iPhone SE (2016) Not upgrading to SE 2020 because it's too big?

[hipnetic]

Actually most peeps are fascinated when I fire up this puppy:

Funny, this discussion also got me rummaging through my bin of old tech, where I found an old 3GS which charged up well. Great feel in the hand, but non-retina display and EOLed OS updates is a bummer. I also had a 4S (?) but it was completely dead. If memory serves, I think my daughter was the last to use that one and it might have gotten wet and stopped working/charging. The power button was also busted.

That is a much better size! How is the phone working out? Battery doesn't sound great in that review.

That would probably have been an easy fix by just making it thicker, to accommodate a bigger battery. I don't think that smaller devices need to be ultra-thin. A thicker, but curved, back like the iPhone 3GS is a very comfortable device to hold and pocket.

 

[steve1960]

I can't believe my luck. Bought an iPhone 6 in 2015, my first iPhone ever, and loved it. What with the 6s (OK not for long), 7, 8 and now SE I can enjoy the same form factor and a home button until around 2025 probably.

I have tried using my wife's iPhone X for a while and really struggled with the size.

 

[DMM9090]

For those of you who own the original and are “upgrading” to the new SE, couldn’t you have already purchased a used/older model iPhone with a larger screen for $400 or less?

The compact design is literally the only logical reason that anyone w/ $400 still owns the original. I’ll gladly buy a truly upgraded se for the price of larger phones.

 

[rui no onna]

For those of you who own the original and are “upgrading” to the new SE, couldn’t you have already purchased a used/older model iPhone with a larger screen for $400 or less?

The compact design is literally the only logical reason that anyone w/ $400 still owns the original. I’ll gladly buy a truly upgraded se for the price of larger phones.

Delaying the inevitable.

One may prefer the more compact design of the 5/5s/SE1 but technology moves forward and sooner or later, things like compatibility with current accessories (e.g. Apple Watch 4 frequently disconnects from SE but not XR) and LTE band support start to matter.

 

[DMM9090]

Delaying the inevitable.

One may prefer the more compact design of the 5/5s/SE1 but technology moves forward and sooner or later, things like compatibility with current accessories (e.g. Apple Watch 4 frequently disconnects from SE but not XR) and LTE band support start to matter.

Yea I can definitely see why people would only upgrade bc of compatibility. But still wouldnt they have already done that by buying a newer model for even less than $400 (like a 7 or 8)?

I get why someone buys the new se if they were coincidentally looking for a new phone when it came out. But nobody was waiting for a 4.7 screen for $400 bc they can already get that right?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Yea I can definitely see why people would only upgrade bc of compatibility. But still wouldnt they have already done that by buying a newer model for even less than $400 (like a 7 or 8)?

I get why someone buys the new se if they were coincidentally looking for a new phone when it came out. But nobody was waiting for a 4.7 screen for $400 bc they can already get that right?

Yes. However, a new iPhone 7 or 8 would have cost more than the new SE and would have had less RAM and older tech that may have been a problem working with newer tech.

 

[Fedsbackhand]

Well, I wanted to give the new SE a chance and it was time to get a new phone - screen was getting bad image retention and the Touch ID was pretty much useless. So I ordered the new SE hoping I could adapt. I've now had it for a little over a week but it will be going back as soon as I can source another original SE in good condition.

 

[DMM9090]

I suppose. But I’m pretty sure 6 months ago a 7 or 8 could be found for close to $400 or less.

I guess I’m bitching bc it should be called the budget 9 or whatever bc it doesn’t have the one, single, unique aspect of the original SE. So if it’s the new SE then that must mean there will never be another iPhone under 4.7.

I already have a MacBook for my lap and an iPad for two hands, I just don’t get it. But I’m 38yo, which is old and curmudgeonly nowadays lol

 

[rui no onna]

Yea I can definitely see why people would only upgrade bc of compatibility. But still wouldnt they have already done that by buying a newer model for even less than $400 (like a 7 or 8)?

The 7 was released the same year as the SE and is missing several of the same features that the SE is. The iPhone 8 was released almost 3 years ago and iirc, doesn't have band 71 support for T-Mobile users.

I get why someone buys the new se if they were coincidentally looking for a new phone when it came out. But nobody was waiting for a 4.7 screen for $400 bc they can already get that right?

By that logic, why bother with the SE back in 2016 when the 4" 5s was already available?

The 4.7" iPhone 6/6s/7/8 form factor is just getting the same stay of execution now in 2020 that the 4" iPhone 5/5s did back in 2016. Better than going up to 6.1" at least (plus still has home button for those who prefer that).

 

[Jack_SB]

By that logic, why bother with the SE back in 2016 when the 4" 5s was already available?

Cause the first SE had MUCH better cpu and gpu performance, 100% more ram, much faster Touch ID, much better camera and about 15% better battery life.
Nothing like the 8 vs new SE.

 

[rui no onna]

Cause the first SE had MUCH better cpu and gpu performance, 100% more ram, much faster Touch ID, much better camera and about 15% better battery life.
Nothing like the 8 vs new SE.

Iirc, the SE had 1st gen TouchID.

Generational improvement is smaller hence the smaller performance gains from A11 to A13 (still 2x multi-core and 2x GPU, though) but the SE 2 is two chipset generations ahead similar to A7 to A9.

That 100% more RAM is 1GB which is the same increase the first SE received.

As for battery, I never had the 8 but I'm getting better battery life from the SE 2 compared to back when my iPhone 7 was brand new on iOS 10.

 

[jr866gooner]

I feel the same, I’ve particularly small hands so anything bigger than the 5/5s/OG SE chasis is too big for me, my thumb can’t even reach the top opposite end of it as it is! I’m usually on the move so one handed use/ability to fit pockets is handy.

But unfortunately small phones are becoming a very small niche with 6” screens becoming the norm, I know keeping a small phone just isn’t working for me at this point. My original SE works wonderfully but the battery life is just too small, at this point I’d rather just get a bigger phone that would last me the day. I’m considering getting an iPod touch for gym/comfortable one handed use at home once I upgrade to a larger phone as well so I can get the best of both.

Isn't there a gesture swiping from left edge to right to mimic the back button press? I'd sooner do that than readjust phone grip to move thumb to the top or go two handed..

 

[hipnetic]

For those of you who own the original and are “upgrading” to the new SE, couldn’t you have already purchased a used/older model iPhone with a larger screen for $400 or less?

The compact design is literally the only logical reason that anyone w/ $400 still owns the original. I’ll gladly buy a truly upgraded se for the price of larger phones.

Everyone's circumstance is different, but as the OP of this thread I'll give you mine:

In my case, you're absolutely right. I have not been using the older SE because it's the "cheap" iPhone...I've been using it because it's the smallest (and still capable) iPhone.

Several years back I was using an iPhone 5 (I forget if that was the specific model). I was upgrading every year with every new iPhone release. When they came out with the 6 and the 6+ I was intrigued by the larger size and got the 6+. It didn't take me very long to realize that these larger iPhones weren't for me. I still wanted to upgrade, though, so I gave my wife the 6+ and bought a 6. I used that for a while, and was mostly pretty happy with it, but I did notice that the one-handed usability had taken a step back. FWIW, I noticed that when going from the 4s to the 5, but it was still manageable. Similarly, going from the 5 to the 6 was another step back for one-handed usability, but it, too, seemed "manageable."

After that, when the 7 and then the 8 came out, I wasn't impressed enough to upgrade. You should remember/know (if you weren't a smartphone user back then) that this was around the time that all of the cell carriers got rid of the subsidized pricing. It used to be that you'd buy a phone for a couple hundred dollars and be "locked in" to the carrier for 2 years. After 2 years, you'd be eligible again for the subsidized pricing. As a family of 3, I could work the system by upgrading my phone every single year and giving my wife or daughter my hand-me-down iPhone. When I upgraded from the 6 to the 6s, that was the last year that subsidized pricing existed. When the 7 came out, there was no subsidized pricing anymore, so you were now paying a lot more for an iPhone (the impact of this was lessened by somewhat lower monthly rates, but there were also many of us on grandfathered plans that seemed better in some way to the newer plans, so many of us chose to stay under older plans).

The 7 and 8 releases seemed fairly boring, so combined with the increased cost, it just didn't seem like "enough" of an upgrade for me to get excited about, and I continued to use my 6s.

When the X came out, it was a big enough upgrade that I was interested in it, but I was worried about the larger size, and the price was off the charts compared to what I had been accustomed to spending prior to that.

When the Xs came out, I was doing pretty well financially and was open to spending some money on it. The photo samples are what interested me most, as by then the photo quality between my 6s and the Xs were quite significant. So I did it...I spent the money on an unlocked Xs. I loved the camera, but I didn't like the added size/weight, poor one-handed usability, or Facetime. The one-handed usability is what I really disliked, though, so when the original SE came out, I was excited about going back to a much better (but still not perfect) one-hand-friendly iPhone. I did it, and have been fairly happy with it, but the camera quality sucks compared to my Xs, and the battery life has been poor, too.

So then I went into a mode of periodically switching between my Xs and my SE. I loved the Xs photos, but preferred the one-handed usability and pocketability of the SE. It's such a tough choice that I still can't declare a clear winner, but I found myself leaning towards the SE by a small margin.

When rumors of the new SE started to leak, I found myself intrigued. I knew it wasn't *as small* as the older 5/SE, but it was smaller than the Xs and it offered a much better camera than the older SE. So I decided to take a chance on it. I may find that I still prefer my older SE more (though I'd probably need a battery upgrade, if I decided to go back to it). But I suspect that the reality will be that I'll find it to be an acceptable compromise for 2020.

 

[ian87w]

The Galaxy S2 was tiny and you could still easily find a smaller display on Android or iOS platforms in 2011. In 2020 you can't find anything sub 4.7" at the least.

No company in 2020 listens to the free market anymore. Even if no one bought the new SE 2 period, Apple wouldn't even care. They'd still make huge displays like everyone else. The days of differentiation in phones has been gone since at least 2013. Since when did marketing firms become the way companies perceive demand instead of consumer demand itself? The firms are way out left field. No one was wanting a huge screen when they started showing up. Remember the Nexus 6 being a huge flop? anyone? Bueller?

Why even start the trend if no demand exists? risky proposition.

Hmm, actually the market has stated what they want. Larger screen is what majority wants. And when I said majority, I don't mean Americans who have desktops and laptops and only use their phones to make calls. I'm talking about the bulk majority of people who only have their phones as their primary device. They will use their phones for anything, including productivity and entertainment, thus the market prefer something with a large enough screen but still relatively handheld. The sweet spot seems to be merging at around 6".

If the market wanted smaller screens, any of the Android OEMs will make such phone to fulfill that demand. Reality said otherwise, and even Sony and Samsung gave up on that niche.

Do I like phablets? Not really. But I'm just glad Apple still make non Max phones and the new SE.

 

[rui no onna]

When the Xs came out, I was doing pretty well financially and was open to spending some money on it. The photo samples are what interested me most, as by then the photo quality between my 6s and the Xs were quite significant. So I did it...I spent the money on an unlocked Xs. I loved the camera, but I didn't like the added size/weight, poor one-handed usability, or Facetime. The one-handed usability is what I really disliked, though, so when the original SE came out, I was excited about going back to a much better (but still not perfect) one-hand-friendly iPhone. I did it, and have been fairly happy with it, but the camera quality sucks compared to my Xs, and the battery life has been poor, too.

Just a thought, the original SE was released back in 2016 before the iPhone 7 was released. Xs was around 2018.

 

[Homme]

Is .7 of an inch really a major issue to people?

yes. Only The whining small and dumb minority are still whining about it

 

[rui no onna]

yes. Only The whining small and dumb minority are still whining about it

It's 0.8" between the 4.7" iPhone 6/6s/7/8 and 5.5" iPhone Plus models so yeah, I'd say 0.7" is pretty significant.

Eventually, I expect those of us who like the physical dimensions of the 4.7" iPhone will be faced with a similar decision as the 4" SE lovers are and then others would be calling us the dumb whiners.

 

[Jimmy James]

What modern tech? they have taken stuff out and do far less? who was clamoring for 4 cameras? I'd rather have the function of a home button (especially if the touchscreen dies), IR blaster, headphone jack when I forget to recharge my headset, and removable battery so my phone isn't destined for a landfill in 2 years.

There were pictures and videos to prove removing the jack wasn't necessary to do whatever they were doing with the iPhone 7. The 'it needed the space for the new taptic engine' was an excuse and unfortunately folks took it hook line and sinker.

If this were simply confined to Apple it'd be less of an issue. Anyone who wanted a smaller display or the features I listed above could just get a Samsung Galaxy or some other make. But the reality is every smartphone brand these days takes Apple's word as gospel so now we got no new phones that are notchless or have a headphone jack. The last phone with an IR blaster was the LG G3

IR blaster? Really? I control my tv linked over wifi.

 

[hipnetic]

Just a thought, the original SE was released back in 2016 before the iPhone 7 was released. Xs was around 2018.

OK, it was late last night and my wife was giving me grief for typing up a long essay while we were watching TV together, so I didn't totally fact-check the timeline. So I just spent more time than I should doing just that, and I think this is more accurate...

- Sep 2014: 6 and 6+ announced, and I think I was using a 5 at that time. I got the 6+ at subsidized pricing w/AT&T (I don't remember the storage size, but pricing on 6+ started at $299) even though I was worried about the size.
- Quickly decided 6+ was *way* too big...gave it to my wife and got the 6 at subsidized pricing (starting at $199). I didn't like the diminished one-handed usability, but it seemed "small enough" that I lived with it, in exchange for the faster processor, better camera, and larger screen.
- Sep 2015: 6s announced and I used our 3rd line to get that at subsidized pricing (starting at $199) and gave the 6 to my daughter.
- Sep 2016: 7 and 7+ announced...subsidized pricing now dead, and phone was just a minor upgrade from 6s, so I passed.
- Sep 2017: 8, 8+, and X announced. 8 was another minor spec bump. Meh. Was intrigued by X, but worried about added size and Facetime, and price was high.
*** Somewhere around this time, I think my daughter's 6 now had a cracked screen, so she needed a new phone.
- Nov 2017: Bought a Black SE 32GB (AT&T prepaid, but could use on my existing plan) from Best Buy for about $150. Gave my daughter my 6s. Going down in size from the 6s felt like a new experience...like I was "upgrading" in some ways. But storage space felt limiting.
- Sep 2018: Xs announced and I decided to buy it (unlocked). A contributing factor was that my daughter was studying abroad in Italy and we were going to visit her in October. My AT&T SE was not unlocked and the Xs' significantly better camera were two big factors in finally pulling the trigger.
- After using the Xs for a while, I decided that I didn't like the added size/weight, diminished one-handed usability, and preferred Touch ID to Face ID. But I did really like that camera. I think I swapped between the SE and the Xs off-and-on a few times.
- March 2019: White SE 128GB unlocked shows up in Apple's refurbished/clearance store (I think it was a clearance, not a refurb) for $299 and I made an impulse buy. Loved the white color and added storage space, and continued to love the better pocketability and better one-handed usability (still not as good as the 4s or 3GS, though). Hated the camera, after having experienced the Xs' camera. Xs went back in my drawer.
*** After this, I still debated whether I should try to live with the Xs' added size, in exchange for the better camera. Tried it a couple of times, and still couldn't/can't decide if the tradeoff is worth it.
- April 2020: Decided to get a White 2020 SE 128GB. Walmart deal cinched it. Better camera than the old SE in a size I had managed to live with for several years (via my 6 and later 6s). Still think it's not the best size for one-handed usage, but I think I can deal with it. Other contributing factors: my wife is still using that old 6+ (God bless her) and my daughter still on the 6s. I figure I'll finally give my Xs to my wife.

I may buy another 2020 SE for my daughter (just because the Walmart deal is so appealing), or just let her continue to use that 6s until the new models come out later, at which point maybe I'll upgrade again and give her my 2020 SE. I'm planning to get her an iPad Pro 12.9" (she's an artist/illustrator), so she's got nothing to complain about (and hasn't really complained about the 6s for that matter, so I'll give her credit for that).

Anyway, that's my timeline and my rationale. Your individual stories/perspectives will differ.

After typing this, it appears that price was more of a factor in my decisions than I may have realized. I will say that I could have afforded to upgrade every year, even after subsidized pricing ended, but while I *could* afford to do that, I still weigh the *value* of my purchases, and I found the value lacking once subsidized pricing ended.

 

[Jimmy James]

OP, your entire premise seems based on the fact that your preference (and perhaps some people around you) represents the broader market preference.

When Apple’s largest phone was 4” there was an internal leak that “Apple doesn’t offer what the market wants”. I think the vast majority want bigger phones. I was also a small phone enthusiast and I’ve moved on.

Is there a market for smaller phones? Sure. Is it as profitable as their other models? I doubt it.

 

[okieoutwest]

In all these threads about SE size, one thing I think goes under-discussed is weight and the optimization that must go on in design phase of battery capacity; battery area and volume; and screen size/power requirement. Until there is a significant break-through in consumer battery technology or material shifts in the entire landscape of handheld devices, I think the rumored 5.4" iPhone might be the best any of us can hope for.

I am a big fan of small phones, but I am also in a minority also having a desktop, laptop, tablet, etc. lying around to use depending on task. For many, many households in the U.S. and globally, a cell phone might be the ONLY computing device in the house, which to me indicates pressures on screen size won't change in the near future. Battery tech is slow to mature and li-ion is at scale hard to compete with on cost.

So here we are! 🙃 In between the engineering and consumer market preference constraints, the SE 2020 is a fantastic phone, and I'm looking forward to choosing between it and the 5.4" 12 later this year.

 

[neoelectronaut]

I'm in this crummy situation now where my 2017 iPhone SE is showing its age more and more almost on a daily basis and there's no real upgrade path. Any phone I'd purchase is bigger than I'd like.

It's like having an old Toyota Camry that you're ready to move on from but the only other vehicles on the market are Hummers.

 

[thadoggfather]

I think se2 is a good holdover to see if 5.4” is worth it later or not

 

[glambutnerdy]

Isn't there a gesture swiping from left edge to right to mimic the back button press? I'd sooner do that than readjust phone grip to move thumb to the top or go two handed..

no clue I’m useless with technology.

 

[oVerboost]

I'm in this crummy situation now where my 2017 iPhone SE is showing its age more and more almost on a daily basis and there's no real upgrade path. Any phone I'd purchase is bigger than I'd like.

It's like having an old Toyota Camry that you're ready to move on from but the only other vehicles on the market are Hummers.

You can still get a brand new original SE to replace it from third party sellers or online from places like eBay.