Apple launched the new iPhone SE (2020) without much fanfare back in April and it has gone on sale in several markets worldwide including India. The iPhone SE has been rumoured for quite some time now and it is a great time for an affordable iPhone from Apple. It could be a great first iPhone for those wanting to get onboard the iPhone bandwagon.
Unboxing Video
Box Contents
- iPhone with iOS 13
- EarPods with Lightning Connector
- Lightning to USB Cable
- 5w USB Power Adapter
- Documentation
- SIM ejector pin
iPhone SE 2020 Specifications
- 4.7-inch (1334 x 750 pixels) IPS 326 ppi display, 1400:1 contrast ratio, 625 cd/m2 max brightness
- Six-core A13 Bionic 64-bit processor, 8-core Neural Engine
- 64GB, 128GB and 256GB storage options
- iOS 13
- Dual SIM (nano + eSIM)
- Water and dust resistant (IP67)
- 12MP wide-angle (f/1.8) camera, optical image stabilization, True Tone flash, 4K video recording at 60 fps, Slo‑mo 1080p at 240 fps
- 7MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture, 1080p video recording
- TouchID Fingerprint sensor
- Built‑in stereo speaker
- Dimensions: 138.4x 67.3×7.3mm; Weight:148g
- Gigabit-class 4G LTE up to 1.6Gbps, 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC with reader mode, GPS with GLONASS
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery with Up to 13 hours video playback, Qi wireless charging, 18W fast charging (5w charger in the box)
Initial Impressions
The iPhone SE uses the same chassis of the iPhone 8 from a few years ago blended with the latest internals from last year’s iPhone including the latest A13 Bionic chipset. The glass back is similar to the iPhone 11. The engineering effort is quite commendable. iPhone 7 and 8 cases still work with the iPhone SE. In fact, I had an old battery case meant for the iPhone 7 and it works well on the iPhone SE. Expect to read more about this in the full review.
The familiar home button is back
One of the main highlights of the iPhone SE for me is the TouchID or Fingerprint sensor considering we are forced to wear masks in the current scenario and FaceID can’t be used. TouchID works reliably and is such an underappreciated feature right now.
After using the iPhone SE 2020 for a while, you tend to appreciate how compact the device is and it is refreshing to use it with a single hand. The new iPhone SE is fast, supports Dual SIM functionality, has a decent camera, supports wireless charging, is water resistant, has stereo speakers and a dependable operating system.
There are some compromises however with the iPhone SE. There is no headphone jack and you have to use the lightning port for audio. Although the phone supports fast charging, you only get a 5W charger in the box. You have to settle for a single 12MP rear camera sensor and a familiar design which might bother a few.
The iPhone SE offers near flagship level performance at the mid-range segment and the competition needs to be seriously worried about this new iPhone in town.
The Apple iPhone SE 2020 comes in 3 colour -Black, White and PRODUCT(RED) and starts at Rs. 42,500 for the 64GB version in India compared to $399 (Rs. 30,000 approx). I wish the India pricing was closer to the US pricing but due to our high import taxes, there is a big difference. The device is imported, and we can expect Apple to start manufacturing it in India at some point in the future. If you are on the fence about getting this iPhone, Apple has a Why Upgrade page which lets you compare side by side.
Do stay tuned to FoneArena for the complete review and let us know if you have any questions about the iPhone SE.