iPhone SE Teardown: 3D Touch Chip Removed, iPhone 8 Camera Sensor, and More

[bodonnell202]

Any news on if they’re using Intel or Qualcomm?

It uses the same Intel XMM7660 modem that is found in the 11 series. We won't see Qualcomm again until Apple releases 5G phones with the 12 series.

 

[Rigby]

Any news on if they’re using Intel or Qualcomm?

As expected, the image shows a 9660 package. It's the same one that was used in the 11Pro, and contains Intel's newer XMM7660 modem. It's a good modem.

 

[tripleburst]

It's like people can't grasp the concept that the reason this is $399 is because it's a parts bin phone. Just because it's the latest phone they released doesn't mean it needs to have something new in it. Yes we all know Apple is fully capable of making new things but this isn't the phone to put them in.

 

[reallynotnick]

Along with Gigabyte Class LTE, Express Transit with Power Reserve, Dual Sim (esim),3GB of Ram, higher screen brightness at 625 nits of brightness etc..all lacking in the iPhone 8. This iPhone SE 2020 edition is a steal for $399.

iPhone 8 is also 625nits, Apple started advertising 625nits with the iPhone 7 when it increased the brightness from 500nits of the 6S.

 

[kalafalas]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1253371226086535168

This is very interesting. So 3D Touch layer isn’t actually heavy like the we thought? Or the SE has a 3D Touch layer, but the controller is missing?

 

[tharitm]

I think the biggest trade off they made here was wireless charging. They bring people into that technology, setting up future phones to have no ports. So removal of 3D touch was something that was happening no matter what. They are done with that unfortunately. I am very curious to see if it stays on the Apple Watch or not starting with AW6.

But the 8 already had wireless charging.

 

[JPack]

This is very interesting. So 3D Touch layer isn’t actually heavy like the we thought? Or the SE has a 3D Touch layer, but the controller is missing?

Based on iPhone 6s display teardowns, we already knew the 3D Touch layer wasn't heavy. We know it adds about 0.5mm to the display thickness.

What this proves is the SE2 is missing the gold-colored 3D Touch layer completely.

 

[tkukoc]

But the 8 already had wireless charging.

Apple put this device out to get SE1, 6/7 users to upgrade.. none of which had wireless charging. iPhone 8 came out the same time X did and of course had wireless charging. But SE2 wasn't really made to get those users to upgrade.

 

[NickName99]

I agree. I know people here will hate this but it wouldn't happen under Steve Jobs. Let's take iPods for example. Back in the day they didn't make different iPods just to lower the price to get to more people. Each type of an iPod served a little different use and they had completely different form factors. In many cases people ended up owning more than just a single iPod. For example, they had the classic with big storage and other with smaller size for running. They could've done it the Tim Cook's way but they chose to innovate. That is the Steve Jobs's way. iPhone SE 2020 is just a worse iPhone.

I can’t believe there are still “it wouldn’t happen under Steve Jobs” posts happening in 2020. He died in October 2011, just as the iPhone 4S was released. Apple has thrived beyond anyone’s wildest expectations since then.

 

[JPack]

I’m curious why the rear camera is made with different materials and has a different part number. I suspect they made an improved one that would still fit into the old case design, which would save quite a lot in retooling costs.

Apple has different part number for different suppliers, even though the component is exactly the same.

We've seen this in day one teardowns for years. It's not a big mystery.

 

[TantalizedMind]

the price is right but I think the phone will not age well in battery department

The pathetic battery is why I didn’t spend $400 on this. I have a perfectly fine XR but I almost bought a 2020 SE as a backup.

Eh.

 

[aKansasKid]

Has anyone actually confirmed the 3 GB of RAM by looking inside? I know we all think it has 3. No word on it from iFixIt. Disappointing.

 

[TantalizedMind]

I can’t believe there are still “it wouldn’t happen under Steve Jobs” posts happening in 2020. He died in October 2011, just as the iPhone 4S was released. Apple has thrived beyond anyone’s wildest expectations since then.

....because of Steve Jobs

 

[JPack]

Has anyone actually confirmed the 3 GB of RAM by looking inside? I know we all think it has 3. No word on it from iFixIt. Disappointing.

The teardown from iFixit shows Samsung DRAM with part number that is consistent with 3GB. Every benchmark utility also shows 3GB.

 

[EchoplexSE]

Apple releases a pretty damn decent phone for $399, people still complain lmao.

 

[JosephAW]

Again, if they used the fit and frame of the iPhone 8 for the new iPhone SE then why not do the same for the iPhone 8 Plus so we can have a larger screen and two camera and Touch ID for a iPhone SE Plus.

 

[Woochoo]

Astonishing some people still don't understand why an inexpensive entry level phone has fewer features than a much more expensive high-end phone.

They perfectly understand it, even a kid does. It's more like they want more for less no matter what, so they moan about it (something many people love doing)

 

[NickName99]

Apple releases a pretty damn decent phone for $399, people still complain lmao.

Some folks aren’t happy unless they’re complaining about stuff

 

[citysnaps]

They perfectly understand it, even a kid does. It's more like they want more for less no matter what, so they moan about it (something many people love doing)

Yeah, it's kind of like people dreaming to own a BMW 8 series sedan, but can't understand why the BMW 2 series they might actually be able to afford to lease, doesn't come close in features.

 

[I7guy]

So it's really a second edition of the iPhone 8. Why didn't Apple just name it the iPhone 8se and save all the confusion with the original SE and this 8se?

It's the 4th edition of the 6s. Apple should have gone with 6ssss.
[automerge]1588017451[/automerge]

Apple, with their huge resources really could have put in more than a minimal effort, even for their cheapest phone.
Apple is clearly not doing their best for each product anymore. I guess this is the new Apple now.

The entire point of this, imo, was minimal effort, minimal price and maximum consumer potential. Apple is following the strategy for the OG iphone SE. Given the times, this may turn out to be a huge hit.

 

[PickUrPoison]

<snip>
I'm not sure what people were expecting? Old case, some new guts and a great price!!!
It's pretty much exactly what I was expecting.

Especially since that was exactly what was rumored for the previous 12 months, over and over again: an iPhone 8, updated with an A13/3GB SoC.

The gigabit class LTE, extra LTE bands, power reserve for Express Cards, WiFi 6, dual SIM (eSIM), additional camera modes and video modes are just icing on the cake.

 

[ani4ani]

Picture this: you are visiting a new place. You use google (or apple maps) to orient yourself and seek public transport directions. You snap pictures of things that catch your attention (mind you, not obsessively). You exchange a few messages with friends. Heck, you might brush through a couple tinder cards while commuting. Anyway, I don't need to explain how people use a smartphone.

That was e.g. what I was doing during my trip to Japan last year and by early afternoon the phone was at 30%, with a recently replaced battery and low battery mode. On warmer days it goes down even faster. Good thing I had an extra mophie pack.

You need to accept reality and not attack people if their experience doesn't match yours.

2 Hours of Fieldrunners2 kills my 6S

 

[sdedalus1]

They didn't bother to change the camera sensor.

I’m curious why the rear camera is made with different materials and has a different part number. I suspect they made an improved one that would still fit into the old case design, which would save quite a lot in retooling costs.

Part of the manufacturing process is the answer to that, and the 8 camera sensor is still very impressive today (same main camera used by the 8 Plus and iPhone X) - the ISP is really what adds to modern smartphone cameras. Many companies use the same handful of suppliers yet their results are different, its not just the physical lens part itself but the digital part that goes into processing the image and that is why the SE produces a better image or can take better pictures. They haven't modified their physical specs in a while, outside of larger sensors and different focal lengths - but what "wows" the average person now a days are more effects and clarity, and looking at your typical SE picture, it is impressive and just goes to show how good the actual hardware in the 8/+/X was despite being 2.5 years old
...
(Its not as simple as "we have an old bin of unused iPhone 8 lenses, lets shove them in the new SE" as the internet narrative goes, But the actual camera module themselves may be the same specification, despite a new part number. Similar to how the design might be the same as the iPhone 8 right now to the millimetre, but the part numbers will be new ... The actual savings are in the greater manufacturing process itself, as that same design has already been used to manufacture a phone and the R&D has already been done etc etc.)

I'm not convinced the SE2 sensor is the exact same as the 8, as Macrumors keeps reporting. That's not what iFixit said either (they said "probably" the same, but they didn't provide evidence one way or another). The lens appears to be the same. The sensor *size* is the same. The modules are interchangeable. But the sensor could very well be updated. I haven't seen any reliable reporting on who makes Apple's camera sensors or what model is in the 8 vs. SE2. Regardless, it's clear that the multiple exposure and tone mapping in Smart HDR makes a bigger difference than slightly different hardware specs of these small sensors, given that the SE2 sensor (1/3") + ISP can match or beat the slightly bigger sensors (1/2.55") in XR and 11.

 

[BigDO]

I get that it has a small battery,but what the hell are you doing with your phone for it to last barely half a day??? It must be glued to your hand non stop.You need help.

lol. Or you simply have an enterprise email account added, using push.

 

[uberzephyr]

I agree. I know people here will hate this but it wouldn't happen under Steve Jobs. Let's take iPods for example. Back in the day they didn't make different iPods just to lower the price to get to more people. Each type of an iPod served a little different use and they had completely different form factors. In many cases people ended up owning more than just a single iPod. For example, they had the classic with big storage and other with smaller size for running. They could've done it the Tim Cook's way but they chose to innovate. That is the Steve Jobs's way. iPhone SE 2020 is just a worse iPhone.

Isn't there an analogous equivalent of Godwin's Law for the "Steve Jobs would never..." trope? After 9 years, if there isn't, there should be...