iPhone SE 2022: Apple’s affordable iPhone with home button and 5G
At its keynote, the manufacturer from Cupertino (US state of California) presented a number of new products under the motto “Peek Performance” – the article Highlights from the Apple keynote provides an up-to-date overview. Among them: a new iPhone SE! What’s behind it?
At the March 8, 2022 Apple event, Tim Cook unveiled the 2022 iPhone SE.
iPhone SE (2022): This is what it looks like!
The iPhone SE (2022) follows the design of its predecessor. That means: The home button stays. The small screen with a diagonal of 4.7 inches also remains. That’s not a bad decision, because some iPhone users shy away from switching to the new gesture control of the current iPhone models with Face ID. Another advantage: mobile phone cases, brackets and spare parts, for example for changing the iPhone display yourself, fit the new model. It is likely that some components of the iPhone SE (2020) or even the iPhone 8 can still be used. The first repair tests will reveal details. Compared to other iPhones, however, the display looks technically outdated: In 2022, Apple is also installing a low-contrast LCD in the iPhone SE, giving the same key data for brightness (625 nits) and sharpness (326 ppi, 1334×750 pixels) as with the predecessors.
iPhone SE (2022): The SE recipe remains
The iPhone SE (2020) came in 2020 with the design of the iPhone 8 from 2017, but featured a faster processor: the A13 chip that Apple introduced with the iPhone 11 in 2019. This recipe is also retained with the new iPhone SE (2022): newer technology in the old housing.
The best iPhones
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top camera
Bright 120 Hertz display
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Slow loading
No jack socket
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Enormous battery life
top camera
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Big and unwieldy
Slow loading
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OLED display with top contrast/colours
Very high work pace
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Long battery life
Very high work pace
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No telephoto lens
Display without 120 Hertz (only in the 13 Pro)
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Long battery life
Large OLED display
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Heavy and a little top-heavy
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Very high work pace
Faster 5G mobile communications
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No jack socket
5G cannot be used with Dual SIM
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OLED display with top contrast/colours
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Display not very bright
Tele lens missing
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High-contrast OLED display
High working pace
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No telephoto lens
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Handy
Great triple camera with telephoto and ultra wide angle
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Thick display frame
No 5G cellular
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Bright, high-contrast XXL display
Strong battery life
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Heavy
Thick display frame
Complete list: The best iPhones
iPhone SE with 5G: It’s fast
Two changes ensure more speed: On the one hand, the iPhone SE (2022) comes with a new, more powerful processor: the Apple A15 Bionic from the iPhone 13. This makes the inconspicuous little iPhone SE faster than the entire Android competition in one fell swoop. The second update concerns mobile technology: The iPhone SE (2022) comes with 5G. This makes the small entry-level device future-proof – even if not all iPhone SE users are currently likely to have a corresponding 5G tariff.
iPhone SE: Battery life conundrum
The information about the battery life is somewhat contradictory. In the technical data, Apple states exactly the same runtimes as for the iPhone SE 2022. At the same time, the press release states a better battery life than previous generations of the iPhone SE or older 4.7-inch iPhones. That seems credible: With the iPhone 13, too, Apple achieved significantly better battery life per installed battery capacity simply by optimizing the hardware and software. Apple also points to new battery chemistry technology. Above all, the A15 Bionic processor should ensure a longer battery life thanks to more modern production processes and better power-saving mechanisms. The iPhone SE is said to reach a battery charge of 50 percent in 30 minutes with a 20-watt USB-C power supply unit, and it can also be charged wirelessly. A power supply is not included.
iPhone SE: Old camera, better photos
Remarkable: Like its predecessor and once the iPhone 8, the iPhone SE (2022) comes further with a 12-megapixel camera with an aperture of f/1.8. Nevertheless, Apple speaks of a “completely new camera system powered by the A15 Bionic”. However, the innovations relate primarily or even exclusively to the improved possibilities for computer-aided photography that result from the combination of iOS 15 and the powerful image processor in the A15 Bionic. Even without spectacular innovations in the camera hardware, the photo quality should improve. The iPhone 13 supports well-known functions such as Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, photographic styles and portrait mode (here, however, portrait mode only recognizes people, not animals like other current iPhones).
The iPhone SE 2022 comes in three colors: black, white and red, called (PRODUCT)Red.
iPhone SE 5G: price, release, colors
The iPhone SE (2022) can be pre-ordered from Friday, March 11 at 2:00 p.m. German time (5:00 a.m. PST) with the actual release being a week later, on Friday, March 18, 2022. The US price is 429 dollars, for Germany the price is 519 euros for the smallest memory size with 64 gigabytes (GB). Model variants with 128 GB or 256 GB of memory are also available for an additional charge. There are three colors to choose from: Midnight (Black), North Star (White) and “(PRODUCT)RED” (Red). Every purchase of an iPhone SE in the “(PRODUCT)RED” color variant will benefit the fight against pandemics such as COVID-19 and AIDS.
Handy
Fast A13 processor
Small screen
No tele/ultra wide angle camera
Assessment: For whom is the iPhone SE (2022) worthwhile?
If you prefer the classic iPhone design of the iPhone 8 or are just looking for a very handy iPhone that works well, the iPhone SE (2022) should be a good choice. Expect it to be fast and reliable. In addition, old accessories from the iPhone 8 work and displays can be easily changed in any electronics store around the corner. However, most of these characteristics also apply to the old iPhone SE from 2020. If you can find it cheaply in stores, it could still be an alternative in 2022. A current price comparison is worthwhile here.
OLED display with top contrast/colours
Very high work pace
Display not very bright
Tele lens missing
The better alternative: the iPhone 12 mini
Technology fans are likely to be disappointed when they look at the new model: The iPhone SE (2022) comes with a comparatively tiny display, an outdated design, no face recognition and a simple camera. If you are looking for a cheap iPhone with the latest technology, it is better to go for the iPhone 12 mini: 5G is also on board for around 570 euros, it is also handy – and technically better overall. But Apple made it clear at the keynote: The iPhone SE is intended to attract newcomers to the iPhone and is not a replacement for an iPhone 13.
