Apple iPhone SE camera: comparison of photo and video shooting, quality analysis

Thanks to numerous reviews from iPhone SE owners, we were able to highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of the 4-inch Apple smartphone released in 2016.

Benefits of iPhone SE

The good old 4-inch form factor

Millions of graceful women's palms have yearned for the small, comfortable contours of the bodies of old gadgets. The same can be said about the large army of Asian buyers, teenagers and children. A return to a 4-inch display diagonal and proportional body dimensions is a clear plus. Not degradation, but creative quality, rethinking the concept smart phone for all occasions.

A9 processor

Small but smart – iPhone SE is inferior in some ways flagship models, but this does not apply to performance. Those who have not yet changed theirs old iPhone 5, a pleasant surprise awaits. It looks like the same device, but the filling in it is the most advanced, take it for example full version A9 processor, no modifications with reduced functionality. The last factor will become one of the most important marketing advantages of a newbie over competitors.

M9 and Siri always active

The gadget, among others, also received a function that was first demonstrated six months ago. The power of the M9 coprocessor has finally become enough to serve as a full-fledged deputy of the main chip in case it is turned off to save energy or the smartphone is simply blocked. In situations like this, you can still shout “Hey Siri” and she will respond. Convenient, whatever you say.

Rose gold color

The iPhone SE can still be considered the successor to the iPhone 6s. This is indicated, for example, by a characteristic family feature – the “rose gold” color of the case, first introduced in 2015. Not a rarity, but this color is still not available on many devices in the Apple product range. But smartphone iPhone SE received it - to the delight of those who like to splurge without extra costs.

Presentable view of the Apple logo

Not a metal stamping, but a separate stainless steel part, skillfully placed in its rightful place. The logo serves as a kind of inlay, decoration for the smartphone body, although this is not entirely logical from the point of view of minimizing the cost of the product. Or vice versa - it’s just not worth saving on such inexpensive, but catchy details in order to attract buyers.

Correct silhouette of the edges

The iPhone 5s model had excellent ergonomics, but with the transition to the phablet format, Cupertino engineers had to significantly adjust the bevels of the edges - they became more rounded. iPhone SE received its own side edge design. Comfortable to grip and protected from scratches and chips.

2 GB RAM

A small bow to Apple, which not only deigned to satisfy one of the key requests of users, but also did not skimp on a solution for budget model. We are talking about the long-awaited transition from a single gigabyte of RAM, unchanged for years on end, to twice the volume of a valuable resource. Even without official confirmation, the iPhone SE model still received the coveted 2 GB of RAM - goodbye to Safari slowdowns, unmotivated iOS freezes and other unpleasant factors.

12 MP iSight camera

Another example that users of the new product will not feel too disadvantaged compared to owners of flagship devices. Their main cameras of the iSight series are identical - the same matrix resolution, the same f2.2 aperture, almost the same set of additional modules. Whether video shooting or selfie, everything will turn out at approximately the same level and depend on the skill of the operator, but not on the capabilities of the equipment.

Thick body, but no protruding camera lens ring

Indeed, no, and that says it all.

4K video format support

iPhone SE not only can shoot in high resolution, but also implements almost all aspects of working with the most popular format. For example, the ability to merge several streams into a single video using iMovie. Or digital zoom and virtual panning for those who are not going to reproduce 4K, but would not refuse to increase the comfort of work when creating video with a resolution of 1080p.

Slow-mo shooting at 240 fps

Copied from iPhone 6s – new smartphone Supports both modes of slow-motion video recording. And playback too, both with a frequency of 240 fps, the quality level is 720p, and with 120 fps, but in a resolution similar to 1080p. Its predecessor, an old 4-inch gadget, was also familiar with slow-mo, but could do much less.

Retina-Flash

The technology, first implemented in the iPhone 6s model, allows you to neutralize the lack of lighting when working with the front camera of a smartphone. An additional light source is the display itself, which in the latest version is capable of producing a flash three times brighter than the standard screen backlight. More importantly, the concept of “triple” is relative and in fact the required brightness is calculated very accurately based on the sensors in the latest generation FaceTime camera. Alas, the iPhone SE smartphone inherited the old front-facing module, and therefore, although it can illuminate itself during selfies, it does so rather clumsily against the backdrop of a truly smart flagship camera.

Live Photos support

One of the cosmetic functions of the latest generation of Apple gadgets is theoretically supported on older models. But only in playback format - the iPhone SE is different in that it can also create “live photos”. Nothing fundamentally new, the same automatic video capture and adding short animated inserts before and after a static image. But at least there is no lag behind fashion.

Compatible with Apple Pay

This service was originally developed for broad compatibility with model iPhone nearby, and its only bottleneck was the need for a mobile device to have NFC chip and “security enclave” key storages. Both are present in the iPhone SE by default - you don't have to use the companion gadget Apple Watch for shopping using a smartphone.

High speed communication

More than the iPhone 5s, but less than the current flagship - the result is a good average result. The iPhone SE model comes with wireless modules Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 19-band LTE with peak throughput up to 150 Mb/s.

Optimized Power System

Less free space inside the case, but modern compact batteries. An advanced and energy-intensive display, but due to the 4-inch diagonal, it is not as power-hungry as similar phablet units. Together, these two factors provided the iPhone SE with better battery life than the iPhone 5s.

Let's explain.

I’ll be honest, during the presentation of the new iPhone, until the last moment I was sure that the iPhone SE would turn into a smaller copy of the company’s flagships. But this did not happen.

WTF!?- many thought. The media began to write devastating reviews about the new product with great pleasure, and the company’s shares reacted with the usual short-term fall on the stock exchange after any Apple presentation:

But let's figure out whether there is any reason for the public to be dissatisfied. Here are the reasons why iPhone release SE is absolutely the right decision.

1. It has an old body and that’s a plus

This is a classic. Modern classic, the most recognizable design among modern ones mobile phones. In order to understand and make the decision of Apple marketers, let's look at the automobile market. In particular, let's look at the Mercedes lineup.

Look through the photos:

Do you understand what we're talking about? While car shapes are becoming more streamlined, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class (Geländewagen), produced since 1979, has remained virtually unchanged. The main changes took place exclusively in the filling of the car.

The situation is the same with the iPhone SE. In fact, the design of the new smartphone is not even 3, as many believe, but 4 years old (iPhone 5 was introduced in 2012, iPhone 5s a year later was its logical continuation). For the mobile industry, this is a huge period of time during which smartphone design has become legendary.

Add to this the following:

• Users love it. The Apple 5/5s smartphone is the best-selling iPhone model.
• Previously released cases are still relevant. The dimensions of the iPhone SE will allow you to purchase cases and other accessories created for the 5s.
• This is the last legacy of Steve Jobs. A successful continuation of the iPhone 4/4s.

2. It is convenient to use

We received a smartphone that is convenient to use with one hand and control all functions with one finger. Without any interceptions, without the fear of dropping during use, it’s convenient and that’s it.

At the last MWC 2016 exhibition, the Chinese announced 5-6 inch devices, which are not so easy to use. Our hands are not designed for such huge displays. Aw! Chinese!

Apple presented a device that fits securely in your hand and fits in any pocket; isn't that what you want from a mobile phone?

3. It is more reliable than iPhone 6/6s

A phone you don't have to worry about. If the side edge falls on the floor, it will not cause the front panel to be replaced. Unlike their older brothers, the iPhone 5/5s/SE is better able to survive accidental drops to the floor. iPhone 6/6s/Plus owners and various Samsung owners will look at iPhone SE owners with envy.

I repeat, a reliable case, proven over the years and millions of falls.

4. He is the fastest. Seriously, it's faster than 6s

A modern processor and 2 GB of RAM do their job. In the AnTuTu performance test, the smartphone scored 134,358 points. For comparison, the iPhone 6s achieved a score of 132,620 points.

The company clearly expects to keep new iPhone in his model range the next couple of years. Don't worry - new iOS versions They will work on the iPhone SE without any problems or stutters. This is not budget smartphone, buddy. This is new TOP.

5. It has a cool camera, the best in this form factor

The device has one of the best cameras for mobile devices today - 12 megapixel iSight camera with high-speed focusing system and flash True Tone. No additional comments are needed here.

Do you remember how everyone shouted after the announcement of the iPhone 6 in September 2014 about the protruding camera lens - “This is crap! This is a failure! And now two years pass and we get a smartphone without this flaw, while the camera itself is the coolest, straight from the company’s latest flagship.

6. It's cheap. Relative to 6s

In 2012 (when the grandfather iPhone 5 was introduced), the dollar exchange rate was 31.5 rubles, the euro 40 rubles, respectively. In other words, if not for the global economic crisis, in Russia the cost of the presented new product (€589) at the old rate would have been about 24 thousand rubles. Delicious price.

Last Apple presentation ended quite quickly and unexpectedly. Everyone was waiting for the new iPhone SE smartphone, but they didn’t imagine it like that... Essentially, it’s an iPhone 6S in an iPhone 5S body. The appearance of the previous model has not changed at all, except that a pink body has been added. Prices start at $399 for the 16GB model. Pre-orders will be available from March 26th, and sales will start on March 31st in the first wave countries...

Name

The official name of the new model is iPhone SE (Special Edition).

Appearance

Expectation

Reality

In fact, in appearance the new product completely copies the iPhone 5s. Buyers will be offered a choice of four body colors: silver, gold, dark gray and rose gold.

Display

This model will not have 3D Touch technology, which provides the screen with pressure sensitivity.

CPU

iPhone SE turned out to be more powerful than its 4.7-inch older brother iPhone 6S!

In the AnTuTu test, the iPhone SE scored a total of 134,458 points. For comparison, the result of the iPhone 6s in the AnTuTu benchmark is at the level of 132,500 points, and the iPhone 6 has even less - only 80,000 points.
In addition, the new 4-inch iPhone will receive an NFC chip for Apple Pay, Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE, 802.11ac WiFi and Touch ID fingerprint scanner.

Memory

Battery

iPhone SE has two hours more battery life than iPhone 6s and iPhone 5s.

Which, like the iPhone SE, is equipped with a 4-inch Retina display with a resolution of 1136 x 640 pixels. As for the Samsung Galaxy S7 with a 5.1-inch QHD screen, it drained almost three hours faster than the iPhone SE.

Cameras

Price

the price of the new product starts at $399 without a contract and binding to a specific mobile operator. In the Russian App Store - 37,990 rubles.

By the way, the iPhone 5s, as sources say, will be discontinued immediately after the launch of the iPhone SE.

The cost of the iPhone SE is $160.

Thus, the smartphone display inherited from the iPhone 5s now costs $20 more. The A9 processor, the same as the iPhone 6s, costs $22, memory – $11.8, Qualcomm MDM9625M LTE modem – $15. A 1624 mAh battery costs Apple another $2.15. In total, all components of the iPhone SE cost the American corporation $156.2. Apple pays another $3.8 to its partner Foxconn for each assembled device.

Release date

Pre-orders for the iPhone SE start this Thursday, March 24, and it will go on sale a week later, on the 31st. Until the end of May, the new product will be sold in 110 countries.

First impressions and reviews

The new smartphone will be popular in Russia. The first batch of iPhone SE sold out of pre-orders in a few hours. And judging by the voting results on this page, new model our readers like it much more than the flagship 6s.

iPhone SE 2 vs iPhone SE, who will win?

Want to know more? We will look at all the currently existing information about the iPhone SE 2 and, of course, compare it with the previous model.

While the iPhone SE looks similar to the iPhone 5S, the iPhone SE 2 will look like the iPhone 8/7 and iPhone X at the same time, while being smaller. Most likely Apple company will not give up the decision to get rid of the “Home” button and ears at the top of the screen, thereby copying the ten. However, we can assume that the back will be similar to the iPhone 7.

Yes, back panel made of glass looks stylish and aesthetically pleasing, plus the wireless charging function gives a strong advantage over other smartphones, but practice has shown a sufficient number of disadvantages of this solution. Despite the strength and heat resistance of the smartphone, the glass turned out to be quite fragile; it can easily be broken by dropping it from a small height, scratched or stained with dirty curses, which will be very noticeable. And the presence of wireless charging does not really fit into the concept of a “budget” smartphone.

Specifications

In this section, we will compare all currently available data about these two smartphones. Unfortunately the comparison will exclude real tests, because at the moment this is physically impossible.

See also:

Size

Currently iPhone time The SE has a 4in screen and the device itself measures 123.8mm by 58.6mm, with a thickness of 7.6mm, and a weight of 113 grams.

The iPhone SE will be different, but the question by how much remains unanswered. We can only assume that it will become thinner, like the iPhone 8 - 7.3mm, and much smaller than its older brothers. The same thing can happen with weight.

However, there is an opinion that is completely different from the previous one. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is working on a version with low level energy costs. This device will feature an LCD-TFT screen, the main difference being the lower number of pixels involved, which will result in lower power consumption.

Add to all this a 6.1in screen and we get a smartphone larger in size than the iPhone 8. But we don’t know yet whether Apple will introduce this technology into a “side” branch, or leave it for the main one.

Display

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's theory, Apple may introduce a 6.1in LCD-TFT screen on its new low-cost iPhone, while other iPhones will come with OLED screens, like the iPhone X.

There has also been a suggestion that the iPhone SE 2 could have a 4.2in screen rather than the current 4in. The extra .2in is made possible by reducing the size of the bezel. Although, unlike the iPhone X, which has a screen that extends to the base of the phone, making it frameless, achieving such a result will be problematic.

PPI – number of pixels per inch

CPU

According to available information, the new iPhone SE 2 will have four nuclear processor with ARMv8-A architecture – Fusion A10 (as in iPhone 7). The iPhone SE, on the other hand, comes with the Fusion A9 (used in the iPhone 6S). If you believe Apple's claim, then new processor 40% more powerful than the previous one.

Camera

In the life of any person, there are moments and things that need to be captured. This could be a family photo, a photo of a purchase in a store, some funny video, a selfie, etc. The smartphone camera is the most in a convenient way do it all.

It is compact and has good quality shooting and always remains at your fingertips. But let’s return to the main task of this article, to compare iPhone SE and iPhone SE 2. The camera is perhaps the only thing in SE that will not undergo significant changes and will remain the same.

Judge for yourself:

The current SE offers a 12-megapixel camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture. In turn, the iPhone SE 2 will most likely have an ƒ / 1.8 aperture and the same number of megapixels.
Front camera will receive a significant improvement and will be like the iPhone 7 - 7 megapixels with an f/2.2 aperture.

However, there is one very important note that is difficult to ignore. Many users of the new iPhones did not like the change in the camera, which began to protrude in the form of a bump. I wish Apple would bring back the original look of the camera.

Memory

Like the previous version, the iPhone SE 2 will come with 2GB of RAM and it is unlikely that anything will change dramatically in the coming year.
Regarding internal memory, Apple does not change its standards and, as per the pattern, the built-in memory of the new iPhone will be 32GB or 128GB.

Battery

In fact, it's quite funny to talk about, but the battery will get better. Unfortunately, not much from 1640mAh to 1700mAh. The change is minor, but if Apple implements new screen With this smartphone, the life expectancy of the device will increase. In addition, there is a possibility that the iPhone SE 2 will support wireless charging.

How true this assumption is is difficult to answer. More likely no than yes. After all, the iPhone SE 2 is a budget device, and the inclusion of such features will significantly increase its cost.

iPhone SE 2 vs iPhone SE: Color

We doubt that this is one of those things that you will focus on when buying a smartphone. However, it’s simply impossible not to talk about it! Soon, iPhone SE 2 will be available in Silver, Black and White, like any classic model of this smartphone.

Is it worth getting the new iPhone SE 2?

You must answer this question yourself. Is buying this smartphone promising for you and how much it will hit your pocket. Based on technical characteristics, iPhone SE 2 is superior to its predecessor. Significantly superior, especially the new design.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Additional Features

Some devices have characteristics that do not fall into the above categories, but it is important to point them out.