Buzz
Apple Finally Unveils the New iPhone SE
Is the iPhone SE 2020 Worth Buying?
Is it worth buying the new iPhone SE?
1. The new iPhone SE lacks the U1 chip
The second-generation iPhone SE 2020 boasts several latest technologies inside it, but it lacks an important chip that Apple introduced on the iPhone 11, namely the U1 chip with Ultra-wideband bandwidth technology.
According to Apple, the U1 chip enables the iPhone to 'understand its precise location relative to other U1-equipped Apple devices nearby'. This means the new iPhone SE won't excel in sharing AirDrop, as well as visualizing an indoor location and spatial data on digital maps like the iPhone 11, but more importantly, the SE may not work well with Apple's rumored Bluetooth trackers. Similar to Tile Tracker, devices will use the U1 chip to locate lost items with high accuracy, even indoors. The iPhone SE may need to rely on older Bluetooth, which will make it less accurate.
2. New iPhone SE is speedy but lacks the fastest wireless antennas
The new iPhone SE comes with high-speed Wi-Fi 6 and gigabit-class LTE, but it's not exactly the same as the system on the iPhone 11. The modems on Apple's latest phone models use a 4x4 MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antenna system, while the iPhone SE's antennas only support 2x2 MIMO. That means download speeds will be slightly slower.
3. New iPhone SE has a better camera than iPhone XR but not as good as iPhone 11
The camera on the iPhone SE may have similar technical specifications to the iPhone 8: 8-12MP, f/1.8, but it has been improved, bringing portrait mode with depth control, Portrait Lighting, the latest Smart HDR, and QuickTake video. It lacks Night Mode and AI-supported Deep Fusion, so low-light photos won't look as good as on the iPhone 11, that's for sure.
4. AppleCare+ comes at an incredibly affordable price
Since our phones are mostly made of glass and accompany us everywhere, offering an insurance policy is not a bad idea. AppleCare+ is always a great choice, with relatively small upfront costs and low deductibles for accident damage, theft, and loss.
But on the iPhone SE, it's cheaper than ever. For the iPhone 8, Apple charges $129 for AppleCare+ and $199 for AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage, but the iPhone SE is only $79 and $149 for the respective services. You'll still pay $29 for screen repairs (up to 2 incidents), but now the cost for a complete replacement is $149, $50 less than the iPhone 8.
5. Pay for layovers in NYC even when it's powerless
With the iPhone XS, Apple introduced a new feature called Power Reserve, allowing users to use Apple Pay for transit payments via the NFC chip on the phone even when the battery is depleted. This feature is limited to places that accept Express Transit (only NYC and Portland in the U.S.), but it will work for up to 5 hours after your iPhone SE screen goes dark.
6. Regardless of the color you choose, the front always remains black
The iPhone SE 2020 may come in 3 colors, including the new Product Red variant, but all three models have a black front. That makes it the only device with a home button that doesn't feature a color-matched white front.
7. You can use 2 phone numbers
It's impossible on the iPhone 8. You can have 2 phone numbers on the SE thanks to Dual SIM support, with one traditional nano SIM and one eSIM for separating work and personal use. You'll need a network that supports it.
8. 3D Touch has bid farewell forever
The iPhone 8 was the last phone to use 3D Touch, Apple's pressure-sensitive sensor system for interacting with icons and links. We held onto a glimmer of hope for 3D Touch on the iPhone SE, but despite having a screen identical to the iPhone 8, Apple opted for Haptic Touch. You'll still be able to long-press on the screen to access menus, but you won't be able to peek at links by pressing harder.
9. You can't use Animoji or create Memoji
The iPhone SE 2020's front camera features portrait mode and Portrait Lighting like the iPhone 11, but lacks TrueDepth support for Face ID, so you can't send Animoji or Memoji to friends.
Should you buy the new iPhone SE or not? Well, the answer depends on everyone's budget and preferences. With an affordable price tag yet packing a powerful A13 Bionic chip, the fastest chip, and a decent single-camera system, the new iPhone SE is definitely a phone many desire to own.
Additionally, there are now some rumors about the iPhone SE 3 - one of the upgrades from the iPhone SE (2020) will feature the latest iOS 15 update along with the A14 Bionic Chip and 5G support. With these upgrades, the price of the iPhone SE 3 is sure not to be too cheap. Although this is not yet official information, you can also find out more through the article below from Mytour about this iPhone SE 3.
- Discover now: iPhone SE 3 price
