iPhone SE (2016) Would anyone still buy the SE?

[MyopicPaideia]

For everyone talking about 1 handed use, wouldn’t increasing the screen size to 4.7”, even in the same footprint/form factor, defeat that usage case? I want an updated SE too, that’s the only thing stopping me from getting one yesterday, but maybe upgrading the hardware is enough?

I mean if you have to reach all the way to the corners of the phone for control center, typing, etc...would it still be as 1-handed a phone as it is today?

 

[44267547]

For everyone talking about 1 handed use, wouldn’t increasing the screen size to 4.7”, even in the same footprint/form factor, defeat that usage case? I want an updated SE too, that’s the only thing stopping me from getting one yesterday, but maybe upgrading the hardware is enough?

I mean if you have to reach all the way to the corners of the phone for control center, typing, etc...would it still be as 1-handed a phone as it is today?

I agree with your points. Two reasons the iPhone SE is popular because of the form factor with one handed use and price point. I don’t believe Apple would make the iPhone SE that much larger and add that many more features, because it just increases the price point away from their original intention of having an affordable iPhone.

 

[Ixon2001]

One thing I've always loved with iPhone's is Video recording quality, My new SE is superb at 1080p 60fps or 4K 30fps it just super smooth & stable even without OIS.

My last Android phone the Huawei P10 was to put bluntly shocking when recording video, OIS was next to useless & had a horrid buffering issue when panning even enabling EIS and dropping down to 1080p 30fps was no better.

 

[geta]

These days all the phones are more then capable, the latest and the greatest is not so important, at least for me. At the moment these are the things im looking for : size & weight > one hand usage > price.

Looking forward for the next SE version.

 

[Pennypacker83]

Just picked up my 32GB Space Grey version for 249 euros. Seemed like a pretty decent deal. Now trying to find a good case for this beauty!

 

[mjschabow]

Just picked up my 32GB Space Grey version for 249 euros. Seemed like a pretty decent deal. Now trying to find a good case for this beauty!

Let me know what you find. I am going to get the lifeproof fre for the summer swimming parties but I haven’t found a slim grippy one for every day use.

 

[MartyvH]

Just picked up my 32GB Space Grey version for 249 euros.

So prices are elevated in Europe too. Here in Australia the cheapest for the 32GB is 285 euros ($458 or US$352).

I am going to get the lifeproof fre for the summer swimming parties but I haven’t found a slim grippy one for every day use.

I bought the Ringke Fusion Clear. It's slim and grippy. But it has started to turn yellow after three months from the UV light. Otherwise it's a quality drop case, rather than just a scratch case which the thinnest ones are.

There are still mountains of other cases around.

 

[Pennypacker83]

So prices are elevated in Europe too. Here in Australia the cheapest for the 32GB is 285 euros ($458 or US$352).

Yes, the general price range for the 32GB is 269-299 euros. Apple's online store 419 euros.

 

[44267547]

These days all the phones are more then capable, the latest and the greatest is not so important, at least for me. At the moment these are the things im looking for : size & weight > one hand usage > price.

Looking forward for the next SE version.

I agree price point, size and weight are all crucial when you factor a small phone like the SE. Although, at this point, I don’t believe an SE is likely for 2018. I think there might be still some chance for it later on, but the current SE still serves its niche market for the price point and it’s plenty capable with iOS 11, given that is also very popular because of its affordability as a global phone.

 

[ataq]

I‘m downgrading from an X next week to an SE. So happy.

 

[ras113]

I would buy the new version off SE (if there will be se2?) if it looked like mini X.

 

[MartyvH]

I don’t believe an SE is likely for 2018. I think there might be still some chance for it later on, but the current SE still serves its niche market for the price point and it’s plenty capable with iOS 11, given that is also very popular because of its affordability as a global phone.

The fact that the 2017 iPad has an A9 chip like the SE adds even more weight to that. My work just bought 30 of them. With the A9 chip and the 2013 Air 1 body, it could be called the iPad SE!
[doublepost=1521951859][/doublepost]

I‘m downgrading from an X next week to an SE. So happy.

Looking at side-by-side X and SE performance comparison videos I wonder about the benefit that justifies another $800 apart from the screen size. X timed almost the same or the same with everything except big games. What was significantly better in a real-world way that would benefit a large number of users? Nighttime video is brighter, but not a lot, to be expected 2 years on and booting the phone which you would expect.

Switching back to the first app loaded out of 10 apps, bang. A refresh of one part of the app with the SE but it's there. YouTube loaded quicker on the SE. Unlocking on the X was slower. The X needs to do better. You're buying for screen size/quality and extra camera performance now. That's it.

 

[bluecoast]

The fact that the 2017 iPad has an A9 chip like the SE adds even more weight to that. My work just bought 30 of them. With the A9 chip and the 2013 Air 1 body, it could be called the iPad SE!
[doublepost=1521951859][/doublepost]

Looking at side-by-side X and SE performance comparison videos I wonder about the benefit that justifies another $800 apart from the screen size. X timed almost the same or the same with everything except big games. What was significantly better in a real-world way that would benefit a large number of users? Nighttime video is brighter, but not a lot, to be expected 2 years on and booting the phone which you would expect.

Switching back to the first app loaded out of 10 apps, bang. A refresh of one part of the app with the SE but it's there. YouTube loaded quicker on the SE. Unlocking on the X was slower. The X needs to do better. You're buying for screen size/quality and extra camera performance now. That's it.

Agree with you on the speed.

I think that the screen is probably due for an update though. Unless I'm wrong, it still uses the same screen as the 5S did (maybe even the 5) which is pretty ancient nowadays. No ambient light compensation etc.

And I've always heard that the mechanical moving home buttons have been a high failure rate of iPhones prior to the 7 series. So perhaps we'll see an update to get a 7 series home button in the new device.

Probably the form factor needs a little bit of an update, for marketing reasons. And because I think that Apple weren't really sure if there was much of a market for the device. Do you remember the introduction keynote? Greg J seemed almost dismissive of it.

So I do think that we'll see a new body - Personally, I love the 5 series form factor so much though, it would make me unhappy!

 

[Reno Raines]

I‘m downgrading from an X next week to an SE. So happy.

I did this with my 8. I still have the 8 but went back to my SE for daily use. It was a personal choice for me as I have tiny T-Rex hands and it was easier to hold. I love the 8 and use it for pics and videos.

 

[ataq]

Just setting up my SE with 16GB right now and couldnt be happier... coming from an X with 256GB. I used the X heavily for photos and videos, even with a gimbal and extra lenses (moment lens).
I'm just sick and tired of all the stuff, that distracts me from doing more important stuff in my life like gaining knowledge.

With the SE, I will only have a maximum of 4 apps alongside the preinstalled apps for the rest of 2018.

Edit
I'm trying to update my SE from 10.2 through DFU Mode. Its not possible for me, keep getting error messages etc...I guess its because Apple stopped signing 10.X. Is there any chance to update from 10.2 to 10.3.3? And yes, I don't want iOS 11. Any ideas? Am I stuck on 10.2 for iOS 10?

 

[Richard8655]

Recently bought 2 iPhone SE 32gb’s (AT&T per minute prepaid plan). Basically came to $150 per phone. I thought about waiting for a possible SE 2 announcement. But concluded even if imminent, it’ll be quite a while before the SE 2 trickles down to the current SE discount prices. So grabbed them now.

Very pleased, coming from Lumia 640 Windows Phone.

 

[keatth]

I have an Android phone but also an iPhone SE with a second line, I use it for mail, like the interface a lot better than gmail, and texting my friends since they all have imessage plus it’s nostaloic I love the design the cold hard metal in my hand not hands because i can use it with one comfortably

 

[MartyvH]

So nothing from the March 27 event. The only possibility left is WWDC in June.

The way will be kept clear for the 3 giant models at the main iPhone launch in September. They will not want a new SE model to get in the way then and no one will care anyway, sadly. It's all about X-style phones now.

Hope is definitely fading for a significantly changed new SE. Not that we were desperate when there's the current SE.

 

[Ixon2001]

I agree there is nothing wrong with the current SE & i'm so glad they didn't launch a replacement at the past event.

If we start seeing & hearing more leaks/rumors of the SE2 from now till June then there will more probably be a replacement a WWDC.

Or if it quiet like it has been upto the March 27th event then it looks like it replacement will come in September, as the cheapest version of the 2018 iPhone which won't be SE cheap.

 

[JPack]

If we start seeing & hearing more leaks/rumors of the SE2 from now till June then there will more probably be a replacement a WWDC.

We would have heard something by now. Case manufacturers and accessory makers pay for access to leaks. They pay big bucks to know first. It's too late and quite frankly, it wouldn't make sense to launch at WWDC.

Or if it quiet like it has been upto the March 27th event then it looks like it replacement will come in September, as the cheapest version of the 2018 iPhone which won't be SE cheap.

Zero chance of Apple mixing in a cheap iPhone during a premium iPhone launch event.

It's the same reason why we saw iPad (2017) and (2018) launch separately from iPad Pro.

 

[44267547]

So nothing from the March 27 event. The only possibility left is WWDC in June.

The way will be kept clear for the 3 giant models at the main iPhone launch in September. They will not want a new SE model to get in the way then and no one will care anyway, sadly. It's all about X-style phones now.

Hope is definitely fading for a significantly changed new SE. Not that we were desperate when there's the current SE.

The SE 2 false reality is over. WWDC 2018 for hardware at most would likely be the AirPower possibly launching, and maybe a revised MacBook, but the iPhone Fall Keynote belongs to the new iPhone X three models that have been rumored, alongside the new Apple Watch and perhaps a new iPad and maybe version two of the Airpods.

 

[rmoliv]

I wouldn’t. The screen is too small for my hands and for most of the things I like to do on a smartphone and the phone has an overall cheap feel to it especially the screen which feels plastic-y and kind of hollow. The lack of a good front camera is also disappointing.

 

[madsci954]

I bought a used SE off Swappa about a month ago, it’s been running great on 11.2.6 (just updated to 11.3 last night so I can’t judge it on that version yet but so far so good)

 

[Pennypacker83]

Let me know what you find. I am going to get the lifeproof fre for the summer swimming parties but I haven’t found a slim grippy one for every day use.

Well, after weeks of endless back-and-forth browsing through every webstore imaginable, I finally decided to pull the trigger on Apple's overpriced official leather case. I really hate cases because they always add some weight and bulk -- and you're really going to need a case with SE since it is so fragile and slippery, especially in cold weather -- but this doesn't seem too bad. What do you think guys, should I keep this? The color is not an exact match to my leather watch strap, but will probably get pretty close down the road.

 

[MartyvH]

I really hate cases because they always add some weight and bulk

I was very reluctant to buy a case for that reason. But there is a minimum amount of bulk that it needs to be to protect during drops. If the phone is small already , then it's not that bad. It's alright with my Ringke Fusion Clear case. I miss the feel of the phone without the case, but it has very good protection and I get that excellent feel again when I pop off the case for some reason.

What do you think guys, should I keep this?

If you have looked through every webstore you can find and this one was the contender, it's the one for you. Though I've seen reports and photos from people about that one and it does not age well. But then neither does the Ringke Fusion Clear, it's yellowing from the sun.