The 2013 launch of the iPhone 5s was the last of its generation, because from 2014 onwards, Apple shifted to bigger screen sizes—4.7-inch and 5.5-inch for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, respectively. Perhaps that was because of market pressure, as bigger screen phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Note series, were being lapped up by consumers. Now, the entire thing has come full circle. We are back to where we started. Apple realises that there is a big demographic of users who would still prefer to use a smaller screen size, and aren’t comfortable with big smartphones. And right on cue, we have the Apple iPhone SE. This will be available in India later this week, starting at Rs.39,000 (16GB).
Do not brush it aside as a simple update to the iPhone 5s, and here’s why.
Reason 1: Compact size
Personally, I am not a fan of small smartphone screens, having become used to the 5.5-inch real estate that most Android flagships as well as the iPhone 6 Plus and the iPhone 6s Plus offer. But, there are tangible benefits of a smaller screen, the biggest one being ease of use. Using the phone with the same hand that is holding it is possible, and it’ll fit into the trouser pockets better too. The sales figures suggest that 30 million or so people bought the iPhone 5 in 2015 (the phone was launched in 2012), which indicates that not everyone likes big screen phones.
Reason 2: Battery life is better
One of the biggest advantages of a small screen in a smartphone is the resulting improvement in battery life—because there is a lower resolution and lesser power-intensive display to light up, there is less battery drain. We will know the actual performance only after we are able to test this in greater detail, but the basics are spot on.
Reason 3: Performance isn’t in short supply
The iPhone SE may be returning to the basics with a smaller screen size, but it isn’t compromising on what matters the most—performance. It matches the latest generation iPhone 6S as far as the specifications are concerned, with the A9 chip, M9 motion co-processor and 12-megapixel iSight, putting it right up there with high-end smartphones.
We will get a better idea of the performance and the real world usage dynamics once we test the device in detail, but it is built on strong foundations and that is a good starting point.
