The iPhone SE is still going. Holding out against its big-screen siblings, this 4-inch handset continues to offer a compact, one-handed use guarantee no other current iPhone can muster.
Update: We're still waiting for the long-rumored launch of the iPhone SE 2, but the longer we wait the more unlikely it seems that it'll ever arrive. For now, your only option for a compact iPhone is the original SE.
It is getting long in the tooth though, having launched over two years ago, which means when compared to the likes of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X it's significantly under-powered and feature-sparse.
Yet, it's still a more than viable option for those looking for a low-cost iPhone, or a compact Apple handset. It's been updated to iOS 11 - the latest software from Apple - and unlike the X, it has a Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
iPhone SE price and availability
- iPhone SE release date: March 2016
- 32GB iPhone SE price: $349 (£349, AU$549)
- 128GB iPhone SE price: $449 (£449, AU$699)
At launch the iPhone SE price was $399 (£379, AU$679) for the 16GB model and $449 (£429, $AU749) if you choose the larger 64GB option - although things have changed since March 2016.
The iPhone SE is no longer available in 16GB and 64GB variants, with Apple instead offering the handset in more appealing 32GB and 128GB capacities.
While the storage sizes have increased, the price has dropped slightly for the 32GB iPhone SE with a price of $349 (£349, AU$549), while the 128GB model will set you back $449 (£449, AU$699).
Its still widely available both on Apple's own site, and via major retailers and carriers around the world, so you shouldn't have too much trouble picking one up.
- Check out the best plans around at our dedicated iPhone SE deals page.
Fancy seeing the iPhone SE in action? We've filmed a video review of the palm-friendly iPhone for that exact reason - watch it below.
Key features
- All the power of a larger iPhone in a smaller chassis
- Camera is strong - on a par with the iPhone 6S
- Lack of 3D Touch is disappointing and would have worked well here
- Battery life is significantly longer than iPhone 5 / 5S
Besides price (the iPhone SE is the cheapest Apple handset on the market, after all) the key selling point with this new phone is the design. The chassis is precisely the same as on the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, and beyond coming in rose gold, doesn't offer anything new at all.
That said, so many people are looking at the iPhone's evolution to the 4.7-inch display of the 6, 6S, 7 and 8 and scrunched their noses up a bit, not wanting to make the leap to the larger size of screen (and that's before we even get into the Plus size models).
The iPhone SE is designed to be easily operated with one hand, the 4-inch screen sitting just at the edge of a thumb stretch, and Apple is banking on this fact keeping the handset current.
IPHONE SE SPECS
Weight: 113g
Dimensions: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm
OS: iOS 9.3.2
Screen size: 4-inch
Resolution: 640 x 1136
CPU: Apple A9
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB / 128GB
Battery: 1624mAh
Rear camera: 12MP
Front camera: 1.2MP
Dimensions: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm
OS: iOS 9.3.2
Screen size: 4-inch
Resolution: 640 x 1136
CPU: Apple A9
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB / 128GB
Battery: 1624mAh
Rear camera: 12MP
Front camera: 1.2MP
However, internally things are genuinely supercharged, a world away from the innards stuffed into the handset from a few years back. The camera had an overhaul, coming with the 12MP iSight sensor found in iPhone 6S, and offering the same array of tricks.
That means Focus Pixels to offer clearer and faster autofocus, the improved two-tone flash and Live Photos, where a small amount of video is captured with every photo taken. 4K video recording and ultra-slo-mo movie modes really help sweeten the deal too.
The power of the iPhone SE is something to behold as well - it's as powerful as the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus thanks to having the A9 chip, the M9 co-processor and 2GB of RAM.
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Compare that to the A7 chip with a measly 1GB of RAM from the iPhone 5S and side by side they're absolutely night and day in terms of speed and battery life management.
The M9 co-processor is an important element too, telling the phone when it should be heading into a dormant mode thanks to being sat quietly on a desk or in a pocket, which prevents the battery-hungry pings that lead to the red line of doom and you needing to reach for the charger at 6PM.
Battery life is impressive on the phone, especially when you consider there are only a few mAh added in here, from 1,560mAh to 1,624mAh, and with no increase to the size of the chassis at all, this is a really impressive feat and addresses one of the key concerns we had with the iPhone 5S.
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