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iPhone SE (2016) What are current SE users doing?

I love my iPhone SE, for both the lower price and the small size.

Ideally I'd like to have an upgraded SE-sized phone that many people on this forum want, but realistically it doesn't look like Apple is going to cater to this market anymore, so I'm not holding my breath.

I'm probably going to get this rumored low-end iPhone that's an upgraded iPhone 8 that will be released early this year. By then I would have had my SE for nearly 4 years and its battery life at this point, even after getting a new battery a year ago, isn't too good. I'm recharging it during the afternoon on most days.

However, there's also been rumors that Apple will release a second low-end iPhone towards the end of this year. So for those who can wait, maybe hold off until the fall to see what Apple actually releases, and then make your purchasing decision.
 
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sprague.rod said:
This is a huge thread with lots of interest and I’m getting the message that a surprising number of people would rather a smaller, rather than larger iPhone so long as it has up to date features.
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75+ posts going between 5-10 people is not “huge”, my friend. A thread dedicated to the latest iOS beta (13.3.1 beta 3), for example, has 98 posts already. Updated Apple Maps thread has a more respectable 2295 posts.

I like small objects too, but considering the zillions of bigger (4,7” and larger) iPhones out there, our preferences simply do not matter for many reasons:
- it makes it simpler for app developers, site developers, etc. to target their products to an average 5”+ screen space;
- smaller devices in smartphone markets cost less (smaller screens, batteries, etc.), so not so lucrative for Apple to focus on them.

I moved from SE to 7 and now to 11 and can assure you that it took me about an hour to readjust to different sizes and weights. The tech in the latest iPhones is amazing. I will be curious to see what a rumoured “low key” iPhone 12 5.4” looks like in September, but until then will enjoy my mini tablet. 😉🖐
 
MacPeasant123 said:
However, there's also been rumors that Apple will release a second low-end iPhone towards the end of this year. So for those who can wait, maybe hold off until the fall to see what Apple actually releases, and then make your purchasing decision.
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That's the problem though really - many people seem to want a small HIGH end phone, not recycled old tech. Physical limitations aside with things like multiple cameras there's no reason it couldn't be done and the edge-to-edge screens actually make far more sense on smaller devices. An iPhone 8 at a cheaper price just doesn't appeal, it's the iPhone 6 design being dragged out forever (I never liked the ergonomics of my 6 which is why I went "backwards" to an SE in the first place!).
 
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Jimrod said:
That's the problem though really - many people seem to want a small HIGH end phone, not recycled old tech.
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I would be in this group. In fact I can can be very specific about it and I would it in terms of what is being offered today.

I would be a buyer of any small format iPhone, somewhere between the SE and 8 in size, at the same price as the iPhone 11 so long as they made a proper effort at it. And when I say proper effort I mean that it is on par with the current iPhone offering (full screen, OLED display - don't forget LCD requires a larger bezel so is less practical in the small format phone - Face ID else in-display FPS, same processor, same RAM etc etc) within 6 months of the release of the other model. Past 6 months is the last year's tech already.

Regurgitated tech from years gone by doesn't represent value to me so even if it were half the price of the current model I'm not particularly interested as I get much better value somewhere else in the $400 price point.
 
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I bought SE after my Moto G2 died. I was looking for a phone I could hold with one hand — and SE was a perfect match. As a bonus: it's beautiful. I like bezels, I like proportions, I like how it feels in my hand. And iOS is snappier than Android. I will keep it for as long as possible. I find current iPhones and Android phones ugly and too large. For anything that requires a larger screen (games, movies, reading) I have an iPad. iPhone is for email, messengers, occasional browsing, music, taxi, tethering and the like.
 
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Annv said:
I find current iPhones and Android phones ugly and too large. For anything that requires a larger screen (games, movies, reading) I have an iPad. iPhone is for email, messengers, occasional browsing, music, taxi, tethering and the like.
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The way I put it is, my phone is my bare minimum generalist device. It’s always with me in every situation, and it‘s just able to accomplish a base level of general tasks if and when I need it to—plus excel at specific tasks that are all about being with you at all times and not having a big screen, like camera and music. For something like that, it needs to be as small and un-intrusive as possible. Because when I need more than basic, like you, I have iPads and other larger devices.
 
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Current reports (rumours) suggest that both the 6S and SE will get iOS14 which would be truly brilliant if it happens, so maybe worth hanging onto your pocket friendly devices a little longer!
 
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I actually bought a new SE a couple of months ago, which was quite a turnaround for me because I'd never really been interested in getting any kind of smart phone. Before the SE acquisition I used an old non-smart phone which did what I required of it, which wasn't much. Because my wife was reluctantly ditching her old Nokia non-smart phone for an iPhone, however, I thought I'd do a little checking to see what the mobile phone landscape looked like. A Motorola model caught my eye though I was hesitant about using Android. And it was larger than I wanted. After a little trawling of the internet I discovered I could buy a brand-new SE, 16Gb storage, unlocked, for (the equivalent of) 157 dollars including delivery.

I wasn't looking to purchase a larger phone, and hadn't really planned to get a smart phone at all, but I concluded that the SE was a very good option for me. I was already familiar with the Apple way of doing things. So the combination of iOS, the size of the SE, the camera (which my old phone lacked), the very good price for a new, as in previously unused, Apple phone, and the fact that it had only relatively recently been discontinued so there would likely be a decent amount of future support from Apple for it, meant that it was a most compelling purchase.

I am delighted to own the SE but I certainly won't hanker for any of the larger models. Small is certainly beautiful, for me, when it comes to a phone in my pocket.
 
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I was happily using my SE until a few months ago then the Lightning socket failed (unreliable charging and connection to a Mac). I took it to Apple and it would have cost hundreds $ to repair (in Australia!). It seems that many people are having Lightning socket problems with older iPhones (for what it is worth, the single USB-C socket on my Retina Macbook doesn't seem particularly robust either).

I ended up buying an iPhone 8 because it was closest to the SE features that I like. It is fine for my needs.

I have followed the speculation about an SE2 here and on other forums and am sceptical about this rumoured product. IMHO don't wait until the 8 is no longer sold by Apple and you have reduced choice.
 
one more said:
Or just delegate the whole show to Apple or zillions of their authorised repair centres. ✌
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...for the cost of (at the moment of writing) up to six batteries DIY or the next complete SE on ebay.
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mpainesyd said:
I was happily using my SE until a few months ago then the Lightning socket failed (unreliable charging and connection to a Mac). I took it to Apple and it would have cost hundreds $ to repair (in Australia!).
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? The part is available for 17 euros over here. Complete with headphone jack and all the small parts premounted. Genuine Apple sparepart. And replacing it shouldn't be much more than opening and closing the case. At least nothing soldered so far.

And in many cases of these problems you can improve the situation alot even without replacing parts just by removing dust and dirt, collected over the years, with a toothbrush or some other short hard brush from the inside of the connector.
 
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flyproductions said:
...for the cost of (at the moment of writing) up to six batteries DIY or the next complete SE on ebay.
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Not everybody would happily venture into their iPhones in a DIY mode. As for eBay, how can we be sure the batteries of the iPhones sold there are in a top condition?
 
one more said:
Not everybody would happily venture into their iPhones in a DIY mode. As for eBay, how can we be sure the batteries of the iPhones sold there are in a top condition?
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Yes under this circumstances having the battery replaced might well be the best option.
 
mpainesyd said:
I was happily using my SE until a few months ago then the Lightning socket failed (unreliable charging and connection to a Mac).
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, my SE had the same problem, and then a couple of weeks ago I took it into the Apple store and asked them to clean out the lighting port. They came back 2 mins later, said they got a bunch of crap out of there, and now it works flawlessly!
 
Hopefully iOS 14 will come to the SE, without a performance penalty. If this is the case, I’ll be keeping my SE for another year.

I’m interested in seeing whether the rumoured “iPhone SE 2/iPhone 9” is released. Based off what I’ve read about the phone to date, I can’t see myself buying it (initially), but would strongly consider it as my next phone if the SE where to unexpectedly die.
 
Jacobi said:
For what it's worth, my SE had the same problem, and then a couple of weeks ago I took it into the Apple store and asked them to clean out the lighting port. They came back 2 mins later, said they got a bunch of crap out of there, and now it works flawlessly!
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I was hoping the same but they came out and told me the metal connectors were damaged. I'm thinking the designers might not have heard of metal fatigue!
Regarding the "SE2", there is a new Macrumours article that speculates it will be similar to the 8, with a Home button.
 
I'm on my second SE2 after my first was stolen. It desperately needs a new battery but I'm hobbling along to see if the new phone will arrive. It has been a longgggg wait. My friends laugh at how resolute I am that one day SE 2 will happen, I'm still keeping the faith.

If they don't announce anything next month then I hope I can source a new battery. I don't want to pay through the nose for a phone I don't really want. Apple could easily part me from my money if they chose to make a top of the line flagship phone in a smaller form factor.
 
We have a spare shrink wrapped SE in the cupboard for my fiancé since there is no phone he can upgrade to at the moment. The SE is a lovely size and weight for the 4'4" and under crowd.
 
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