Say ‘Hello’ to Apple’s new $399 iPhone SE

Apple’s products usually involve a massive hype and a lot of fanfare but the launch of its newest ‘budget’ phone has slipped under the radar of many this year. Apple stores that typically see hundreds of customers lined up and some over the edge fanatics who even prefer to camp beside the nearest store have all simply disappeared amid the prevailing global crisis.

Despite the launch day being, April 24, customers who preordered may need to be patient for a little longer as in-store pickup has been banned for now to curb the Coronavirus spread.

The second launch of the budgeted iPhone SE, has mainly been targeted at a customer base who wish to either upgrade their older models or at Android users who want a change. Either way the iphone SE’s impressive starting price of $399 for 64GB, $449 for 128GB and $549 for 256GB may turn more heads than expected.

The device has a slight screen to body ratio than the previous version, with a 4.7-inch Retina HD display in a classic design similar to that of an iPhone 8. From the back, the device could be mistaken for a miniature version of the flagship device of 2018 the iPhone XR. Apple has finally opted to bring back the touch ID button to its budget device, a move that may bring mixed reviews from customers.

The front-facing 7-megapixel lens supports Portrait Mode for People and can record videos at 1080p HD. On the back, the main 12-megapixel lens boasts Smart HDR and Portrait Mode for People. Additionally, it can record video at up to 4K at 60 frames per second. All of this is impressive for a sub-$400 smartphone.

The real cherry on the icing though is the processor. The second-generation iPhone SE is powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic Chip, which is made up of a CPU, GPU and Neural Engine. This is the exact same chipset found inside the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. So the iPhone SE is just as fast and efficient as an iPhone that costs more than $1,000. It’s somewhat mind-blowing.

Happy iPhone SE shopping!