with 'metallic border' look but no protrusion
  • No antenna lines around edges of the phone (likely impossible; just a concept)
  • 'iPhone' label font on back housing updated to Apple's new font ('SE' badge retained for old times' sake)
  • IMEI number and other unnecessary text removed for cleaner look
  • New 'Gold' colour finish (2018 9.7-inch iPad gold)
  • New exclusive jellyfish wallpaper (that you can download from the web)
  • Runs any major iOS firmware that iPhone 8 supports
Unchanged stuff
  • Identical 4.0" LCD screen (cutting costs for the extra storage and better processors)
  • Same thickness as iPhone SE at 7.6mm (or you get a camera bump and bendgate)
  • Same buttons
  • Headphone jack
  • 2GB RAM
  • Classic colour options: Space Grey, Silver
  • Lightning port
Price
  • USD $349 (64 GB), USD $399 (128 GB)
Availability
  • Probably never
Marketing slogan ideas
  • "Don't buy that stupid Palm phone when this one costs exactly the same."
  • "The phone for your kid that doesn't deserve the iPhone Xs."
  • "The most powerful 4-inch smartphone, because it's the only one on the market anyways."
  • "You can finally socialise again."
[doublepost=1545226808][/doublepost]Upgrades and the costs/trade-offs:
  • Glass back for "wireless" charging ("wireless" charging pad not included in box btw): Extra USD $50
  • IP 67 Water resistance: Removal of headphone jack
  • USB-C: Wait until iPhone XI comes out first
  • Bigger screen: Go get the iPhone 8
Click to expand...

Shut up and take my money.


Oh, I forgot, You are not bozo enough to work for current Apple...

So they will keep tryin to sell those bricks to me... they won’t succeed. Losers!
 
Ooooh, spicy! I had the SE and loved it! I think the display could go up just like half an inch in size and I would buy in a heartbeat.
 
I think one of the reason why Apple is steering away from iPhone SE is because they want to transform into Services, making you consume more information on your phone, such as Music, Video, Magazine etc. And this will require a bigger screen.

I think Apple could release an iPhone XR devices that is 4.9 / 5". The actual Phone size will be even smaller than the iPhone 8 4.7", but marginally bigger than the iPhone SE. So it wouldn't be a budget phone any more, likely cost $649.

It will require FaceID 2.0, i.e smaller notch for the design to work in such a small phone. Which is why probably in 2019 and didn't happen this year.
 
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Right now, I have a physical SIM with a secondary cellular plan that's loaded in an LG V30 as an Android play phone just so I know what's going on with Android and how to operate it.

If there is an SE successor, I'd be delighted to buy one and use it as my secondary device instead of the V30. For most everyday use, I'd rather have the XS Max on me, but there are definitely times I would not mind having a much smaller device to run around, and sometimes I miss the SE that I used to have.

The XR, while priced well, is not a good successor to the SE so much as it is just a cheaper iPhone.

There's so much to think about if Apple wants an SE successor, though.

Do the majority of people talking about an SE successor really and truly want an iPhone as small as the SE was?

Will you be able to fit USB-C into it? Will it be LCD or OLED? If you're talking about using older technology to keep it cheap, remember you'll lose a significant minority of the potential purchasers if you cannot have Band 71 on its modem.

I dunno. I like the idea, but it seems to me Apple would have a lot to think about during this transition to Apple modems, together with thinking about how to handle the high band 5G, and the overall diminishing purchases of smartphones altogether.
 
isaac_appleweed said:
I've created a new iPhone SE 2 concept. To keep costs low, its outer appearance is almost exactly the same as the iPhone SE. No notches, no reduced-bezel display, no Face ID and no in-display Touch ID to burn holes in your pocket.

The internals are largely overhauled, and that's what matters.
View attachment 811577
New internals
  • A11 Bionic Chip with M11 co-processor from the iPhone 8 and X lineup
  • Rear 12-megapixel camera from iPhone 8 with quad-led flash
  • Storage options: 64 GB, 128 GB
  • Slightly larger 1,642mAh battery
  • Improved mono speaker
  • Touch ID Generation 2
  • Taptic Engine for Haptic Touch from iPhone XR
Other new things
  • New camera housing design with 'metallic border' look but no protrusion
  • No antenna lines around edges of the phone (likely impossible; just a concept)
  • 'iPhone' label font on back housing updated to Apple's new font ('SE' badge retained for old times' sake)
  • IMEI number and other unnecessary text removed for cleaner look
  • New 'Gold' colour finish (2018 9.7-inch iPad gold)
  • New exclusive jellyfish wallpaper (that you can download from the web)
  • Runs any major iOS firmware that iPhone 8 supports
Unchanged stuff
  • Identical 4.0" LCD screen (cutting costs for the extra storage and better processors)
  • Same thickness as iPhone SE at 7.6mm (or you get a camera bump and bendgate)
  • Same buttons
  • Headphone jack
  • 2GB RAM
  • Classic colour options: Space Grey, Silver
  • Lightning port
Price
  • USD $349 (64 GB), USD $399 (128 GB)
Availability
  • Probably never
Marketing slogan ideas
  • "Don't buy that stupid Palm phone when this one costs exactly the same."
  • "The phone for your kid that doesn't deserve the iPhone Xs."
  • "The most powerful 4-inch smartphone, because it's the only one on the market anyways."
  • "You can finally socialise again."
[doublepost=1545226808][/doublepost]Upgrades and the costs/trade-offs:
  • Glass back for "wireless" charging ("wireless" charging pad not included in box btw): Extra USD $50
  • IP 67 Water resistance: Removal of headphone jack
  • USB-C: Wait until iPhone XI comes out first
  • Bigger screen: Go get the iPhone 8
Click to expand...
And, you kept the flat sides.. loved that about my iPhone 4s.
 
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I just got an SE, my first iPhone and I see no reason for anything larger. But then, I'm on older dude who doesn't spend his entire life on his phone. If I need a larger screen for anything, I'll get out my iPad.
 
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