The news of Apple releasing a new, cheaper phone this year has in no way been a secret. With so many rumors and speculations, people have pretty much already painted a picture of what this new phone will most likely be. But this week, we finally heard the official news from Apple as they announce their newest, most affordable phone yet, the iPhone SE 2, and it’s essentially an iPhone 8 that is housing the guts of an iPhone 11.
Starting at $399, the iPhone SE 2 is definitely a big step down from Apple’s typical pricing and with the global economy being shaky now due to the Covid19 pandemic, this cheaper priced iPhone couldn’t have come at a better time. So far, the best deal pre-order deal for the iPhone SE is that Best Buy is offering an additional $50 off with activation.
The new iPhone SE basically adapts the design of the iPhone 8 but with upgraded internals. It adopts the same 4.7-inch screen with large bezels on the top and bottom. It also has the physical home button which is equipped with Touch ID and protected by sapphire crystal. It isn’t that surprising that Apple decided to retain this size, though, as they declare it to be the most popular screen size the company has ever sold.
Internally, the device is powered by the latest A13 Bionic chip, the same one they’re using in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro. Additional features include Qi-wireless charging, Wi-Fi 6, LTE-A, and dual SIM capabilities. The new iPhone SE now charges a lot faster than the iPhone 8, thanks to upgraded 18W charging. Apple says that the iPhone SE is capable of charging from 0 to 50 percent in just 30 minutes.
As for its cameras, it houses a single 12-megapixel rear camera and a 7-megapixel front camera. The A13 processor unlocks a couple of new camera features for the rear camera such as Smart HDR that combines a series of photos to enhance its lighting and detail.
It also has “molecular depth-sensing technology” for its Portrait mode which uses machine learning to be able to recognize depth and faces to produce better bokeh. Video features have also been upgraded with the added cinematic video stabilization and support for 4K at 60fps with studio audio recording.
In keeping with Apple’s design trends, there isn’t a headphone jack. Luckily, the device will be shipped with Lightning headphones in the box.
iPhone SE 2 Pre-orders
Pre-orders for the new iPhone SE will start on April 17th with shipping slated around April 24th. The 64GB variant will claim a $399 price tag while the 128GB and 256GB variants will come in at $449 and $549 respectively.
The new iPhone SE will be available to purchase from Verizon, Target, Walmart, Cricket Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile. Best Buy is offering an additional $50 off with activation.