"SE" stands for special edition. Apple release the SE separately to their main product line (iPhone 11, 12, 13 etc.), as a cheaper alternative; without the usual design features and hardware upgrades seen on their flagship models. The original SE was released in 2016.
The main reason for the lower cost is that the SE reuses a lot of the same components from older models, particularly the iPhone 8, which was released in 2017. The display and front camera are identical, whilst the charging port, rear camera and housing are just slightly modified. A lot of the chips and board components are also the same. This means significantly reduced research and manufacturing costs.
The SE sets itself apart with the its A13 processor, which is faster and smarter the the A11 processor in the 8.
The SE was released for $399 in the US. Compare this with the $1000+ price tag on premium models, and it's a much more affordable option. Interestingly, Apple do make a smaller profit margin on the SE. By keeping the price low, Apple gains exposure to price sensitive markets such as China and India, which have previously been dominated by cheap Android phones. It also encourages cost-conscious consumers in Western countries to enter the Apple ecosystem.
For most users, the SE 2020 is a great value option. Many of our customers actually prefer the older, more compact design with Touch ID, versus the newer, heavier models that use Face ID.
In their bid to destroy third-party repair and maximize revenue, the Company has introduced the following new restrictions:
- Replacing the front camera causes the camera to glitch.
- Replacing front sensor flex disables auto brightness, front portrait and cinematic modes.
- Replacing the screen will disable Face ID.
- Swapping the board, battery, screen and cameras will result in error messages, and cause the front camera to become unstable.
At this rate, its only a a matter of time until replacing the SIM tray or removing a screw will brick the device 😅
Imagine taking your car to get new tires at a 3rd party repair shop and, upon completion of the job, the seats no longer recline, the windshield wipers don't work, and the air con doesn't function - at which point the manufacturer suggests that you have to buy a new car.
You can no longer own an iPhone. Instead, you pay a fortune to rent a device until you're forced into getting the next one 😒
The direction that Apple has taken in recent years with regard to privacy, consumer rights, product quality and environmental sustainability is stunningly bad.
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A new proposal from the EU states that all smartphones sold in Europe will have to use USB-C charging.
This means that Apple will have to eliminate the lightning cable/port, which is still used on all iPhones and some iPads.
This is beneficial to the consumer, as USB-C charges and transfers data faster.
People also want the convenience and consistency of having one cable to charge and connect all of their devices.
USB-C is also considerably cheaper; as unlike lightning; it's universal meaning many manufacturers (Samsung, Google, Huawei etc.) produce them, whereas Apple can inflate the price of their charging equipment.
Disposal of unused charging cables generates more than 11,000 tonnes of waste per year. Switching all smartphones, tablets, cameras, speakers and other devices to USB-C will be a win for the environment.
These things usually take a little while to come in to effect. You can probably expect to see USB-C on iPhones by 2024.
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