iPhone SE series – Apple budget Phones

Introduction  

Over the years, the iPhone brand has maintained the gold standard for phones, setting the bar for innovation and class. The premium experience the iPhone ecosystem has created comes at a price that leaves a lot of smartphone users behind. Comscore reported that an average iPhone user earns about $85,000 yearly, which is 25% of the income earned. The iPhone SE (special edition) is Apple bringing class to budget phones; it was the tech giant’s attempt at breaking into the mid-range category and fighting for larger market shares In difficult terrains like India and China. Let’s view its journey so far.

iPhone SE (1st generation)

Released on March 31, 2016, with design and dimensions that mirrored the iPhone 5s’ light one-hand use. The device was a massive hit among smartphone users, majorly due to its lightweight design and easy-to-use OS. It was introduced at an event hosted at Apple Campus, and while describing the device, Apple executive Greg Joswiak called it “the most powerful four-inch phone ever.” The device was a statement to other mid-range competitors. It was like the company was saying they could eat them in their game.

• it featured the speed of the iPhone 6s with the A9 chip and an even longer battery life.
• It also had a 12-megapixel rear camera that records 4K videos. The release was a revelation and a huge success, selling more than 50 million units by 2020.

iPhone SE (2nd generation) 

Released on April 24, 2020, alongside the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro/Pro Max models. It was a breath of fresh air for budget phones featuring the same wild A13 processor as the flagship 11 model, which cost twice its price. The design and dimensions maintained the pattern of the SE and mirrored after the iPhone 8. The increased dimensions of the devices made it clear that Apple, like many other smartphone giants at the time, was permanently ditching the small, compact phones. It didn’t compromise on quality with features like:

• 12 MP camera features
• IP67 dust and water protection
• iOS 13 software. Let’s say it defined value for money.

iPhone SE (3rd generation) 

Released on March 18, 2022, with the same focus as the previous generations—class at a dime. It maintained the design and dimensions of the previous generation but saw decent upgrades. It was launched together with the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini and the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max models.

• An A15 processor that was 1.2x faster
• 5G connectivity
• iOS 15.4 with available upgrades to 16
• Battery capacity upgrades to 2,018 mAh. The new features were adept to the growing demands of the modern tech world.

  

  image credit: Apple iPhone SE

The future of the iPhone SE

At the time of publication, rumors were high that Apple was due to release a new entry to the iPhone SE series. After 3 years, the long-awaited mobile is expected to fill a missing gap in Apple’s technological innovation that the SE series has been missing. Features like an IP68 waterproof rating, an OLED screen, and a better processor chip. The phone is said to feature a design upgrade from its predecessors, introducing:

• Face ID
• A single-lens camera with 48MP.
• Powered by the new A18 chip, allowing for artificial intelligence features to meet growing demand.
• Battery life leaps to a 3,279 mAh all-day battery. The biggest doubt is in the pricing, as some experts predict that the new release might leave the usual budget-friendly range.

Conclusion 

The iPhone SE has defined consumer-centric products in the modern age, allowing the tech giant to expand to competitive markets like Asia, where they previously struggled. find out more about Apple’s struggles in a competitive market here
The SE series went from compact dynamite to standard gold. The biggest achievement of the devices was the statement they aided Apple in making—a statement of their inability to make a bad smartphone irrespective of the price, quality, or marketing frenzy. The SE series has, therefore, enlarged the ecosystem of the iPhone brand and also created a huge tussle, pushing other brands to invest in the innovation of budget phones.

Sources:

Business Standard

Wikipedia