iPhone SE, regardless of generation, has always been one of the most talked about and popular smartphones both among the Apple range and on the market as a whole. This is a fact, and not only in the US and Europe, but also in the CIS. You can’t go far and see the latest statistics from the reputable Counterpoint agency: in 2021, the iPhone SE (2020) ranked eighth in the list of the best-selling smartphones in the world.
Apple is well aware of the potential of the SE and artificially worsens it so that the demand for expensive models does not fade away. If earlier devoted fans of the “apple” corporation still doubted this, then with the release of the third generation iPhone SE, everything became obvious – yes, it again does not have night shooting, and it’s absurd.
💡 All material is based on the personal opinion and conjectures of an avid Yabloko, that is, me. It, of course, does not coincide with the official position of Apple (which is not particularly disclosed). The whole article is written on the emotions of the spring presentation – usually “apple magic” works and the new iPhone is at least of interest, but now it’s the other way around.
Why the iPhone SE is so popular
Suddenly released in 2016, the very first iPhone SE became something between the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6s. More precisely, outwardly it was an absolutely standard iPhone 5s, but equipped with a processor and the main camera from the iPhone 6s – commentators on the forums even joked that Apple did not sell out the cases from the “fives” and found an original idea to earn extra money.
This decision instantly became popular, and, in my opinion, absolutely deserved.
- iPhone SE is cheaper than newer models and better than older models. I am sure that this is the main indicator – no matter how anyone denies it, but the iPhone is perceived by many as a status gadget, so the prospect of acquiring a cheap (or inexpensive by Apple standards) iPhone captivates many.
- The iPhone SE improves the most necessary characteristics. Cameras and processor are the most significant components of any smartphone along with the display. In SE models, it is these characteristics that are improved – for a small surcharge, buyers get the latest camera and advanced processor (and, therefore, the longest possible support for system updates).
- iPhone SE offers a classic and compact design. A lot of people don’t like Apple’s modern approach, they prefer the old-fashioned iPhone, and that’s exactly what the SE offers. In addition, each iPhone SE is smaller than its brothers of the same year of release, and this is a huge advantage for connoisseurs of compact smartphones.
The very first iPhone SE came out six months after the iPhone 6s and received only a processor and a main camera from it. He did not get any newfangled technology for recognizing the force of pressure on the screen (3D Touch), or an improved front camera, or even a new generation fingerprint scanner. But buyers did not demand it, because the main thing in it is a modern processor and the main camera, enclosed in a classic compact body at a relatively low price.
When that one appeared nuance
The huge popularity of the iPhone SE could not but affect Apple – naturally, the company released the second generation, but already in 2020 (six months after the announcement of the iPhone 11). The manufacturer’s strategy was the same: to fit the new processor and camera into the old case. So the company did, but, as in a joke, with one caveat: the Apple A13 chipset from the iPhone 11 ended up with a limited frame rate.
Everything would be fine, since the performance of new Apple processors is always enough with a margin for years to come, and the stripped-down version is clearly enough for most owners, but this was the reason for the lack of a night shooting function, which the company did not mention either at the presentation or in the press release.
Night vision (like the ultra-wide-angle camera) was the main innovation of the iPhone 11 generation. Judging by the comments on the forums at the time, devoted Apple fans found a reasonable justification for its absence in the SE: the night technology was new to the company and was very resource-demanding, with it you could only the latest processor can handle it at full power – it just so happened that the iPhone SE for 39,990 rubles did not receive the main feature of the iPhone 11 for 59,990 rubles.
Nuance turned into dissonance
Now, finally, two years later, the third-generation iPhone SE has arrived – with the latest A15 processor from the iPhone 13, but … again without the night mode function. Apple has even begun to use cautious language now: the new iPhone SE does not get a new camera, but “a completely new camera system.”
Of course, Apple’s claims are true: the camera system is really updated compared to the iPhone SE (2020), there is Deep Fusion technology, an updated fourth-generation Smart HDR, the ability to apply photographic styles. But under the “new camera system”, marketers carefully veil the fact that the camera hardware module is old here (definitely not from the iPhone 13 or 12), and all new functions are provided by a purely new generation processor.
Speaking of which, if the photography effects available on the new iPhone SE from the iPhone 13 may not be impressive, then the new Smart HDR (which Apple always pays a lot of attention to) and advanced Deep Fusion technology to improve the clarity of images should definitely put a lot of pressure on the processor, and the A15 chipset copes with them. But with night shooting from three years ago, no 💁♂️. According to the benchmarks, the A15 is 30% faster in computing and 20% faster in graphics than the A13 in the iPhone 11. Even if the new iPhone SE also has a simplified version of the processor, it is clearly not cut below the A13 from 2019.
Apple restricts SE on purpose and nothing will change
I am sure that even the most devoted Apple fans will now have no justifying explanation why the new iPhone SE did not get night photography. The answer is obvious: to have an artificial gap between it and expensive models that are more profitable to sell. If the iPhone SE also received night shooting, then I’m sure many people would choose it, even having the opportunity to purchase more expensive alternatives – it would have everything you need, and it’s quite possible to do without a flagship face scanner (especially in the era of wearing masks).
To be fair, you can’t blame Apple for being too cunning or greedy – as they say, it’s just business. In order not to seem like a hater, I will give a similar example with the main competitor in the face of Samsung. The company produces several models of the flagship Galaxy S series, and in the Plus versions (which, by and large, are simply larger), the manufacturer does not hesitate to implement small useful additions that the younger versions have lost. For example, S20 + boasts an additional ToF camera for determining the “depth” of objects when shooting, S21 offers support for the modern UWB standard, and S22 + received not only an increase in peak brightness by 450 nits, but also support for 45 W charging (versus 25-watt) .
Apple is the same as all successful corporations, it just makes more noticeable boundaries between the cheapest and most expensive models. For the same reason, I am sure that the iPhone SE will never come out in the same design as the current flagship series is sold. The community has long dreamed of SE with a face scanner and a frameless display, but the company is still releasing a budget novelty with an old (already 5-year-old) appearance. Apple definitely has no intention of releasing the SE in a fresh design, and the existence of mini-models clearly proves this. If the iPhone SE ever comes out in the iPhone X design, it won’t be until flagship models lose their bangs or get a whole new look.
Source: Trash Box
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