Again within the heady days of early 2016, Apple did the surprising and launched a real price range iPhone. It was known as the iPhone SE.  

Now greater than seven years on, it’s now been added to Apple’s official record of out of date units, making it a classic Cupertino smartphone. So pour one out for the SE, because it was, and nonetheless is, fairly an vital cellphone. 

The primary iPhone that I’d have deemed inexpensive, really handed me by initially. I’d absolutely embraced Android telephones and felt like there have been higher price range alternate options to a $399 / £359 cellphone that lacked a number of the options low-cost telephones had. 

However I’d missed the purpose. 

iPhone entry granted

What the iPhone SE represented was an inexpensive and simple method to get into Apple’s enviable app and {hardware} ecosystem, which with the likes of the Apple Watch coming the 12 months earlier than, was beginning to construct out at a very good tempo.

For an affordable sum, albeit not tremendous low-cost, iPhone SE customers gained entry to Apple’s spectacular native apps, sturdy iOS working system, a curated and slightly safe App Retailer, a robust chipset (the identical because the iPhone 6S collection that got here out some six months earlier than it), in addition to entry to unique connectivity options like AirPlay and Apple Pay. So the place as soon as Apple units have been firmly on the premium finish of the cell market, the (arguably) most iconic Apple machine because the iPod was put into the attain of much more folks.

And I credit score the iPhone SE for bringing the likes of the Google Pixel A-series to the market; Google’s price range take by itself in-house designed cellphone was launched in October 2016.

Google has since run with the concept of taking flagship-grade options and pushing them into an inexpensive cellphone, the most recent instance being the Pixel 7a, typically trumping most of the different greatest low-cost telephones 12 months in, 12 months out. However I do really feel Apple set a precedent for others to observe.

SE-eking success

The unique iPhone SE was bought for 3 years earlier than being put out to pasture in September 2018. It was changed by the iPhone SE 2 in 2020, which constructed upon the formulation, taking some {hardware} and software program options from the high-end iPhones and filtering it into the SE.

Arguably, a number of the magic had been misplaced with the second-generation SE. It used a slightly archaic design, although the inclusion of Contact ID nonetheless had some attraction, and caught with a single rear digital camera whereas different telephones in the identical value bracket had extra. However the usage of a robust chipset and spectacular digital camera efficiency maintained the SE’s attraction.

In 2022 the iPhone SE three arrived, however felt a bit like a let down. It has the identical now historic aesthetic of its predecessor and its {hardware} didn’t notably excite. Some, together with me, had hoped for a design that was nearer to the iPhone 12 or iPhone 13.

And now we sit ready for hints and rumors of an iPhone SE 4. Thus far these have been few and much between. And with Apple providing a mixture of financing choices it could possibly be argued it doesn’t have to have a notably cheaper iPhone anymore.

However, I really feel the iPhone SE left a mark and was an indication that Apple may produce a tool that didn’t have to torpedo one’s financial institution stability. And I believe it was a get up name for different large cellphone makers to make compelling price range telephones.

Within the meantime, I maintain out hope for a next-generation iPhone SE that may delight and shock me… sooner slightly than later.

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