iPhone SE (2016) Those who have gone from bigger, newer phones to SE - why? Thoughts so far?

[MartyvH]

in where I'm living ah the moment, the prices of SE and XS are almost identical. Therefore it is a tough pick for me to decided between the two because at the end of the day XS is a compact device as well and I do not believe it will have any performance issues whatsoever in a foreseeable future.

I have had the XS for 18 months and though the SE and XS seem similar in size, a slight increase in size combined with being significantly heavier add up to a big difference. XS is so much more bulky. Be aware of this.

I have not stopped noticing the bulk of the XS and it's still annoying on phone calls of more than a few minutes and extended reading/browsing/app sessions. I often need to prop it up on something.

For me it's a close contest between the new SE and the iPhone 12 non-Pro 5.4", but one of the major things in favour of the 5.4" is night mode, which to me is a big jump in camera capability.

I hope the 5.4" is not too much above the 148g of the new SE, because the XS is 177g - too heavy and I'm happy to return it in October as part of my lease (long story), in spite of the exquisite screen and absolutely no performance issues.

 

[sadsack]

I have had the XS for 18 months and though the SE and XS seem similar in size, a slight increase in size combined with being significantly heavier add up to a big difference. XS is so much more bulky. Be aware of this.

I have not stopped noticing the bulk of the XS and it's still annoying on phone calls of more than a few minutes and extended reading/browsing/app sessions. I often need to prop it up on something.

For me it's a close contest between the new SE and the iPhone 12 non-Pro 5.4", but one of the major things in favour of the 5.4" is night mode, which to me is a big jump in camera capability.

I hope the 5.4" is not too much above the 148g of the new SE, because the XS is 177g - too heavy and I'm happy to return it in October as part of my lease (long story), in spite of the exquisite screen and absolutely no performance issues.

Hey I agree with you on the weight. I have gone for an SE but also have a pixel 4 too and have previously had the XS.

Do you not think, if they can get this much from software in a single camera, you could potentially just get a specialist app to correct night mode too? Like discussed here https://blog.halide.cam/iphone-se-the-one-eyed-king-96713d65a3b1

 

[silas576]

I have had the XS for 18 months and though the SE and XS seem similar in size, a slight increase in size combined with being significantly heavier add up to a big difference. XS is so much more bulky. Be aware of this.

I have not stopped noticing the bulk of the XS and it's still annoying on phone calls of more than a few minutes and extended reading/browsing/app sessions. I often need to prop it up on something.

For me it's a close contest between the new SE and the iPhone 12 non-Pro 5.4", but one of the major things in favour of the 5.4" is night mode, which to me is a big jump in camera capability.

I hope the 5.4" is not too much above the 148g of the new SE, because the XS is 177g - too heavy and I'm happy to return it in October as part of my lease (long story), in spite of the exquisite screen and absolutely no performance issues.

Same here, on the X now and torn between getting the SE now or wait for the rumored 5.4" Ip12. Knowing it would have the flat sides Iphone 5 design I would definitely wait. Never liked the round edges of the 6/7/8/X/, so slippery without a case.
Bit off topic, but if I could choose, 5"-5.4" full screen with boxie Ip5 design, max 150g, no notch, instead very small bezels top and bottom, touch id with home button half the size (alternatively under screen touch id), aluminum backside (would give up wireless charging for that), slate black 😍

 

[austyn23]

The SE feels so familiar and great, and is really fast.

I'm also waiting for the 5,4 inch iPhone 12, BUT, weight is the key for me. If the weight is over 150g, I won´t upgrade.

After using the SE and the 11 Pro, definitely the weight is what annoys me, more than the size.

 

[CouponPages]

To me the new SE is still too big and I hate the rounded edges.

I love the way the square edges feel in my hands.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if they made it slightly taller, but kept the width of the old SE.

It's funny how everyone used to see smaller phones as improvements that only the elite hipsters could afford... until the first plus sized models came along and cost more than the harder to engineer smaller designs would.

Saturday Night Live Will Ferrel with Tiny Phone

I remember when people joked about how much taller the iPhone 5 was compared to the 4. It was still the same width, but taller. There were memes projecting the next iPhones with twice the height. Meanwhile everyone who joked about smaller phones did a flip-flop. Back then Apple's own ads were showing how much better their narrow design was perfect for one handed access to the whole screen.

 

[mattopotamus]

To everyone on the “size” argument:

Did you knew this holiday iPhone 2020 will have a new small size modern iPhone?

Like, ...exactly the size of current SE but screen to the edges, OLED, and many more modern features? sort of like a small nom-pro iPhone 11.

Its practically a fact that iPhone is coming.

Indeed. I can’t wait to see the final specs and size. If it’s truly the size of the current SE just with edge to edge, it’s a no brainer buy for me. If it’s significantly heavier it’s still a no go. Personally, the price is just an added bonus and not the reason I went with the SE. it’s all about the size/performance.

 

[rui no onna]

I hope the 5.4" is not too much above the 148g of the new SE, because the XS is 177g - too heavy and I'm happy to return it in October as part of my lease (long story), in spite of the exquisite screen and absolutely no performance issues.

I'd be willing to sacrifice weight for a bigger battery as long as it stays small.

*sigh* It's annoying how plastic chassis is anathema to most when that's the most practical alternative to glass for wireless charging while keeping weight down. Honestly, the iPhone 5c was one of the few phones that felt comfortable in hand and I was happy to use caseless.

 

[brendu]

That’s exactly the problem. I shouldn’t have to know “where” or “how” to use it.

I open camera. I take photo. That’s it.

Does everything fit in the frame? No? Use wide angle lens. It’s not rocket science.

 

[oVerboost]

I'd be willing to sacrifice weight for a bigger battery as long as it stays small.

*sigh* It's annoying how plastic chassis is anathema to most when that's the most practical alternative to glass for wireless charging while keeping weight down. Honestly, the iPhone 5c was one of the few phones that felt comfortable in hand and I was happy to use caseless.

And the sales figures from the 5c are the reason it had the shortest life of any iPhone. People don’t want plastic as they think it’s not as premium or as strong, it is, but the general thought of plastic is cheap.

 

[Kagio]

Yes, but it won't be starting at 399 either.

sure but it will be far from $1,100 which isat least where a lot of this people is coming from, and OLED + border sceeen wont be the only extra feature
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Yes, but - it won't be close to $399, and the 5G modem will be generation 1. I'd wait for that...in the meantime, I'm looking forward to my Red 256GB SE... Edge-to-edge for me is just a gimmick, it looks cool, but when you hold the phone your fingertips block part of the screen. I like the small side bezels on the SE design... I saw Linus Tech Tips review the MacBook Air and he noted that some folks complain how "old" the large top bezel looks compared to the Dell - but it allows the MacBook's palm rests to be large enough to be comfortable for 90% of people's hands...function beats looks every time.

SMALL side bezels?

boy you u are the perfect customer arent you..

it wont be $399 but It’ll be far from $1,100 which is where a lot of people are coming from in this post.

When did first 3G or first 4G phones presented issues?

On the mac, they could increase screen only in vertical direction and still get the big palm rest (which I agree with is important)
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Indeed. I can’t wait to see the final specs and size. If it’s truly the size of the current SE just with edge to edge, it’s a no brainer buy for me. If it’s significantly heavier it’s still a no go. Personally, the price is just an added bonus and not the reason I went with the SE. it’s all about the size/performance.

I see you are a man of culture!

I’m actually in a dilemma this year, I hate said small iPhone 12 wont have all the pro features but sole features I could let go in exchange for a small size..

which would you?

for example, if Small iPhone 12 lacked:

LiDAR
Telephoto camera

I could easily get the small, but if it also misses: (vs 12Pro)

120hz display
Squarish design

That would be the worst dilema (and I think that‘s the way its gonna be..

(I know all lineup will have 5G and OLED, that’s why I didnt mentioned them but those would be deal breakers too)

 

[CrazyForCashews]

Same here, on the X now and torn between getting the SE now or wait for the rumored 5.4" Ip12. Knowing it would have the flat sides Iphone 5 design I would definitely wait.

The iPhone 12 won't get the redesign with the flat sides, only the iPhone 12 Pros will.

The 5.4" iPhone will still have the curved edge design.

 

[rui no onna]

And the sales figures from the 5c are the reason it had the shortest life of any iPhone. People don’t want plastic as they think it’s not as premium or as strong, it is, but the general thought of plastic is cheap.

Iirc, it sold pretty well. Not a big launch seller but more slow and steady.

Alas, with so many tech pundits calling it cheap due to the plastic chassis, it doesn't look like Apple's gonna go that route again.

 

[xpxp2002]

Edge-to-edge for me is just a gimmick, it looks cool, but when you hold the phone your fingertips block part of the screen.

This is something I never understood: why people like/prefer the edge-to-edge displays. Back when I used an iPhone 7 (and 6s before it), taking stable videos was super easy because I could the phone by its edge where the bezel was. Imagine squeezing the edge like a handle -- thumb over the home button and side of index finger against the back.

Now that all the phones with the best cameras have no bezels, there's nowhere to hold them when you're taking video. Instead you have to balance them between on the edges where it's super easy to lose control or drop the phone if someone bumps into you. Even if you don't, I usually end up with at least a couple moments when the video shakes or I have to readjust because my fingertips hurt from holding the phone that way. I just don't get it. I feel like this was an exact case of form over function, but for some reason nobody's willing to call it out or challenge it.
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Does everything fit in the frame? No? Use wide angle lens. It’s not rocket science.

Is that really an issue, though?

One of the reasons I went from the smaller series iPhones (6s, and later, 7) to the X was for the 2x lens. I often find that the 1x lenses in these phones are already too distant and almost always end up needing to engage the 2x lens on the iPhone X any time I'm taking a photo. Rather than a wide-angle 0.5x lens, I wish they had made the third lens a 4x or 5x lens to get the closer shot I need without digital zoom.

 

[subjonas]

This is something I never understood: why people like/prefer the edge-to-edge displays. Back when I used an iPhone 7 (and 6s before it), taking stable videos was super easy because I could the phone by its edge where the bezel was. Imagine squeezing the edge like a handle -- thumb over the home button and side of index finger against the back.

Now that all the phones with the best cameras have no bezels, there's nowhere to hold them when you're taking video. Instead you have to balance them between on the edges where it's super easy to lose control or drop the phone if someone bumps into you. Even if you don't, I usually end up with at least a couple moments when the video shakes or I have to readjust because my fingertips hurt from holding the phone that way. I just don't get it. I feel like this was an exact case of form over function, but for some reason nobody's willing to call it out or challenge it.
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Is that really an issue, though?

One of the reasons I went from the smaller series iPhones (6s, and later, 7) to the X was for the 2x lens. I often find that the 1x lenses in these phones are already too distant and almost always end up needing to engage the 2x lens on the iPhone X any time I'm taking a photo. Rather than a wide-angle 0.5x lens, I wish they had made the third lens a 4x or 5x lens to get the closer shot I need without digital zoom.

I find bezels very functional too. Like you said, it makes the phone easier to handle securely with one hand, especially in landscape; also the bottom bezel on a phone puts the screen higher in a better position to be accessed by the thumb for one-handed use. But screens are too big now for one handed use anyway, so I guess that doesn’t matter to most. The people have spoken about what matters more to them, and in this day and age it’s big screens.

I also have very rarely wished for a wider angle lens. Like maybe 5 times in my life. But hundreds of times for telephoto lenses of varying strength.

 

[lkalliance]

Iirc, it sold pretty well. Not a big launch seller but more slow and steady.

Alas, with so many tech pundits calling it cheap due to the plastic chassis, it doesn't look like Apple's gonna go that route again.

The "unapologetically" plastic chassis.

I loved the 5c. The plastic never felt cheap. It had a stainless steel frame underneath. There was no give to the body at all. I also remember it selling OK. At least I saw a lot of them in the wild (anecdotally), and if memory serves it was pretty high up on the Amazon best seller lists. Not as high as the 5S, certainly, but pretty high.

Anyway I miss it, I wish it had held on and gotten tech updates.

 

[JagRunner]

Why do people need back up phones? What's happening in your life so often you need a back up? lol

Serious question though. Because if I bought a back up it would just sit in a drawer, collect dust, and be a waste of money.

 

[thadoggfather]

in general it can be a waste of money,

but to me a backup phone is a phone to have over the years to hop into every once in a while, or if I sell a device before its price rapidly drops after a new iPhone comes out, to have as a holdover. It pays dividends for things like SE1. Since I've had it, I've gone from 6s+ to 7+ to X to XR and I think it's helped fill some gaps. especially 6s+ to 7+,

my XR is now my backup, at least as of now not set in stone, and SE2 is my daily driver

My XR will go eventually when I get another X-style phone most likely, and SE2 will help fill the gap if I abandon it.

And for $250, its an absolute no brainer. If nothing else, shiny new thing for not a ton from Apple

But I'm enjoying the camera quality upgrade, Touch ID and no notch again. And a mostly one hand-able phone with a grippy case on it. It's also really small but I like seeing battery percent (stock at least, my XR is jailbroken and constantly shows percent but that's not a stock feature, have to pull down on CC or look at battery widget in NC) and especially like seeing the alarm icon on statusbar, knowing I set it on weekdays. I like not having to pay Any attention driving or laying down, or the mask, whereas with FaceID I did.

to me its also, don't care what happens or what decisions and pricing Apple sets for next few years, I have a model I can live with at minimum if all things take a whacky unforeseen direction

--
I would imagine if someone pays for their family's phones, a backup phone comes in real handy if a member breaks theirs and you need to do some shuffling without throwing down for a new one and going to the store, at the time of the incident.

 

[ssledoux]

Why do people need back up phones? What's happening in your life so often you need a back up? lol

Serious question though. Because if I bought a back up it would just sit in a drawer, collect dust, and be a waste of money.

Maybe in case main phone gets lost/stolen/broken, etc. I know some like to use smaller ones when out and about, although I can't imagine swapping SIM cards back and forth (guess you could maybe have two activated with the same number - IDK). Keeping up with one phone is enough for me.

 

[thadoggfather]

Maybe in case main phone gets lost/stolen/broken, etc. I know some like to use smaller ones when out and about, although I can't imagine swapping SIM cards back and forth (guess you could maybe have two activated with the same number - IDK). Keeping up with one phone is enough for me.

if your configurations are really similarly set up, SIM swapping isn't that bad actually. some Messages hiccups sometimes, but VVM generally works as data and everything else is plug and play ready to go.

I used to SIM swap a decent amount, when I was more obsessive with phones than I am now

 

[JagRunner]

Maybe in case main phone gets lost/stolen/broken, etc. I know some like to use smaller ones when out and about, although I can't imagine swapping SIM cards back and forth (guess you could maybe have two activated with the same number - IDK). Keeping up with one phone is enough for me.

I like these cheap iphone options. They allow me to buy my mom a new phone without breaking the bank. She doesn't need anything fancy like I do

 

[Wahlstrm]

I loved the OG SE and was really hoping for a new SE with a bigger screen in about the same type of body.
An all screen iPhone 4 would be an instant buy regardless of price. In January, after using the SE for 3 years, I kinda gave up hope and bought the Xs. I don’t dislike it as much as I expected to, it’s great when sitting down indoors but its almost impossible to use one handed on the go. I’m not a case person and the combination of heavy, slippery, fragile and insanely expensive to repair basically makes me worry too much about dropping it.. Because of that I would have bought the new SE instead of my Xs, that would have also saved me from falling in love with 3D touch (How did I ever edit text on a phone before this?!) 👌

 

[subjonas]

Why do people need back up phones? What's happening in your life so often you need a back up? lol

Serious question though. Because if I bought a back up it would just sit in a drawer, collect dust, and be a waste of money.

The only backup phone I ever bought was a second SE1, after they discontinued it, in case something ever happens to my primary beloved SE1. And it is a little bit of a pain because I don’t use it yet I have to charge it every so often to maintain battery health. But I do it because I really really don’t want any other phone in existence right now.

if your configurations are really similarly set up, SIM swapping isn't that bad actually. some Messages hiccups sometimes, but VVM generally works as data and everything else is plug and play ready to go.

I used to SIM swap a decent amount, when I was more obsessive with phones than I am now

Doesn’t the phone without the SIM card have holes in sms message conversations? Also different voicemails end up on different phones? I’m a bit ocd about that kind of stuff. It would drive me nuts.

 

[thadoggfather]

The only backup phone I ever bought was a second SE1, after they discontinued it, in case something ever happens to my primary beloved SE1. And it is a little bit of a pain because I don’t use it yet I have to charge it every so often to maintain battery health. But I do it because I really really don’t want any other phone in existence right now.


Doesn’t the phone without the SIM card have holes in sms message conversations? Also different voicemails end up on different phones? I’m a bit ocd about that kind of stuff. It would drive me nuts.

SMS, yes. 95% of my friends use iMessage though so they are synced and its not a big deal to me.

I think the voicemail's are synced too.

 

[jclardy]

biggest thing I miss about faceID isn’t even a faceID thing really. Swiping up from the bottom to go home and launching the multitask screen. It feels really odd Double tapping and press the home button to go home.

This is my one holdback in wanting to "downgrade" from my 11 Pro to an SE. I really hope the smaller iPhone 12 rumor is actually true.

 

[tonybarnaby]

Why do people need back up phones? What's happening in your life so often you need a back up? lol

Serious question though. Because if I bought a back up it would just sit in a drawer, collect dust, and be a waste of money.

At least for me, the idea of a backup phone was my way of rationalizing why I needed 2 phones. I’ve always had an iPhone and Android at the same time. I have never once needed to go to a backup phone, but nerds like us always love having multiple phones. It just comes down to how you rationalize it. To be honest, if I had one phone and broke it today, I could have a new one tomorrow. No one “needs” 2 phones, but this is a hobby.