iPhone SE review: Does size matter?
The landscape of the smartphone market has been quite clear for over two years now, screens have been getting bigger and what was once known as a “phablet” and slightly scoffed at is now the standard size for a flagship device.
So you might have raised an eyebrow when reading that Apple’s newest iPhone comes with a 4-inch display – a screen size last used on one of its phones in 2013 – and you’d be forgiven for wondering what the thinking is.
It’s a question Apple made a conscious effort to answer when announcing the iPhone SE, explaining that despite the mammoth sales of the over 5-inch iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (followed by the 6s and 6s Plus), the company still sold “over 30 million” 4-inch display iPhones in 2015.
Apple says the appeal for smaller devices remains, and it wants to tap into that by offering up the SE as an identical twin of its last 4-inch device, the 5s, but with many of the features in the current generation 6s.
So the iPhone SE is aiming to be a familiar yet powerful and affordable alternative to Apple’s flagship iPhone – prices start at £359, which is £20 cheaper than the 5s when it launched.
Has it managed it?
Design
The reason the iPhone SE looks and feels so familiar is because it is almost identical to the 5s. The brushed aluminium body, thicker than that of the 6 and 6s, also sees the return of the circular volume button and the sleep/wake button is back at the top of the device.
The thick white panels at the top and bottom of the rear of the phone are also the same as the 5s, and it weighs just a gram more than the 5s too.
A couple of aesthetic tweaks have been added though, the matte-chamfered edges are smoother and slightly more curved off than previous 4-inch iPhones, and the Apple logo on the back is colour-matched stainless steel.
Unlike the 5s, the SE also comes in rose gold, the on-trend colour in technology, and it looks fantastic here as the stand-finish of the four available.
That minimal weight difference is also impressive because this phone houses the same key components as the iPhone 6s. That means a 12 megapixel rear-facing camera (compared to 8mp in the 5s), the same powerful 64-bit A9 processor chip, and the M9 coprocessor used to track movement.
The camera can also shoot and play back 4K video, which combined with the still image capabilities makes the SE an appealing prospect for photo and video alone – one of the main reasons anyone buys a smartphone.
Size
If you have been using the larger-screened iPhones, the jump back to a smaller display can be a surreal experience. Being used to so much screen space, the compact display can seem too small, the keyboard too cramped, leading to more typos.
Also, watch out for your app icons spilling over on to another screen because you have less rows on each.
But little things like this are offset by the ability to easily reach anywhere on the screen to tap comfortably – not always possible on larger devices.
The way in which the SE fits into your hand is also good, it feels grippable and much less like a bar of soap in the way the 6s can at times.
Performance
The iPhone 5s was the phone that introduced Apple users to Touch ID, the fingerprint scanner that has since become a security tool for unlocking the device as well as a payment method.
It’s on the SE too, as is the near-field communication chip that means you can use Apple Pay to make contactless payments.
It’s the first device not in the iPhone 6 range to support it, and it’s compact size lends itself well to tapping in and out on transport systems or at checkouts.
As well as 4K capabilities in the camera, the SE also supports Live Photos, images that come to life when you press and hold on the screen.
On the subject of press and hold, one thing missing from the SE is 3D Touch, the pressure sensitive screen that Apple placed in the 6s.
Battery life on the SE, despite all these new additions, has actually slightly improved too, offering an extra 10 hours of audio playback compared to the 5s, and at least two hours more of talk time and web-browsing on both data and WiFi.
The latest version of iOS 9 – 9.3 – comes as standard too, and this includes the new Night Shift mode, a feature that lowers the blue light in the screen at night, supposedly aiding sleep in the process.
Verdict
There can be no doubt that the iPhone SE has a place in Apple’s line-up. This is not a phone for everyone – if you’re already using one of the 6 or 6s lines there is little reason to take what could feel like a sidestep.
But for those users out there still on an iPhone 5s or earlier – of which there are still millions – the iPhone SE represents a great opportunity to upgrade to the latest features without having to give up anything they’re used to in terms of design – and without breaking the bank.
Don’t be fooled by the familiar look – this is a very impressive smartphone with camera features and other components on a par with many of the flagship phones out there.
It’s a small and subtle but impressive addition to the iPhone line-up.
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