iPhone SE: Forget the X, Apple's cheapest phone gets cheaper – CNET
iPhone SE: Forget the X, Apple’s cheapest phone gets cheaper
The iPhone X made waves for its design and price, but Apple also made its most affordable phone cheaper than ever.
The iPhone SE is small compared to most phones, and the product lines harken back to iPhones of old.
Sarah Tew/CNETOn Tuesday, Apple held an event to announce the long rumored iPhone X. At $999, £999 and AU$1,579, it is the most expensive iPhone ever released.
Apple has been criticized for the high prices of its products, which are affordable only to the few who can afford it. Earlier this week, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook addressed the issue in an interview with Fortune.
“You can buy an iPad today for under $300. You can buy an iPhone, depending upon which one you select, in that same kind of ballpark,” said Cook. “And so these are not for the rich.”
Whatever you think of Apple’s prices, there is some truth to what Cook said. At that same event, Apple quietly reduced the price of the iPhone SE to $349, £349 and AU$549, making it the cheapest iPhone Apple has ever sold.
True, the iPhone X and SE are very different iPhones. But that still doesn’t mean the SE is obsolete. Especially since there’s a lot to like about the SE.
With a 4-inch display, the SE is one of the smallest, most pocket-friendly phones you can buy. It has TouchID, ApplePay, a headphone jack (which later iPhones lack) and it will be able to run iOS 11 when it’s released on Sept. 19.
In May, CNET editor Scott Stein took second look at the phone and was impressed with the SE’s performance and how it kept up in daily use against the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. He acknowledged that the small, “nifty” design will immediately appeal to some while others might be turned off by its older iPhone 5S looks.
If you’re still not feeling the SE and are willing to trade in those iOS iMessage blue bubbles for Android, you’ll find even cheaper options that are just as capable, if not more so, like the Motorola Moto G5 Plus or the Alcatel Idol 5S.
But for those looking specifically for a new iPhone that won’t break the bank, the SE is your best bet.
iPhone models and prices
| iPhone SE | iPhone 6S/6S Plus | iPhone 7/7 Plus | iPhone 8/8 Plus | iPhone X | |
| Storage | 32GB, 128GB | 32GB, 128GB | 32GB, 128GB | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB |
| Display size | 4-inch | 4.7-inch, 5.5-inch (Plus model) | 4.7-inch, 5.5-inch (Plus model) | 4.7-inch, 5.5-inch (Plus model) | 5.8-inch |
| Camera(s) | 12-megapixel | 12-megapixel, dual 12-megapixel (Plus model) | 12-megapixel, dual 12-megapixel (Plus model) | 12-megapixel, dual 12-megapixel (Plus model) | Dual 12-megapixel |
| Front-facing camera | 1.2-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 7-megapixel | 7-megapixel | 7-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K (720p front-facing) | 4K (720p front-facing) | 4K (1080p front-facing) | 4K (1080p front-facing) | 4K (1080p front-facing) |
| Processor | A9 | A9 | A10 | A11 | A11 |
| Fingerprint sensor | Touch ID home button | Touch ID home button | Touch ID solid-state home button | Touch ID solid-state home button | None |
| ApplePay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes | Yes | None | None | None |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning | Lightning | Lightning | Lightning |
| Special features | – | 3D Touch | 3D Touch, water/dust resistant | 3D Touch, water/dust resistant | FaceID, 3D Touch, water/dust resistant |
| Base model price | 32GB — $349, £349, AU$549 | 32GB — $449, £449, AU$699 | 32GB — $549, £549, AU$849 | 64GB — $699, £699, AU$1,079 | 64GB — $999, £999, AU$1,229 |
| Base model price with more storage | 128GB — $449, £449, AU$699 | 128GB — $549, £549, AU$849 | 128GB — $649, £649, AU$999 | 256GB — $849, £849, AU$1,329 | 256GB — $1,149, £1,149, AU$1,479 |
| Plus model price | – | 32GB — $549, £549, AU$849 | 32GB — $669, £669, AU$1,049 | 64GB — $799, £799, AU$1,229 | – |
| Plus model price with more storage | – | 128GB — $649, £649, AU$999 | 128GB — $769, £769, AU$1,199 | 256GB — $949, £949, AU$1,479 | – |
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