Three Biggest Questions About the iPhone SE 4

[crsh1976]

We're all over-thinking this and building up hopes for an innovative entry-level model that does not make sense in the Apple logic - entry-level uses older tech, has fewer features, is not as practical as it could be.

An XR-sized LCD, without side-mounted Touch ID (and only basic Face ID), with only one basic lens, BUT with the latest A chip (or last year's, given how the 14 and 14 Pro are not using the same anymore), and going for a price tag higher than it should sounds exactly what we will end up getting and be disappointed by next year.

Now we can go back to rumor-mongering about what the 15 Pro features it will/will not have!

 

[iPhoneUSer21321]

Please Apple go LCD. All of us who can't use OLED without eyestrain, headaches and migraines will need something to upgrade to from our iPhone 11 before software support is dropped.

That's probably why Apple decides to make SE for you guys to increase the screen size and without home button. They're doing it for iPhone 11 users that want to upgrade newer iPhone with LCD screen only. I think they're aware of people who has PWM and I would love that if they're aware of it and still make future iPhones with LCD screen.


Honestly, as iPhone SE2 owner, I should wait for SE's 10th anniversary in 2026 bc I could see SE having 2 cameras and has an original SE design body without home button and maybe 5.4 screen. I think 2025 regular iPhone models should have 3 cameras by now so then it's time for SE 2026 to get 2.

 

[sublunar]

From my understanding I don't believe that's how it's going to work, as long as the device is released before late 2024 it can continue to be sold even after this law takes effect. Apple could technically keep Lightning on the iPhone until 2025, though it seems that's not the plan.

My original understanding was that any device released before the December 2024 deadline could continue to be sold with a lightning port until discontinued, and this could see all 2024 iPhones come with lightning for a last hurrah.

I guess that makes sense, but then where does that leave refurbished iPhones? Do Apple then legally still get to sell them post 2024 as they are not brand new?

 

[sdragon]

An iPhone with TouchID would be awesome and people would queue up to get one - so Apple won’t create one. It would eat up the other iPhone sales.
But basically the iPhone SE will use older and already existing technology. The iPhone SE isn’t made to test new tech. So it‘ll have FaceID and a notch.

It's not really new tech though, it's been available in other iOS devices for 2 years now?

Yes especially if they move to Face on SE4. Wish they would ever come out with the SE+ they were saying from the start. Would want full screen either the same size or one up with touch ID on power.

I would like an SE+. Probably not going to happen though.

 

[AndiG]

It's not really new tech though, it's been available in other iOS devices for 2 years now?



I would like an SE+. Probably not going to happen though.

Talking about an ultrasonic and integrated fingerprint sensor. From Apples point of view this is a brandnew technology.

 

[compwiz1202]

Talking about an ultrasonic and integrated fingerprint sensor. From Apples point of view this is a brandnew technology.

Yea I think under screen wouldn't happen, but they already have devices with Touch in Power.

 

[AndiG]

Yea I think under screen wouldn't happen, but they already have devices with Touch in Power.

Yes but I think you did not understand my statement. The next SE will probably feature an edge to edge display. So it is either FaceID with a notch or TouchID. Integrated TochId won‘t happen so we will see a rather old and standard Notch/FaceId version. That is what I said …

 

[user1234]

Interesting. How does that happen? I have my migraines, but OLED is more relaxing than LCD to me. Even better adjustable too (iphone at least)

OLED displays have a constant flicker usually around 250 Hz which for some is a migraine trigger, causes eyestrain and potentially headaches and tunnel vision. It's not just the frequency, it's also the amplitude and character of the flicker.

I could look at the iPhone X for about 2 minutes in a store when it launched before feeling dizzy and getting tunnel vision.

It is believed that flickering light is an issue for everyone, and for office spaces there are standards for flicker. It has an effect on humans, but how much of an effect is very individual.

Some people are sensitive to other things instead or can use anything without noticeable symptoms.

 

[OJK]

Please Apple go LCD. All of us who can't use OLED without eyestrain, headaches and migraines will need something to upgrade to from our iPhone 11 before software support is dropped.

I would say:
Please go LCD or increase PWM frequency to >1kHz.
My iPhone 13 Mini seems to be at 160 Hz for lowest brightness setting and at around 500 Hz for anything brighter than that.
For me, though I consider myself sensitive (I see flicker where most of my friends don’t), the 500 Hz are okish. The lowest brightness setting is clearly not.

 

[siri_3005]

We're all over-thinking this and building up hopes for an innovative entry-level model that does not make sense in the Apple logic - entry-level uses older tech, has fewer features, is not as practical as it could be.

An XR-sized LCD, without side-mounted Touch ID (and only basic Face ID), with only one basic lens, BUT with the latest A chip (or last year's, given how the 14 and 14 Pro are not using the same anymore), and going for a price tag higher than it should sounds exactly what we will end up getting and be disappointed by next year.

Now we can go back to rumor-mongering about what the 15 Pro features it will/will not have!

If we're going by the one basic lens rumor, why? Every other modern phone has 2/3/4/whatever camera lens.

 

[crsh1976]

If we're going by the one basic lens rumor, why? Every other modern phone has 2/3/4/whatever camera lens.

The XR only has one, if we're sticking to the rumour that Apple will resurrect it as the next SE.

 

[user1234]

I would say:
Please go LCD or increase PWM frequency to >1kHz.
My iPhone 13 Mini seems to be at 160 Hz for lowest brightness setting and at around 500 Hz for anything brighter than that.
For me, though I consider myself sensitive (I see flicker where most of my friends don’t), the 500 Hz are okish. The lowest brightness setting is clearly not.

It's a no go for me at 1 kHz. Maybe 20 would do but it depends on the flicker percentage.

 

[OJK]

It's a no go for me at 1 kHz. Maybe 20 would do but it depends on the flicker percentage.

I’d love 20kHz. I have an LED headlamp with 16kHz, and I don’t see flicker. But maybe it’s more difficult for OLED? 🤔

 

[user1234]

I’d love 20kHz. I have an LED headlamp with 16kHz, and I don’t see flicker. But maybe it’s more difficult for OLED? 🤔

LED or OLED doesn't matter. They behave identically as far as flicker go. The difference is LEDs aren't made of organic material whereas OLED is. That's also why OLED degrade quicker. The organic materials break down. Early OLED displays looked horrible after just a year of semi-heavy use but they have come a long way. As soon as microLED is ready it should solve the degradation problem.

I don't see flicker at 60 Hz or above but I feel the symptoms of it. I have an LCD display with 100% flicker at about 120 Hz that's absolutely horrible to look at. I also have LED bulbs in my home with 5-10% flicker at 100 Hz which are perfectly fine. It's not just the frequency. The issue is that any kind of LED turn on and off instantly. If you were to feed an incandescent light bulb with PWM at 250 Hz it would barely change its brightness at all because of thermal inertia, while an LED will go from completely dark to full brightness 250 times a second.

 

[OJK]

LED or OLED doesn't matter. They behave identically as far as flicker go. The difference is LEDs aren't made of organic material whereas OLED is. That's also why OLED degrade quicker. The organic materials break down. Early OLED displays looked horrible after just a year of semi-heavy use but they have come a long way. As soon as microLED is ready it should solve the degradation problem.

I don't see flicker at 60 Hz or above but I feel the symptoms of it. I have an LCD display with 100% flicker at about 120 Hz that's absolutely horrible to look at. I also have LED bulbs in my home with 5-10% flicker at 100 Hz which are perfectly fine. It's not just the frequency. The issue is that any kind of LED turn on and off instantly. If you were to feed an incandescent light bulb with PWM at 250 Hz it would barely change its brightness at all because of thermal inertia, while an LED will go from completely dark to full brightness 250 times a second.

Not all LED turn on and off. Some are also driven with constant current. But yes, that needs a very good driver when connected to the AC network.

But I guess you know that too, given the other details that you wrote about 😉.
I do think though it’s important to distinguish between the fps/refreshrate of a monitor (I’d go so far to say that everyone will notice a 60Hz flicker like from an old CRT TV) and the typical pwm or bad LED driver flicker.
But you’re definitely right, the amplitude is important too…

 

[OJK]

LED or OLED doesn't matter. They behave identically as far as flicker go. The difference is LEDs aren't made of organic material whereas OLED is. That's also why OLED degrade quicker. The organic materials break down. Early OLED displays looked horrible after just a year of semi-heavy use but they have come a long way. As soon as microLED is ready it should solve the degradation problem.

I don't see flicker at 60 Hz or above but I feel the symptoms of it. I have an LCD display with 100% flicker at about 120 Hz that's absolutely horrible to look at. I also have LED bulbs in my home with 5-10% flicker at 100 Hz which are perfectly fine. It's not just the frequency. The issue is that any kind of LED turn on and off instantly. If you were to feed an incandescent light bulb with PWM at 250 Hz it would barely change its brightness at all because of thermal inertia, while an LED will go from completely dark to full brightness 250 times a second.

It does. White LED usually use a phosphorus layer that itself can reduce flickering amplitude.
With 60Hz, do you mean the refresh rate of your screen? An (LCD) screen can have a constant backlight and still a refresh rate of 60 Hz, but for static images that wouldn’t make a difference/be disturbing…

 

[GlenK]

Will be a waste for me if it's not LCD. The OLED headaches will rule it out!! Sooner or later my 11 will die a natural death!! Guess iPhones will go for me too when that happens.