Apple's keynote brought, among other news, the next generation of the popular iPhone SE 2022. This one has slightly different ambitions than its more expensive counterparts, but it promises to be a pleasant surprise in several different ways. Apple has clearly decided to take the new generation even further and we are glad for that. What makes the new 3rd generation iPhone SE so special? And is it worth the money?
iPhone SE 2022 - CONTENTS
- iPhone SE 2022 is the third iteration of this phone
- The new iPhone SE looks exactly the same, but with an extra dose of durability
- Apple hasn't skimped on great performance with the new iPhone SE
- The new chip does a great service to the main camera
- iPhone SE 2022 - price and availability
iPhone SE 2022 is the third iteration of this phone
The iPhone SE 2022 is the third generation of this phone The opening Apple keynote of 2022 was again presented via a pre-recorded online stream. The arrival of the next generation of the eminently affordable iPhone SE 2022 was highly anticipated and the internet was already rife with rumours and speculation. Today Apple finally put an end to it and unveiled the new SE phone, alongside the Alpine Green versions of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, a new iPad Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display monitor.
Fans of the previous iPhone SE from 2020 generally praise its compact size and ample display size. But two years have gone by and it's time for some changes, especially when it comes to the hardware. The smartphone world has come a long way in the meantime, and Apple has decided to catch up with the competition with the new iPhone. So, how did it go?
The new iPhone SE looks exactly the same, but with an extra dose of durability
At first glance, nothing seems to have changed. The new device still embraces the original design we know from the iPhone 8 in 2017. But the all-glass body still looks smart and sleek after all these years. The front and back are separated by an aluminium frame, hiding the antennas. The front still hosts a 4.7-inch display with fairly wide bezels above and below. This leaves plenty of room for the Touch ID fingerprint reader at the bottom.
A cursory check of the back also doesn't reveal anything new. One camera protrudes above the surface, accompanied by a light-emitting diode. Apart from the traditional logo, the back of the phone does not have much else to attract attention. On the sides we can see the volume button, silent mode switch, power button, microphone and speaker, and finally the Lightning port for charging and data transfer. The new iPhone SE 2022 will be available in black, white and red, with only the back and sides showing off the swanky colours.
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The phone's IP67 rating has been retained, but the glass covering the display and back has been made even tougher — the same as on the back of iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
We've already mentioned the screen size, which remains unchanged from the previous generation. So those who were expecting the Touch ID button to be pushed back and the display size to be increased were left disapointed. However, that's exactly what the iPhone 13 mini is, and those who want a full-coverage top-down display should get that one. In addition to a smaller screen, the new iPhone SE 2022 still relies solely on LCD technology. Apple is keeping OLED exclusively for the flagships.
Apple hasn't skimped on great performance with the new iPhone SE
Until now, we've been talking only about the 2020 iPhone SE specs. So where are those promised new features? Inside the phone, of course. The integration of the latest processor designed for the iPhones 13 series, the six-core Apple A15 Bionic into iPhone SE is the most exciting change by far. The advanced 5nm technology promises the chip wil be compact and energy efficient. The mainstream user will benefit particualrly from the snappy system performance and support for the many upcoming updates that will bring new features.
But the low-power chip also has a major impact on battery life. Apple has been touting this new feature a lot, the keynote even opened with it, and it makes sense why they are so excited. For example, the chip supports a 16-core neural unit for machine learning. This will be used by apps from the App Store or the system itself for text and voice recognition. The faster GPU is also worth pointing out. In addition to the new chip, the new iPhone SE 2022 also brings compatibility with 5G networks on the hardware level.
On the software side, the phone is equipped with the latest iOS 15, thanks to which the user can enjoy features such as SharePlay for consuming fun content with friends at the same time, Focus Mode for a more thorough set-up of who and when is allowed to bother you, Safari browser extensions, copying text from photos and much more.
The new chip does a great service to the main camera
Within the camera, we've seen a few improvements, although at first glance it would appear that everything is business as usual. The latest iPhone SE still relies on a 7Mpx front camera and a single 12Mpx rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture. However, for even better results, it adds technologies like Smart HDR 4 from the iPhone 13 series, which makes it able to spot up to 4 people in the picture and capture better details of their face. It also adds Deep Fusion for better quality of fine image details and even more photo styles.
The new iPhone SE can afford to do all this thanks to Apple's powerful A15 Bionic chip. Enthusiastic videographers and photographers may want to opt for the 256GB variant, which will serve well for recording 4K videos at 60fps. Alternatively, you can choose between 64GB and 128GB as you're used to.
To recharge your iPhone, you can connect it either to a charger via the Lightning connector or wirelessly by placing it on a Qi wireless charger. The manufacturer says that compared to its predecessor, the new iPhone SE can play videos for up to 2 hours longer, for instance. This is thanks to a more efficient chip, iOS 15 and a better battery. The Touch ID button below the display once again vibrates, so it doesn't buckle when you press it. It houses the fingerprint reader. You can insert a nanoSIM into the phone and add a second one as an eSIM.
iPhone SE 2022 - price and availability
Pre-sales start on Friday, March 11, and actual sales start a week later on Friday, March 18, 2022. The new iPhone SE 2022 can be purchased in three colours and in the following storage capacities:
- iPhone SE 2022 64 GB - CZK 12,490
- iPhone SE 2022 128 GB - CZK 13,990
- iPhone SE 2022 256 GB - CZK 16,990
At first glance, not much has changed, but don't get fooled by the apprearances. Inside, it's a whole new phone that can boldly compete with other upper mid-range models. Support for 5G networks was inevitable, and the minor improvements to the camera are definitely welcome.