At the expected price of 399$ there is no way it will have Face ID. It would simply be a recycled iPhone 8, just as iPhone SE was compared to iPhone 5-5S. So the smallest modern iPhone in 2020 will most likely be the rumoured iPhone 12 5.4”, followed up by this budget spring iPhone SE2/9 model and then 6.1” and larger. People will simply get used to it and let’s not forget that if Apple sensed a good market opportunity of resurrecting 4” iPhones, they would happily do it. Unfortunately for iPhone 5-SE fans, they are in a very small minority for Apple to care about.
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iPhone SE (2016) What are current SE users doing?
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At the expected price of 399$ there is no way it will have Face ID. It would simply be a recycled iPhone 8, just as iPhone SE was compared to iPhone 5-5S. So the smallest modern iPhone in 2020 will most likely be the rumoured iPhone 12 5.4”, followed up by this budget spring iPhone SE2/9 model and then 6.1” and larger. People will simply get used to it and let’s not forget that if Apple sensed a good market opportunity of resurrecting 4” iPhones, they would happily do it. Unfortunately for iPhone 5-SE fans, they are in a very small minority for Apple to care about.
I don't think Apple will use the current SE shape. Most likely use the old 8 case hardware. But who knows really, Apple could surprise us.
Zero possibility of the 4” screen materializing with the SE 2 or at any other point in the foreseeable future.
Personally, my mid-2017 SE is running just fine, the A9 2GB RAM is a winner. I could see myself using it for several more years, but I’d like a better camera for low-light scenarios. And I guess I could use slightly (but not too much) more screen. And no way in hell I’m paying anywhere close to 1000$ for a phone.
Waiting to see if the SE 2-9 will deliver.
I really can't see Apple keeping a 4" screen and I assume it's a PIA for developers to keep up. I noticed my apps were starting to lose any formatting and looked better on my 11 Pro Max.
I just upgraded from a 5S to the 11 pro. For me it was the least evil when I wanted a new device. Still one of apples smaller devices and with the newest tech. Would not buy an 8 as I want to keep my phones for as long as possible. Did a god job with that since 5S was released in 2013.
That’s going to be a big question for me eventually. I really don’t want a bigger phone than my SE. I even bought another new SE as a backup in case something happens to the one I’m using. Eventually though, either the battery (on both my SEs) will deteriorate and I won’t be able to replace it anymore, or I’ll run into a problem with an important app that isn’t supported on my phone, or the carrier I believe could even drop support for the radio band. I’m just hoping to get another 3 years out of these. And by that time, I really hope there will be some better options available than there are currently. Honestly, I’d be ecstatic if Apple just updates the internals of the current SE body as is—new chip, more ram, updated radio bands. If they additionally increased storage and upgraded the camera (OIS, optical zoom, low light), I’d be over the moon. Price is not an issue. But if the options in the future are exactly like today’s options, it’s going to depress me, but I’d have to just get the smallest iPhone, whether it’s the iPhone 8 or the rumored SE2 or 5.4” (again, price doesn’t matter—and though I’d want higher specs, smaller size is higher priority). I‘d consider leaving the Apple ecosystem, but with their security and convenience, the alternative would have to be really good, which is not the case right now. It’s just a bleak landscape for small iPhone lovers.
But devs still need to support the iPod Touch which has the 4” screen. As of now, there’s no indication that Apple is planning to discontinue it.
So true, I forgot about that. They just did update the innards, so perhaps they could use the ipod touch hardware as the next SE plus the radio?
Option 3.
Wait for the bezel less 5.4” in the Fall! Will have both 5G and wi-fi “ax”, A14, 4GB DDR5 RAM, still improved Face ID, better 2 camera system, etc...
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So you need an 'iPhone 12 Pro Max Plus' to play a game or listen to music? Alright. Because a regular cheaper phone isn't enough?
I've had an SE since shortly after they launched. I currently use it as one of my two main phones; I have a personal phone (iPhone 7) and a school phone (iPhone SE) so that I can give my number to parents and whatnot without giving them my personal number. I use the SE significantly more than I do the 7.
My plan for the time being is to continue using my SE. I love the size, I love its pocketability, and I love the overall feel of the phone. It's not feeling slow for my uses, so until my needs at school drastically change, I'll likely keep using it.
I'm curious what the future holds with the SE 2, and if it's a solid phone with more modern internals, I may be tempted to upgrade, but we'll see how things shake out.
My plan for the time being is to continue using my SE. I love the size, I love its pocketability, and I love the overall feel of the phone. It's not feeling slow for my uses, so until my needs at school drastically change, I'll likely keep using it.
I'm curious what the future holds with the SE 2, and if it's a solid phone with more modern internals, I may be tempted to upgrade, but we'll see how things shake out.
Yup, that I am. This little phone runs it impressively well, certainly not poorly enough that I’m itching to upgrade for the sake of performance.
The last phone I bought on launch day was the iPhone 6 and it lasted five years. For that reason I think I’m going with option 3 over option 2 this year. Like you, I’m using an iPhone SE now. (A banking app couldn’t function on the lower ram of the iPhone 6.)
I did buy an iPhone 11 on launch day and really disliked the heft of it. My goal is to have a high quality, compact phone that I use fairly little but will last for a long time and the 11 totally missed that mark for me. So I’m very much hoping option 3 turns out to be a quality rumor for 2020.
Have you considered using both of your lines (work and private) on the same iPhone (eSIM & physical SIM)? Works great for me and one less device to charge/carry around.
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What is the appeal of making the phone “last for a long time” when we can easily resell them every 1-2 years? It is not that we are dumping them and they can be refurbished and serve somebody else very well. You still want to upgrade, right? That is why you got 11 on launch day. You could have just enjoyed everything it has to offer, compared to your 6, and then swapped it for iPhone 12 of your preferred size in the autumn? Nowadays all the phones are just common-place tools, so what is the point of holding on to them for such a long time?
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I use my phone at school sparsely. It would be hard to convince the kids to keep their phones away if I were constantly on mine
I make a few calls, send a fair number of texts, check email, and use some of the LEGO robotics apps on it. i do take a lot of pictures of the robots the kids are working on. I can generally get between two to three days out of it depending on how I use it. It’s around 85% capacity last I checked.Nope, I haven’t really. All of the modern iPhones that would support are a tad larger than what I’d what to bring to school, and I actually like that the SE is a cheap phone. That way if something happens to it at school, not a huge deal. I teach a middle school engineering class, so a lot happens there.
Not everyone wants to go through the bother of reselling their phone every year or two. Besides, the performance of modern smartphones has gotten so great that we can enjoy solid performance for years at a time. And not everyone finds all the new features compelling enough to go out and buy a new phone. Given all this, it’s no wonder that people hang on to their phones for longer periods.
Understood, it is just in my experience after a few years of good use iPhone batteries wear out, so need replacing anyway. Otherwise yes, you can expect the iOS to be supported for 3-4 years, unless we deliberately buy an older model. If your current iPhone setup works for you, enjoy it, as this is the whole point. FWIW, my iPhone journey over the last 3-4 years included 5C > SE > 7 and the current 11. My only “complaint” about 11 is its overall size/weight, all the rest is great for my needs. So the rumoured 5.4” iPhone 12 in the autumn should be absolutely perfect.
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I've had my SE for 4 years, it runs smoothy and I'm still on the original battery -- it's at 78% capacity which is still plenty for a full day's use. I want my phone to get out of the way, not be the center of my day -- I want a high-quality and compact / minimalist experience. Apple has historically delivered on that desire but not with the last few years of iPhones.
I think fondly of announcements such as the G4 Cube or iPod Nano (or MacBook Air) which were all about making things as small as possible and blending into your life, not taking it over.
I think fondly of announcements such as the G4 Cube or iPod Nano (or MacBook Air) which were all about making things as small as possible and blending into your life, not taking it over.
Never said that. You said phones are meant to just be phones remember?
I was simply stating that for many people, especially those of us who use “smartphones” they are much more than just phones. They can be and are FUN.
I think the major thing you’re missing out of your post of why consumers generally don’t upgrade today, because of the prices of smart phones have surpassed beyond being attractive. Sure, the iPhone has had performance with sustainability, but I don’t think those are the core reasons, when prices have substantially increased on smart phones in the last four years.
Ahh, the guy I responded to wrote SE wasn't a big improvement over 5s, not much fun for $399. My point is what the $1000 phone can do that the $399 can't? Is 'more fun' considered as spending $600 more for basically the same phone?
Apart from the camera, the "fun" is pretty much on par.
Very true. I remember getting my original iPhone when I started college, saving up for several months and eventually getting a close-out 4GB model for $300. That was when spending $500-600 on a phone seemed insane. Price has been a huge factor as well, as Apple has priced me out of their most current phones. I’m not a fan of the fact that the smallest new iPhone also happen so to be one of the most expensive, making the “inexpensive” modern iPhone unappealing to me.
I disagree! Everything in life should be fun - life is short. And, an iPhone is not a phone. It does a million things - for me, it's my outdoor MacBook Pro shrunken down!
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My finance has the SE which I bought her three years ago. It's been incredible. Still 97% battery health, She gets 2 to 3 days battery life out of it!!!! Started life on iOS9 and now on 13 and zero slow downs. She loves it although I don't like its thin design - it feels fragile to me after the stainless steel of my X.
I'll buy her the 12 5.4" next for her birthday. I just wish that the 12 Pro was available as a 5.4" as I like the heavier stainess steel designs.