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Iphone 5 SE |
I never liked holding the giant iPhone 6 Plus. I could live
with the iPhone 6, and its 4.7-inch screen. But Apple's most comfortable phone
was the 5. It had a slightly larger screen than its predecessors, and could fit
in a pocket. I remember calling it a "discreet smartphone."
At first glance, the price looks like a steal -- but I
wouldn't ever get a 16GB model ($399, £359, AU$679). You need 64. Which sucks,
because that means you're spending an extra $100, £80 or 150 AU dollars. That's
only a "budget" phone by Apple standards.
The iPhone 6S -- which is better than the SE in a few key
areas -- is six months old. And in another six months, it'll get a price drop
when the new 7 and 7 Plus models emerge.
In the meantime, the SE is for anyone who still owns -- and
prefers -- the smaller screen iPhones like 2013's 5S and earlier.
When you're making that decision, It all comes down to
screen. Can you -- or can I -- live with a smaller screen? Maybe you already
have a small-screened phone and don't want anything larger. I lived with the SE
for a few days between Cupertino, New Jersey and Manhattan, trying to go back
to a smaller size. But I realized that, maybe, the SE isn't meant for me. It's
meant for those who didn't want a larger 6S in the first place.
6S features
in a 5S body
Despite the smaller size, Apple didn't skimp on features in
the SE. The iPhone SE delivers nearly every feature of the 6S. And everything
listed in italics is a notable upgrade for anyone coming from an iPhone 5S or
earlier:
4-inch 1136x640 (326 ppi) display
16GB or 64GB storage
A9 processor
2GB RAM
12 megapixel rear camera, 4K video recording, Live Photos
1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, Retina Flash for dim
lighting
Touch ID
Apple Pay
M9 motion coprocessor for fitness tracking
Always-on Siri
802.11ac Wi-Fi, LTE, Voice over LTE, Wi-Fi calling
Colors: space gray, silver, gold, rose gold
The list of 6S features you're not getting is comparatively
small: Except for the obvious screen downgrade --it's smaller, with lower
resolution and less contrast -- the SE has a lower-resolution selfie cam, no
128GB storage option, and no 3D Touch.
Easy reach,
pocket screen
I like where my fingers fall on the screen, and the home
button. This is a one-handed, as-you're-running-to-the-train phone. This is a
standing-in-a-crowded-subway phone. It's a
slip-your-phone-out-and-sneak-a-picture phone. It's a gym-friendly phone.
It's not a good sit-on-a-plane-for-seven-hours phone. Or an
I-do-all-my-work-on-my-phone phone.
I don't care about 3D Touch, which offers you contextual
menus depending on how hard you press the screen. If it mattered more to iOS, I
would. But it's not useful right now. I forget about it. Losing it in the
iPhone SE doesn't feel like a loss.
Battery
life
According to Apple, is better than the iPhone 6S: in
particular, better Web-browsing time (12-13 hours versus 10-11 on 6S) and video
playback (13 hours versus 11). We're still running battery drain tests, but in
my everyday use it worked as well as I'd hoped for a small phone, and lasted an
average day really well.
As I keep using the iPhone SE, I realize how good the camera
is. Its speed and features are identical to that of the iPhone 6S -- which
remains, with the exception of the newer, far more expensive Samsung Galaxy S7
line, the best smartphone camera out there.
THE GOOD Packs
nearly every worthwhile feature (processor, great camera, Apple Pay, always-on
Siri) from iPhone 6S into a smaller, more affordable 4-inch phone. Compatible
with all iPhone 5/5S cases and accessories.
THE BAD Selfie cam
doesn't get a megapixel upgrade, and there's no 3D Touch. Older design, while
still good-looking, is exactly like the older iPhone 5S. Mid-year release means
another iPhone will be coming sooner than later.
THE
BOTTOM LINE While the rest of us wait for the iPhone 7 later this year,
the iPhone SE is a great choice for small phone fans looking for an 'iPhone 6S
Mini.'
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