After years of releasing smartphones with four-figure price tags, Apple has released a low cost iPhone model, which is identified as the ‘most affordable iPhone on Apple market’.
This, according to reports, appears to be an obvious effort to broaden its customer base, giving its new customers the self-actualization of being part of the ‘iPhone gang’.
No thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic the world is presently fighting against, Apple launched the new iPhone SE through a virtual presentation with reporters on Wednesday morning rather than the usual manner of calling in journalists from around the world to a congregate at the Steve Jobs Theater.
During the presentation, the company announced a new version of the iPhone SE, which was previously launched in 2016.
It said during the launch that it has decided to maintain the price of the original first generation SE which cost $399 four year ago.
According to Apple, the second-generation SE model starts at just $399, far lesser than the entry-level price of iPhone 11, which costs $699, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which starts at $1099 which were both released on 20th September 2019.
The release is coming at a time least expected as Apple is known for launching its products at the later part of every year, mostly the month of September.
However, this could a new trend for the company as the original SE was also released in March 2016, as against September or October that every other products were usually released.
The new iPhone SE isn’t called the iPhone 9, as some had expected, but called the SE which is a newer version of the SE first released in 2016, of which we are yet to know what SE stands for.
iPhone SE, just like the original one, comprises specifications from iPhone 8, iPhone 11 and iPhone XR.
If you’re familiar with the design of the iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6S and iPhone 6, then you already know what the new iPhone SE looks like. It maintained and improved on the outlook of the new iPhone SE.
It is compatible with all iPhone 8 cases, though backwards. And it has the same 4.7-inch Retina HD Display as found on the last 4.7-inch model (1334 x 750) with a 326 pixels per inch sharpness.
At 4.7 inches, the new SE is smaller than the latest lineup of iPhones, but comes with the same fast processor that’s in the 11 Pro. It also offers a Retina HD display, 4K video and a home button that enables TouchID, single-camera system (similar to that of XR) and also dust and water resistant.
The smaller size, display choice and Touch ID feature may help keep the cost down but could turn off customers who are accustomed to the current lineup of bigger iPhones with higher pixel density and an option to unlock via facial recognition.
In tweet, CEO of Apple Tim Cook called it the “best single-camera system ever in an iPhone.” It has the same battery life as the iPhone 8.
The lower price point could allow Apple to attract more customers in both the US and internationally and better compete with Android-based manufacturers like Google and Samsung, which already offer cheaper iPhone alternatives.
The iPhone SE, which comes in white, black and red, is available for pre-order starting Friday and ships to customers on April 24.
