iPhone SE (2016) iPhone SE mostly discontinued, what alternatives are there?

[DakotaGuy]

We'll see. Trends change. All through my growing up I watched as phones got smaller and smaller and smaller to the point that a tiny flip-phone was the pinnacle of cool. Then things got big again. Who's to say they won't go smaller again?

Sony still makes a premium Xperia which is smaller than the 4.7 inch iPhone size.



Did I ever say it matters what I think? What I think matters just about as much as what you think and neither of us know what Apple is thinking.

Although it’s possible you might see some 5” and below new budget models introduced in the future I don’t really see small screen phones ever making a comeback in a meaningful way. The reason why I believe this is the case is we really have entered the “post PC” era. While there will be PCs being sold for many years into the future the smartphone is becoming the average consumers main media consumption device. They are using them in many cases exclusively for social media, videos, web surfing, paying bills, banking, etc. and less and less as a basic communications device.

With that said, a small screened phone is great if you have other devices to use like a tablet, laptop or desktop PC. As we move forward and more and more people rely on a smartphone alone a larger screen has a lot of benefits as a media consumption and internet device. The experience is better... it just is.

If anything replaces small phones it’ll be more capable smart watches paired with a larger phone.

 

[dcpmark]

We might see “smaller” phones one day in the form of folding screens.....larger screen while keeping the overall size of the phone smaller for better pocketability. You would do phone calls and texting while folded on a smaller display, then open up the phone for media comsumption, websurfing, games, etc.

 

[Mac 128]

Although it’s possible you might see some 5” and below new budget models introduced in the future I don’t really see small screen phones ever making a comeback in a meaningful way. The reason why I believe this is the case is we really have entered the “post PC” era. While there will be PCs being sold for many years into the future the smartphone is becoming the average consumers main media consumption device. They are using them in many cases exclusively for social media, videos, web surfing, paying bills, banking, etc. and less and less as a basic communications device.

With that said, a small screened phone is great if you have other devices to use like a tablet, laptop or desktop PC. As we move forward and more and more people rely on a smartphone alone a larger screen has a lot of benefits as a media consumption and internet device. The experience is better... it just is.

If anything replaces small phones it’ll be more capable smart watches paired with a larger phone.

What will replace the phablet will be flexible, foldable, rollable screens paired to a more capable watch, better voice control where there’s no need to type anymore, and VR glasses which will project an image as large as it needs to be right in front of your eyes. Enhanced file sharing on voice command will also reduce the need for a large screen to share with others. I give he phablet maybe 10 more years, but even as the SE is no longer capable of keeping up with the increased mobile interface demands, it will likely make a comeback as people realize they can accomplish as much as they thought they could, and big phones are a bigger inconvenience. My boss does everything on an iPhone 7, and I don’t know how. Actually, the limitations show as emails are not properly read, formatted, or responded to — at some point people are going to realize they can’t do it all on a phone. I even see screen sharing as a more viable option for people than carrying increasingly larger phones well into the future ...

 

[bluecoast]

Heck, I'm still using my Early 2008 Mac Pro.....

Another well-loved product that Apple killed & we know how that turned out...

 

[Mac 128]

This really isn't true for the SE. When the SE launched in March 2016, it didn't register a blip on Apple's revenue radar.
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Even with the iPhone X last year, Apple sold 77 million iPhones in calendar Q4'17. This is less than their peak 78 million units from Q4'16.

What I would say about this particular chart is that as I recall Apple knew they were going to miss their earnings in Q2, and launched a product that help minimize the drop.

 

[44267547]

1. I think the concept of broadening Apple's reach, as they mentioned in the keynote, is all about price, and with the Xr, they are not doing well on that compared to the 8 and 7. The Xr only serves to increase the starting price for an iPhone, which can't be good for broadening the reach.

False. Except if somebody wants a lower price iPhone, they can still have the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8. Let’s not be dismissive of the fact that the XR still includes quite a bit of technology and a new form factor for $750. So it’s not like Apple is only leaving one option for the consumer, when you have multiple options in their lineup that still include touch ID for those who are interested or they see face ID in the new form factor for $750.

2. That's fine if you want to talk about platform, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of people aren't loyal and switch back and forth, and may be willing to pay more for an iPhone, but at some point, as the price premium keeps getting larger and larger, they may not see the value in the iPhone over Samsung

Again, you’re off point. iOS users are likely tied one more way or the other with the iPhone having the Apple Watch, AirPods, iPad, HomePod, which all is part of the iOS ecosystem. So let’s consider those options as well that uniformly tie all those products together, because when you have one iPhone, they likely have more than one Apple product in their household.

iOS and android is what the user is choosing, they’re _not_ choosing the hardware, they’re choosing the ecosystem and platform to find the experience through security, stability and fluidity, and iOS trumps android in all those facets.

 

[nburwell]

Just because the SE has been discontinued doesn't mean that people still can't continue using the device. Apple is still going to update the SE software for at least several more years.

As I've mentioned in other threads, I'm using my unlocked SE while I've been in Europe the past week. Yes, the screen isn't as gorgeous as my X, nor do the pictures I take "pop" like my X, but it still gets the job done for the tasks that I need it to (texting, navigation, email, and social media).

While I have no issue using the 4.7" and 5"8" iPhones, I definitely see and get how the SE holds a special place in a lot of people's hearts.

 

[stevemiller]

another factor is apple probably wants to phase out the 640px screen that dictates the minimum space they have when designing interface elements.

that said, if they'd just lobbed the top and bottom bezels off the 4.7" iPhone it'd be a pretty decent 1 handed phone, but I guess everyone wants that tall display aesthetic, these days.

 

[Osamede]

I would think that some of the reason for going away from this device is that it uses the older generation fingerprint sensor.

The form factor remains valid, and there will most likely be a continuation of it in newer technology next year, but in this size.

 

[Lyrical]

How small must someone’s hands be if they struggle to use an iPhone 7. My niece is 11 and she has one. Never heard her complain.

 

[jackoatmon]

How small must someone’s hands be if they struggle to use an iPhone 7. My niece is 11 and she has one. Never heard her complain.

It's because the people complaining here want to use the phone 1-handed. The SE is just on the very outer limits of 1-handed viability. To see what we mean, put your off hand behind your back, and take out your phone and use it for a few minutes with just one hand. Make a call, surf the web. You'll get it once you try.

 

[super chimp]

iPhone SE 2 is coming in March 2019.

Unlikely I’d of thought as the R is designed seemingly to replace the SE in the affordable iPhone niche.

 

[Lyrical]

It's because the people complaining here want to use the phone 1-handed. The SE is just on the very outer limits of 1-handed viability. To see what we mean, put your off hand behind your back, and take out your phone and use it for a few minutes with just one hand. Make a call, surf the web. You'll get it once you try.

Ive got big hands. I can comfortably use my iPhone X with one hand. But it wouldnt be a deal breaker if I couldnt. I wouldnt start a petition lol.

 

[super chimp]

Ive got big hands. I can comfortably use my iPhone X with one hand. But it wouldnt be a deal breaker if I couldnt. I wouldnt start a petition lol.

The SE is to small for me with my hand size and I am glad that phones have gone in a larger size direction as I always found the older iPhones a fiddle to use. I certainly had no issues using a 6+ for years before replacing it with an X.

 

[Mac 128]

Just because the SE has been discontinued doesn't mean that people still can't continue using the device. Apple is still going to update the SE software for at least several more years.

As I've mentioned in other threads, I'm using my unlocked SE while I've been in Europe the past week. Yes, the screen isn't as gorgeous as my X, nor do the pictures I take "pop" like my X, but it still gets the job done for the tasks that I need it to (texting, navigation, email, and social media).

While I have no issue using the 4.7" and 5"8" iPhones, I definitely see and get how the SE holds a special place in a lot of people's hearts.

We should probably stop saying the SE has been discontinued. Apple has stopped selling it through the Apple Store, but it is otherwise available through third party authorized resellers, and likely will be for some time to come, particularly in some emerging international markets.

Unlikely I’d of thought as the R is designed seemingly to replace the SE in the affordable iPhone niche.

Well the XR has a long way to go before it hits the SE’s introductory price. Moreover, Apple offers more than one entry level phone — they still offer the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus to directly address their primary Android competition’s offerings. So there’s no reason they can’t offer an XR and an SE. The XS and XR are destined to replace the 7 and 7 Plus eventually as they are depreciated.

Again, the SE hasn’t been discontinued, just moved out of the Apple Stores while they launch their new flagship phones, likely to boost their bottom line. Apple could easily have a new XE due to launch in March for a higher price, also to be depreciated over time, which is specifically designed to replace the 7 & 8 screen size, but in a smaller XS-like case.

 

[Le Big Mac]

I agree, if an SE2 was coming, Apple would have retained the SE for another 6 months.

Not necessarily. I don't think an "SE2" is coming. I think there's some chance a smaller form factor phone than the current models may come in the next few months. But there's no need for Apple to maintain on its website a model that is now several generations old just because they might have a smaller XS/XR coming eventually.

 

[BiggAW]

False. Except if somebody wants a lower price iPhone, they can still have the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8. Let’s not be dismissive of the fact that the XR still includes quite a bit of technology and a new form factor for $750. So it’s not like Apple is only leaving one option for the consumer, when you have multiple options in their lineup that still include touch ID for those who are interested or they see face ID in the new form factor for $750.

Suggesting that people buy an obsolete iPhone is really a false choice, since they have old LTE banding and technology. Apple's model of selling old iPhones for years afterwards makes no sense. They should have a budget model that removes some features and uses lower prices components, but stays up to date with LTE banding.

I think Apple is doing the same thing that they did with laptops. For a while, an equivalent Windows laptop was about the same price as a Mac. However, after a while, the Windows laptops got better and commoditized, and the price of a Mac went up relative to the price of a Windows machine. We started to see that last year when Apple started raising the price of the iPhone at the same time that the cost of Android phones has gone down.

The value proposition has gotten a lot weaker on the iPhone. Some features have been removed, the price has gone up, and meanwhile the competition has gotten better and cheaper. I have no doubt that they will still sell a ton of them, but I think they are also going to miss a lot of potential sales that they could have made if they had stuck to the $650 price point, or better yet, dropped the price a bit.

I don't think your average user particularly needs or wants FaceID or the display on the Xr. I think they would have been perfectly fine with a minor incremental upgrade to the iPhone 7/8 design with a headphone jack and a pricetag of $650 or less. Meanwhile, come Black Friday, Samsung will be selling Galaxy S9s that have their notch-free design, fingerprint and face recognition, a headphone jack, an SD card slot, and more for around $500 on sale.

Again, you’re off point. iOS users are likely tied one more way or the other with the iPhone having the Apple Watch, AirPods, iPad, HomePod, which all is part of the iOS ecosystem. So let’s consider those options as well that uniformly tie all those products together, because when you have one iPhone, they likely have more than one Apple product in their household.

iOS and android is what the user is choosing, they’re _not_ choosing the hardware, they’re choosing the ecosystem and platform to find the experience through security, stability and fluidity, and iOS trumps android in all those facets.

I have seen a lot of people switch back and forth, including myself. Most people don't have Apple Watches, and they certainly don't have HomePods, AirPods, or anything else Pods. The Apple TV is great, but you don't need an iPhone to use it. Yes, there is a core group of Apple loyalists who will stay no matter what, but for every one of them, there are 10 or 20 average users who have 10-20 apps on their phone, and could be swayed to switch one way or another. There are also a lot of iPhone users who aren't terribly technically inclined, and their attitude is that their iPhone 6 or 6s or whatever works fine, so they'll just get the battery replaced and keep using it.

I have a Macbook Pro and an iPad, which is more Apple hardware than the average iPhone user has, and I don't find the ecosystem to be compelling at all. Beyond their OS, both run almost entirely non-Apple software. My iPad has the App Store and Settings on the home screen, everything else is Google or other third-party apps. I have 4 Google Apps on the home screen. My MBP has a ton of stuff on it, and just looking at it reminded me I should remove Reminders and Safari from the dock, since I can't remember when I last opened them, leaving TextEdit, Preview, App Store, Screen Sharing, Activity Monitor, System Information, Disk Utility, Terminal, System Preferences, and the Trash Can as the only Apple applications that I use on it, and none of those have any sort of compelling ecosystem play. I could use iMessage and FaceTime with my email address if someone else was too technologically inept to configure Skype or Google Hangouts, but that doesn't require an iPhone, and would be better on an iPad anyway.

 

[jackoatmon]

I can comfortably use my iPhone X with one hand.

This is a lie. You didn't do the exercise I described. No human, not even Shaquille O'Neal, could use an iPhone X one-handed.

 

[actcyclist]

I went looking for alternatives to the SE now that its RIP. This thread however seems to be a debate about whether the SE should have existed.

Can I repeat the question, for people who never liked the 6 and bought the SE to keep using a small phone, what alternatives are there?

For myself, I'm considering keeping the SE for a few years but buying a seperate camera to take photos.

 

[splitpea]

I went looking for alternatives to the SE now that its RIP. This thread however seems to be a debate about whether the SE should have existed.

Can I repeat the question, for people who never liked the 6 and bought the SE to keep using a small phone, what alternatives are there?

For myself, I'm considering keeping the SE for a few years but buying a seperate camera to take photos.

At this point maybe we’d do better to start a new thread with a more focused title/intro?

Or maybe one in the alternatives to iPhone section of the forum?

 

[JPack]

I went looking for alternatives to the SE now that its RIP. This thread however seems to be a debate about whether the SE should have existed.

Can I repeat the question, for people who never liked the 6 and bought the SE to keep using a small phone, what alternatives are there?

For myself, I'm considering keeping the SE for a few years but buying a seperate camera to take photos.

There are no viable alternatives.

 

[TrickyTreeRed]

There are no viable alternatives.

The closest would be Sony’s Xperia XZ2 Compact.

From most accounts, it appears to be very good.

 

[actcyclist]

The closest would be Sony’s Xperia XZ2 Compact.

That's 5" and almost the same case size and weight as the iPhone X. Personally I'd buy the X ahead of that Sony as it's just easier and probably has a better camera.

I may by the X or Xs if the SE craps out; for the camera.

 

[oldmacs]

That's 5" and almost the same case size and weight as the iPhone X. Personally I'd buy the X ahead of that Sony as it's just easier and probably has a better camera.

I may by the X or Xs if the SE craps out; for the camera.

I thought it was smaller than the 4.7 inch iPhones?

 

[actcyclist]

Here's the specs.
https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xz2_compact-9082.php