The IPhone SE's Still A Safe Buy For 2023 And 2024
iPhone SE 2022
Following recent reports that the iPhone SE is no longer planned for a 2024 launch, there's more conformation that the current SE is a safe buy: after speaking with multiple supply chain firms in Asia, Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley have told their customers that the 2024 iPhone SE isn't happening. The decision is apparently down to issues with developing an in-house 5G modem for the phone.
The report comes via MacRumors, who add that multiple other sources do not expect the next iPhone SE to launch until 2025 at the earliest.
The most recent iPhone SE was launched in 2022, so it's still very much current. Inside there's an Apple A15 processor, the same processor that you'll find inside the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus. So power-wise it's quite the performer.
The key difference between the SE and the other iPhones is the design. As we said in our review, "The 4.7-inch screen on the iPhone SE (2022) is, by the standards of basically any other phone being released today, itsy-bitsy. Teeny-weeny, even." The standard iPhone display is just over six inches, and by comparison the SE feels impossibly small.
That was the key change expected in the next SE, which multiple reports said would get bigger – to a 6.1 inch display, the same as the iPhone 14 – and would also get a different external design with Face ID. The SE (2022) still has the big-chinned design to accommodate the Home button with Touch ID, something that's no longer in the rest of the iPhone range. The next SE was also expected to get a better camera than the current single rear camera, which lacks Night Mode.
For now, the SE remains Apple's best budget buy: here in the UK it's £449 without contract, compared to £649 for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini. So provided you don't mind the small size – which I know many people still prefer to larger-screened phones – and relatively lacklustre camera, it remains a good buy in 2023.
Whether we can say the same next year I'm not so sure – the iPhone 12 is likely to drop out of the line-up when the iPhone 15 launches, so I'd expect the iPhone 13 to become Apple's second most affordable iPhone. As you'll see from our iPhone SE vs iPhone 13 comparison, the differences between the two iPhones go far beyond the price.
IPhone 15 Mini: Will Apple Ever Make Another Small IPhone? – IMore
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works.Opinion: Size does matter.When the iPhone debuted in June 2007, it had a 3.5-inch screen that you could cover with your thumb, and I want this screen size to come back to the iPhone 15 and beyond.The smaller form factor came back in 2020 with the iPhone 12 mini, which housed a 5.4-inch display, and thanks to the newer design with the notch and FaceID, it was still bigger than the iPhone 4 and smaller iPhones of old.However, just a year later the iPhone 13 mini was the last of these to arrive from Apple, allegedly due to low sales, and ended up being replaced by the iPhone 14 Plus in October 2022.Famously, Apple CEO Steve Jobs once said in 2010 that 4 inches for a phone was a perfect size, and anything bigger was a waste of time. "You can't get your hand around it, no one is going to buy that."While the rumored sizes and design of the iPhone 15 are seemingly locked in, I'd still love to see a mini version of the iPhone 15 Pro, as, to me anyway, it's one of the best sizes of an iPhone you could buy back in 2021.Ever since the 'phablet' trend began with the Samsung Galaxy Note and its 5.3-inch display, Apple had been asked whether a bigger iPhone was ever going to arrive. Eventually, it complied with the iPhone 5 in 2012, which had a 4-inch tall screen.But it was the iPhone 6 series in 2014 that brought a 4.7-inch display and a 5.5-inch display for the iPhone 6 Plus, features that helped it become one of the best-selling iPhones ever.Fast forward to the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max in 2018, and you had a phone that was almost approaching the 7.9-inch size of the iPad mini, thanks to the (almost) all-screen front, with FaceID and the front camera housed in the controversial notch.Thankfully, features such as Reachability, introduced with the iPhone 6, have since allowed you to double-tap the home button, or swipe down on the home bar on iPhone X and above to reach the top half of these larger displays with one hand.However, it turned out that I didn't have to wait much longer for a smaller iPhone to arrive.
I was surprised that Apple announced a mini version of the iPhone 12 back in 2020, despite the constant rumors at the time that all but confirmed the 5.4-inch phone was in the works.Here, you got the latest iPhone with FaceID, a dual-camera system, Retina display, and more, all in a smaller phone that felt about the same as an iPhone 4. At the time, I was just halfway through my phone contract, so I was unable to upgrade, but if I could, I would have bought a 256GB iPhone 12 mini without question.The iPhone 13 mini carried this on, and while I was hoping for an iPhone 14 Pro mini, the writing was on the wall for the mini iPhone, and it was scrapped in 2022, having been replaced with the iPhone 14 Plus.It was a shame, as, while bigger screens can help make your videos, photos, and other apps look great on a Super Retina XDR display, there's a lot to be said in being able to use your thumb for the whole phone, instead of shuffling your hand to use all of it.However, as rumors of the iPhone 15 series are mostly pointing toward hardware improvements and an exclusive color option, all I really want is a smaller iPhone.Ironically, I'm already saving for an iPhone 15 Pro Max, because I want to take advantage of the best camera allegedly coming to the biggest iPhone. But I'll always be a fan of the mini iPhone size of 2021, as I love the idea of the three-camera lens and a darker red in a 5.4-inch display that I can use with just my thumb.Maybe I could ask Tim Cook nicely someday for a limited edition size, but I don't believe two sizes fit all. It would be great to have 3 different sizes for each iPhone instead, so you can pick between small, medium, and large.I still see users on a train with the first-generation iPhone SE, which housed the power of the iPhone 6S within the design of the iPhone 5S, but when I asked one about why they still had one in 2023 recently, they said it was solely because of the size.Granted, I don't expect Apple to go backward on its decision to replace the iPhone mini size with the iPhone 14 Plus, but there'll always be an opportunity for the smaller design with the latest internals, and if it ever happened again, I'd upgrade in a heartbeat.No. While Apple released the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini respectively in 2020 and 2021, low sales allegedly made the company decide to scrap this size and focus on a Plus model, which is what we got in 2022 with the iPhone 14 Plus. Rumors indicate Apple plans to replicate the current iPhone 14 lineup with the iPhone 15 when it comes to sizes and models. Our news, reviews, opinions, and easy to follow guides can turn any iPhone owner into an Apple aficionadoDaryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use everyday to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64 and Daily Star.IPhone 15 release could be delayed until OctoberiPhone 15 battery upgrade could unlock 40W charging speeds and a big MagSafe boostThe iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could be in short supply thanks to this key componentBy Oliver HaslamJuly 19, 2023By Gerald LynchJuly 19, 2023By Oliver HaslamJuly 19, 2023By Oliver HaslamJuly 19, 2023By Daryl BaxterJuly 19, 2023By Oliver HaslamJuly 19, 2023By John-Anthony DisottoJuly 19, 2023By Tammy RogersJuly 19, 2023By John-Anthony DisottoJuly 19, 2023By Tammy RogersJuly 19, 2023By Oliver HaslamJuly 18, 2023iMore is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
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Forget IPhone 15 — This New IPhone Vision Concept Is Simply Stunning
It's not even August yet and I'm already getting pretty bored with the rumors and leaks around the new iPhone 15. Did you hear it might get USB-C and have a Dynamic Island? Yawn.
As we wait to see what Tim Cook has in store for the Apple September event, I'm more excited about this artist-made iPhone Vision concept, which has far-fetched specs but a design that actually excites me.
iPhone Vision: Back screen on board (Image credit: ADR Studio Design / Antonio De Rosa)Made by ADR Studio and Antonio De Rosa and spotted by BGR, the iPhone Vision concept features a very intriguing back screen that makes it easy to access notifications and widgets without having to flip over your phone. I'm also presuming that you would be able to use this small display for framing up selfies using the more powerful back cameras.
Based on the use cases illustrated in this concept, the iPhone Vision's rear display would be able to show you music playback status, memoji, your activity status and more.
M2 and R1 chipsAnother interesting thing about this concept is that has a dual chip system, just like the upcoming Apple Vision Pro headset, featuring both M2 and R1 silicon. The R1 chip is supposed to be used for real-time processing tasks, so having a similar setup on a new iPhone could save battery life.
(Image credit: ADR Studio / Antonio De Rosa ) Liquid Lens and periscope camerasCameras are where things get even more interesting. The iPhone Vision concept features both a Liquid Lens for high-res photography and a Periscopic Lens "offering exceptional zoom capabilities."
As I said in my hands-on with the Vision Pro, being able to capture and play back 3D photos and videos using the same device is very impressive. But I wouldn't want to be the person doing that at a family party. So why not bestow those capabilities on a new iPhone so you can be much more discreet?
(Image credit: ADR Studio / Antonio De Rosa ) Waterfall displayOne iPhone Vision feature that sounds cooler in principle than practice is the so-called waterfall display. I'm all for an "immersive edge-to-edge viewing experience" but not if the display curve makes it harder to operate the phone and results in accidental touches.
Theoretical specs such as 1,800 nits of HDR brightness and 2,200 nits of peak brightness outdoors sound great, though. By comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro Max reached up to 1,565 nits of brightness when playing HDR content in our testing.
Space AudioI've never had any complaints about the sound on my iPhone, but the Space Audio feature on this iPhone Vision concept piques my interest. This prominent raised area on the back of the iPhone is designed to produce "crisp and clear surround sound."
So I'm assuming you would be able to enjoy Apple's Spatial audio without having to wear the AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Max.
Bottom line: It's time for Apple to take some risksI'm pretty sure Apple isn't making a foldable phone like an iPhone Flip anytime soon, while there's patents that show that the company is at least exploring a rollable iPhone design.
But that doesn't mean there isn't still room to innovate with the iPhone's current slab design. Even if all the specs and features here are not realistic for the short term, I'd really like to see a new iPhone take some real risks when it comes to phone design — just like the iPhone X did half-a-decade ago.
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