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macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,991
I think Asia moved to bigger smartphones more quickly than US did. I remember seeing lower cost large screen devices like the Samsung Galaxy Mega in Asia first.

The problem with the SE 2 is it's still very expensive compared to income in a lot of countries. In the US, there's a ready-made audience of iMessage users and I expect there a lot more customers willing to take the cheapest iPhone in exchange for access to Apple's ecosystem and services. That's probably not a huge factor in most countries where WhatsApp or FB Messenger may be the norm and there's not much vendor lock-in.

Spot on.
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What I’ve learned from using the SE this past week is that I don’t need a $1000+ phone for what I use it for. Which is basically texting, some social media, browsing the internet and other minor things. Taking pics here and there and listening to Spotify.

Yeah the screen is smaller but I don’t game or consume a lot of media on my phone. I may watch a YouTube video here and there but I’m not watching movies.

The battery is fine. I’m always near a charger for the most part if I need a quick charge. It’s always plugged in when I’m in my truck.

This is almost like my usage. I’m thinking of an SE only for the dual SIM capability. Nothing the 8 can’t handle for me currently, just the dual SIM capability is what I’d love to have. Possibility of better LTE reception is also welcome.

Also looking at iPhone XR since the two are similarly priced and considering better battery on XR. But the size.. is not exactly satisfying.
 
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parker5011

macrumors regular
May 17, 2018
198
194
Spot on.
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This is almost like my usage. I’m thinking of an SE only for the dual SIM capability. Nothing the 8 can’t handle for me currently, just the dual SIM capability is what I’d love to have. Possibility of better LTE reception is also welcome.

Also looking at iPhone XR since the two are similarly priced and considering better battery on XR. But the size.. is not exactly satisfying.

This was me. After using the XR for a little while and then using the SE for me it wasn’t even a choice. The SE won hands down.
 

tt061282

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2018
367
409
Nevada
The iPhone SE 2nd gen has been a great device for me thus far. I got it launch weekend and have no regrets. It’s perfect one handed. It’s fast and it’s taking great photos.

I got the SE to use as in between the 11 and the iPhone 12 5.4” getting released. I figure I’ll have the latest and greatest processor then come October I’ll upgrade to the iPhone 12 5.4” as well. I consider it a win/win. However, I still can NOT understand what Apple has done to make the screen on the SE different than the 6s/7/8. I don’t get it. I’ve read about it. That it curves sooner than the older devices, but it truly is aggravating. Any old screen protector I had around the house for those devices doesn’t work. They leave that crazy halo effect around the edges and it’s aggravating.

I ordered the AmFilms brand off Amazon and am waiting on those to come in, but the wait and have the halo all around the edge is quite agitating. Supposedly the screens are interchangeable with the iPhone 8, but if that’s the case then you’d think the iPhone 8 screen protectors would work.

Other than that the device is great. Especially for what it is. It’s a $400 budget device that will NOT be beat when it comes to performance. Most of the $400 Android phones are using the SD 665/675 which are good chips, but not close to the A13...

just imagine what the A14 will be ?
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,414
12,422
However, I still can NOT understand what Apple has done to make the screen on the SE different than the 6s/7/8. I don’t get it. I’ve read about it. That it curves sooner than the older devices, but it truly is aggravating. Any old screen protector I had around the house for those devices doesn’t work. They leave that crazy halo effect around the edges and it’s aggravating.
Apple removed 3D Touch.
 

compwiz1202

macrumors 604
May 20, 2010
7,389
5,739
I just jailbroke my SE and got that feature back. Super easy to do and worth it for that tweak alone
Good so this finally proves it is a software issue and can be patched. Was so much conflicting info until now whether it was hardware or software.
 

happy orchard

macrumors 65816
Jun 3, 2020
1,158
1,592
More than a month in, I am amazed at how much I'm enjoying this smaller phone. I sold an 11PM for it because while I could handle the OLED better, my eyes and brain never loved it. Even the XR caused me a bit of eye/head issues when I couldn't even look at an X or XS. The last phone I really loved was an 8+ and before that a 7+. It seems eons ago that I had a 6. I remember the day I got it and held it in my head: compared with the 5S, it was so big but light that I literally called the phone "Fluffy." :)

And now I'm essentially back to that phone again, and all the love of that size, that weight, that gentle, gentle screen has made me so happy again. I look at this antiquated/dated/budget/[your choice of synonym for lame], and I smile and breathe more easily.

Then I laugh because how can a freaking phone have such an effect? :)
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Aww thanks for the thumbs up thadoggfather! I frequently see posts from you: you're cool. :)
 
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MacBH928

macrumors G3
May 17, 2008
8,303
3,706
anyone upgraded from iphone 7? This is my upgrade path, do you notice any difference?
 

ahostmadsen

macrumors 65816
Dec 28, 2009
1,095
834
anyone upgraded from iphone 7? This is my upgrade path, do you notice any difference?
I just upgrade from an iPhone 7. It is admittedly a little boring since the phones are so similar, but there are practical advantages. The battery life is much better (which could simply be because the battery is new, or...?), there is wireless charging, the camera is better, specifically HDR is much better, their is more RAM (I went from 32Gb to 64Gb). I also like True Tone.
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,991
I just upgrade from an iPhone 7. It is admittedly a little boring since the phones are so similar, but there are practical advantages. The battery life is much better (which could simply be because the battery is new, or...?), there is wireless charging, the camera is better, specifically HDR is much better, their is more RAM (I went from 32Gb to 64Gb). I also like True Tone.

You went from 2 GB to 3 GB of RAM. You went from 32 GB to 64 GB of storage.
 

Phil A.

Moderator emeritus
Apr 2, 2006
5,799
3,094
Shropshire, UK
I’ve had mine for a week now and absolutely love it! I stopped using iPhones as my daily driver when the X came out as I hated the design with the notch (and still do) and moved to Android with an original SE as a secondary phone.

I am probably different to a lot of users in that I don’t use a lot of the fancier features of phones: I have a DAP that I use to play all my lossless music and have several very good mirrorless cameras that I use for my serious photography. I also have an iPad Pro 12.9 for the heavier mobile stuff

I mainly use my phone as a phone and for keeping up to date with messages, emails, etc when I’m on the go (along with CarPlay in my car)

So, for me this is the perfect iPhone: classic design with no notch and it breezes through everything I need it to do.

Great job, Apple!
 

Peter RC

macrumors newbie
Jun 5, 2020
1
4
I'm really enjoying the iPhone SE.

I had an iPhone 8 which I loved, but then I needed a phone with dual sim capabilities so got myself the XS. I have to say that I never really liked the extra weight, size and thickness of the XS. And I very much prefer Touch ID over Face ID too. It's faster for me, because I'm already unlocking the phone while taking it out of my pocket. With Face ID that's not the case.. I need to bring it up to my face to unlock it and that's slower.

So, even if the screen on the XS is better and bigger, when Apple released the SE and I saw it supported Dual Sim, I went for it immediately. I just love using these smaller sized iphones. One-handed operation with the SE is much easier, and the Reachability feature is also easier to trigger, as well as the Control Center. And I like the small detail of having the battery percentage showing again on the status bar on top (missing on the XS).

This is really the iphone I needed, so no regrets at all.
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,991
I'm really enjoying the iPhone SE.

I had an iPhone 8 which I loved, but then I needed a phone with dual sim capabilities so got myself the XS. I have to say that I never really liked the extra weight, size and thickness of the XS. And I very much prefer Touch ID over Face ID too. It's faster for me, because I'm already unlocking the phone while taking it out of my pocket. With Face ID that's not the case.. I need to bring it up to my face to unlock it and that's slower.

So, even if the screen on the XS is better and bigger, when Apple released the SE and I saw it supported Dual Sim, I went for it immediately. I just love using these smaller sized iphones. One-handed operation with the SE is much easier, and the Reachability feature is also easier to trigger, as well as the Control Center. And I like the small detail of having the battery percentage showing again on the status bar on top (missing on the XS).

This is really the iphone I needed, so no regrets at all.

So, as against gesture-based UI of X and above, you prefer the UI of classic iPhones? What practical problems did you face with gesture-based UI?
 

ab2c4

macrumors 6502
Sep 21, 2013
436
382
As someone who just switched back to iphone from Android, I have had my regular iphone 11 for about a month now. I kinda wish I had gotten the SE instead. I am enjoying my 11, but, I realize now I would have liked the SE better because of the smaller size, lighter weight, and the home button for navigation so I am envious of you all that got an SE.

I am not enjoying the gestures on the 11 at all. First of all they are not as efficient to use as a home button, and secondly my even bigger problem with them is that they cause a lot of physical discomfort for me. After just a few minutes of using the gestures my wrist starts aching, and if I keep using my phone my wrist starts tingling and going numb. I have tried using the gestures every way possible and with both my thumb and pointer finger. Needless to say I have to use the virtual home button on my 11 for navigation and it works very well for me with no problems. If it wasn't for the virtual home button option I wouldn't be able to use the 11 without massive quantities of Aleve daily lol which of course would not be a healthy thing to do.

I use my phones for at least 2 years and its unfortunate for me that I missed out on the 2020 SE. I have a bad feeling they won't release another iphone with the home button but maybe I will get lucky and they will release another one.
 
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parker5011

macrumors regular
May 17, 2018
198
194
As someone who just switched back to iphone from Android, I have had my regular iphone 11 for about a month now. I kinda wish I had gotten the SE instead. I am enjoying my 11, but, I realize now I would have liked the SE better because of the smaller size, lighter weight, and the home button for navigation so I am envious of you all that got an SE.

I am not enjoying the gestures on the 11 at all. First of all they are not as efficient to use as a home button, and secondly my even bigger problem with them is that they cause a lot of physical discomfort for me. After just a few minutes of using the gestures my wrist starts aching, and if I keep using my phone my wrist starts tingling and going numb. I have tried using the gestures every way possible and with both my thumb and pointer finger. Needless to say I have to use the virtual home button on my 11 for navigation and it works very well for me with no problems. If it wasn't for the virtual home button option I wouldn't be able to use the 11 without massive quantities of Aleve daily lol which of course would not be a healthy thing to do.

I use my phones for at least 2 years and its unfortunate for me that I missed out on the 2020 SE. I have a bad feeling they won't release another iphone with the home button but maybe I will get lucky and they will release another one.

You could prolly sell your 11 and get almost what you paid for it. Then get the SE. a lot of people on here have done that very thing.
 

5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
19,733
I got the SE as a very late Mother’s Day/ very early birthday gift. I have some health and coordination issues so I was dropping my heavy expensive 11 Pro too often for comfort. It emerged unscathed from the drops but at the potential cost to repair it, my family decided it was better I set it aside for vacations or occasions I’d really appreciate the zoom and wide angle lenses.

So my daily driver is now a 128 Gb product red SE. I can easily hold it and dropping is not a concern. It’s affordable to insure and to repair and even to replace. After trying an SE we prepped for an extended family member, I was quite taken with it and that cemented the idea for my family to gift me with one of my own.

I am actually really happy with the low light camera performance. It doesn’t make a scene seem artificially bright. It just renders what my eye sees with minimal noise and image degradation.

It performs well enough as an actual phone to talk on. I haven’t noticed any compromises that make me dissatisfied in any way. It’s a fantastic value for the money and a nice phone in its own right. I haven’t missed my 11 Pro at all. I am keeping my 11 Pro of course, with the idea of using it on vacations or museum visits when I want the wide angle lens.
 

TGM85

macrumors 6502
Aug 29, 2005
268
754
Anyone upgraded from an iPhone 7 Plus to an SE 2?

I'm considering it, but the smaller screen and the single-lens camera are keeping me from taking the plunge. I feel like it would almost be a step down or maybe a lateral move, rather than a step up?
 
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