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[Vilix]

Apple has a $399 iPhone SE for the budget-conscious as coronavirus stalls economy — Reuters

Apple Inc on Wednesday released a smaller iPhone priced at $399, cutting the starting price for the company's smartphone line in a move to broaden its appeal to budget-conscious customers as the coronavirus hobbles the global economy.

apple.news

Apple will start taking orders for the phone on its website on Friday, with delivery of devices expected to start April 24.


The iPhone SE will start at $50 less than what was previously the cheapest iPhone available, the iPhone 8, which will be retired. The SE comes with a 4.7-inch display and the same processor chip as Apple's most advanced phone, the 11 Pro. The SE lacks Apple's facial recognition system to unlock the device, instead relying on a fingerprint sensor similar to older models. While the new iPhone adds features such as wireless charging and a high-end camera, it lacks connectivity for 5G, the next generation of mobile data networks.

 

[GHG]

Fuck off apple, nobody wants to buy your overpriced shit right now.

 

[cryptoadam]

Made in China? No way then.

 

[sonomamashine]

It's an Iphone 8 with new specs..........
Iphone 8 ffs

 

[mortal]

"Budget" iPhone or an iPhone not sold at an extreme marked up price lol

 

[Wings 嫩翼翻せ]

$400 is not THAT much guys... I know y'all have biggest paychecks than me being older and all.

 

[xrnzaaas]

iPhone 8 will be retired through firmware updates.

 

[SpartanN92]

I sell cell phones for a living, that price makes this a $16 a month iPhone. This will sell GANGBUSTERS!

edit: Reminder, this isn't supposed to be a high end phone and most cell phone stores stopped carrying the iPhone 8 a while ago. The cheapest iPhone we have in our inventory is the $709 iPhone 11.
This is gonna be big for older people and children.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Not bad at all for people who like Touch ID and a home button. I'm still on a 7 Plus, but I'll wait to see what this September's phones look like before deciding what to do.

 

[V2Tommy]

$400 is not THAT much guys... I know y'all have biggest paychecks than me being older and all.

Absolutely. Many people make $400 in a single day before taxes. That much for a phone you use 24/7 for years is nothing.

 

[xrnzaaas]

I sell cell phones for a living, that makes this a $16 a month iPhone. This will sell GANGBUSTERS!

Who keeps their iPhone for two years? One year and a new model baby!!!

 

[eot]

This is nice, I have no interest in Apple's big ass, overpriced phones, but I don't want to switch to Android either. Still using my 6SE.

 

[SpartanN92]

Who keeps their iPhone for two years? One year and a new model baby!!!

You are my favorite kind of customer!
On average though most people keep their phones for 2.5 years

 

[GHG]

"Budget" iPhone or an iPhone not sold at an extreme marked up price lol

It's still overpriced. They put zero effort into the design of this thing:

2015 called, it wants its phone designs back.

No doubt the screen will be trash as well.

 

[eot]

I forgot this fucking thing won't have a 3.5mm jack

It's still overpriced. They put zero effort into the design of this thing:

2015 called, it wants its phone designs back.

No doubt the screen will be trash as well.

No one except phone fetishists give a shit.
Tech is over.

 

[SpartanN92]

It's still overpriced. They put zero effort into the design of this thing:

2015 called, it wants its phone designs back.

No doubt the screen will be trash as well.

Why do you care? It's a budget phone not their flagship, and I guarantee it's x2 as good as the equivalent Samsung budget device (Galaxy A51)

 

[GAMETA]

$400 is budget?

 

[GHG]

Why do you care? It's a budget phone not their flagship.

Just because it's not a flagship it doesn't mean it can't at least look half decent and have some modern features. Other phone manufacturers manage to do it (at cheaper prices BTW) so why can't apple?

Apple take their mobile customers for an absolute ride.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Fuck off apple, nobody wants to buy your overpriced shit right now.

For me is a offense that Apple dare to sell your products in this pandemic situation.

They should give it for free or 150$ dollars

 

[diffusionx]

I'm on my 3rd year of the iPhone 8 and it's still fine. Three years in, both the 4S and the 6 were running on fumes. No wonder people aren't upgrading as much.

It's still overpriced. They put zero effort into the design of this thing:

2015 called, it wants its phone designs back.

No doubt the screen will be trash as well.

What about people who, you know, like the form factor.

 

[GHG]

For me is a offense that Apple dare to sell your products in this pandemic situation.

They should give it for free or 150$ dollars

What about people who, you know, like the form factor.

That can happen when it's all you've ever used due to being trapped in the iOS ecosystem.

 

[HUELEN10]

So much ignorant posts on this... I'm making a full OT for launch, with facts.

This is actually the best performing iPhone ever made.

 

[diffusionx]

That can happen when it's all you've ever used due to being trapped in the iOS ecosystem.

People like it because people like it. Get over it.

 

[SpartanN92]

Just because it's not a flagship it doesn't mean it can't at least look half decent and have some modern features. Other phone manufacturers manage to do it (at cheaper prices BTW) so why can't apple?

Apple take their mobile customers for an absolute ride.

This is from experience in the mobile industry for 6 years... Budget android devices like Samsung/Google (in the <$500 price range) have better specs on paper but have worse real world performance, less longevity and are usually plastic and cheap feeing.
This iPhone will perform much better than the Galaxy A51 for example (because of the A11 chip) last longer, have a considerably lower out of box failure rate, and feel like a more premium device due to the glass body and have features like wireless charging and maybe even water resistance (not sure if it does but probably) that the Pixel 3a and Galaxy A51 lack, and at $16 per month on a 24 month payment commitment it's a very modest price.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

It's still overpriced. They put zero effort into the design of this thing:

2015 called, it wants its phone designs back.

No doubt the screen will be trash as well.

Better than a fucking notch and awkward UX with lack of a dedicated home button.

 

[Azurro]

Why do you care? It's a budget phone not their flagship, and I guarantee it's x2 as good as the equivalent Samsung budget device (Galaxy A51)

The chipset might be better, but the screen is excellent, Samsung is packing those midrangers with AMOLED screens.

 

[SpartanN92]

The chipset might be better, but the screen is excellent, Samsung is packing those midrangers with AMOLED screens.

That fail in 3-6 months. I cannot tell you how many faulty A50's I've had customers bring back in the past year. And the out of box failure rate is horrendous! I once had 4 A50s in a row for the same customer in the store all suffer a fatal error of some kind.
They eventually got most of the kinks out but I'm telling you it's been a nightmare up to this point and I'm sure the new A51 will have similar issues.

 

[Domisto]

the real crime is all we have to choose from is Androids shitty invasive permissions and Apples massively overpriced gear. The latest attempts at Linux phones will no doubt be held up due to covid which is a shame, i want to try one out. so for now a slightly cut price iphone is alarmingly attractive.

 

[Shizumapower]

You are my favorite kind of customer!
On average though most people keep their phones for 2.5 years

Known as a 'whale'. Keep that economy flow!

 

[JordanN]

$400 is budget?

That was the price of a new PS4 and maybe even PS5.

 

[Shizumapower]

$400 is not THAT much guys... I know y'all have biggest paychecks than me being older and all.

Haha. Wait until console pricing is announced...

 

[dcll]

I prefer Android(Pixel) but this will probably have sold even more if the screen was bigger, maybe been an XR replacement

 

[SpartanN92]

I prefer Android(Pixel) but this will probably have sold even more if the screen was bigger, maybe been an XR replacement

The iPhone 11 is the XR replacement.

 

[GHG]

This is from experience in the mobile industry for 6 years... Budget android devices like Samsung/Google (in the <$500 price range) have better specs on paper but have worse real world performance, less longevity and are usually plastic and cheap feeing.
This iPhone will perform much better than the Galaxy A51 for example (because of the A11 chip) last longer, have a considerably lower out of box failure rate, and feel like a more premium device due to the glass body and have features like wireless charging and maybe even water resistance (not sure if it does but probably) that the Pixel 3a and Galaxy A51 lack, and at $16 per month on a 24 month payment commitment it's a very modest price.

The US don't get the best spread of the budget phones for some reason (you might know why considering you're in the industry).

In the middle east and Europe there are a ton of phone choices in the 3-400 USD range and you don't need to compromise that much on quality.

The A51 is seen as a real budget phone here, it can be had for under 300 USD unlocked. For 400 you can get the Samsung a80 or something like the oneplus 7t, all of which will make this "new" iPhone look like a joke. Then there are manufacturers like Xioami, Oppo, Realme who use the same parts (batteries, camera sensors, etc) as some"flagship" phones from better known brands. These phones don't feel cheap either, a lot of full glass/ceramic phones available in that price range. If you can swallow getting a "Chinese" phone then for 400 USD you are getting a phone that won't be beat on feature-set by anyone else. I don't know if these brands even sell their phones officially in America however. A budget phone from these brands (the ones that feel cheap) sell for 1-200 USD.

Basically there's a big market out there and it's more competitive than ever. This phone doesn't offer anything new and even at "just" 400 USD it's still an absolute rip-off. I haven't even mentioned Huawei who have been royally fucked due to geopolitical issues.

Also for reliability a quick search of recent surveys shows there's not much in terms of differences between apple and android devices (a couple of percent). So if that's important it comes down to what ecosystem you prefer and which manufacturers after sale support you feel is better where you live.

 

[dcll]

The iPhone 11 is the XR replacement.

Oh well I am not up on Apple stuff, I was just thinking that the XR was their cheap phone and this is the newest cheap phone.

 

[Celcius]

My iPhone 8 is still going strong but it's cool to see Touch ID still being an option as well as a more budget friendly phone. I'll most likely hold off for the 12 pro and see if it has a high refresh rate screen.

 

[Ten_Fold]

This is good for people who can't afford the X,XR or 11. If you have an iPhone 8, then it's not much reason to upgrade imo.

 

[SpartanN92]

The US don't get the best spread of the budget phones for some reason (you might know why considering you're in the industry).

It's a mixture of things, The big two are FCC regulations make it a fortune to get a devices approved for use on the mobile network spectrums and US customers don't react well to tons and tons of options.
On my last trip to Europe I was blown away by how many different cell phone variations there are there, I was seeing models I'd never even heard of. I knew Europe had more mid range stuff but I never knew exactly how much!
Obviously the US doesn't get into Chinese phones (most are banned here for spyware issues. I'm sure you have much better options in Europe/Asia (I was speaking for the US and that is my fault for assuming I was talking to a primary US based audience here. Where are you from?)

Oh well I am not up on Apple stuff, I was just thinking that the XR was their cheap phone and this is the newest cheap phone.

The XR launched at $750USD, the 11 Launched at $700.

 

[dcll]

I would rather spend that money on a used previous gen iPhone if I was to buy one. Same thing with Android budget phones, I would rather buy a used higher end phone

 

[SpartanN92]

This is good for people who can't afford the X,XR or 11. If you have an iPhone 8, then it's not much reason to upgrade imo.

This is the best take I've seen
This only becomes an upgrade for people with iPhone 7 or lower. It is a terrific budget device (in the United States at least) for older people, children/teenagers and people who want an iPhone but not a $700 price tag.

Assuming supply isn't an issue, this phone will outsell the 11 Pro this year.

 

[SpartanN92]

I would rather spend that money on a used previous gen iPhone if I was to buy one. Same thing with Android budget phones, I would rather buy a used higher end phone

I mean if you could get a used iPhone X (2017) for like $350 then sure, otherwise this is a pretty solid option. The processor inside of it is really impressive.

 

[The_Observer]

So much ignorant posts on this... I'm making a full OT for launch, with facts.

This is actually the best performing iPhone ever made.

Performing better than any current iPhone? Can you provide some source for this claim? I hope it's true.

 

[GHG]

It's a mixture of things, The big two are FCC regulations make it a fortune to get a devices approved for use on the mobile network spectrums and US customers don't react well to tons and tons of options.
On my last trip to Europe I was blown away by how many different cell phone variations there are there, I was seeing models I'd never even heard of. I knew Europe had more mid range stuff but I never knew exactly how much!
Obviously the US doesn't get into Chinese phones (most are banned here for spyware issues. I'm sure you have much better options in Europe/Asia (I was speaking for the US and that is my fault for assuming I was talking to a primary US based audience here. Where are you from?)

Interesting, thanks for the info.

Currently live in Dubai but I'm from the UK originally so I've always had a huge range of phones available to me when it comes to having to buy a new one.

Samsung do really well in Dubai, they've managed to absolutely nail their marketing here (they also offer the best after sales support here along with Huawei). Apple do very well in the UK and US but outside of that Android dominates because of the sheer number of models available to consumers at reasonable prices. It's almost too much choice and new models are on the market every other week.

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

I am still rocking my iPhone 8 plus, gonna wait till the 11 Pro is cheaper to upgrade

 

[Kishido]

So we will never see a iPhone 9

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

Who keeps their iPhone for two years? One year and a new model baby!!!

Alternatively, why would you buy a new phone every year?

I generally keep mine 3 or 4 years.

 

[MaestroMike]

Sweet I don't like big phones

 

[V2Tommy]

Better than a fucking notch and awkward UX with lack of a dedicated home button.

It's not a notch, it's extra screen in the corners. Think different, son.

 

[Rbk_3]

Performing better than any current iPhone? Can you provide some source for this claim? I hope it's true.

Well, I am assuming it is because it has the same chipset as the higher end phones, but has a lower resolution screen to power.

 

[Anki]

I sill dont understand why its called SE when its in freaking iphone 6/7/8 shell.
Anyway I am waiting for iphone 12 with 4.7" screen which will have iphone x design but smaller than this one.