Apple on Monday announced their new 4-inch iPhone SE handset. The new iPhone boasts the same A9 chip as the flagship iPhone 6s, offering double the performance of the iPhone 5s, the handset it replaces. The new device also boast the same graphics capabilities of the iPhone 6s, three times faster than the iPhone 5s.
Other features of the new handset are a 12-megapixel back-facing camera, which can can capture up to 63-megapixel panoramas, as well as supporting 4K video at 30fps, just like the 6s. The new device also boasts a 5-megapixel front-facing FaceTime camera with a True Tone Retina Flash, which brightens the display for a selfie, to act as a front-facing flash. Live Photos are also supported.
Apple Pay is supported on the new device, along with always -on “Hey Siri” voice activation, faster LTE and Wi-Fi performance is also offered. Last but not least, the new handset offers improved battery life.
“iPhone SE is an exciting new idea — we started with a beloved, iconic design and reinvented it from the inside out. The result is the most beautiful and powerful phone with a four-inch display in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone SE is packed with a stunning four-inch Retina display, advanced 64-bit A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor, longer battery life, 12-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash, Live Photos, 4K video, faster LTE and Wi-Fi, and Touch ID with Apple Pay. Everyone who wants a smaller phone is going to love iPhone SE.”
Pricing begins at $399 for a 16GB iPhone SE, while a 64GB model will be available for $499. Buyers who commit to a two-year carrier contract will get the 16GB model free. Or financing is available for no-contract buyers, starting at $17 per month. The device is available in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold.
Orders for the iPhone SE will be accepted as of March 24, and it will begin shipping on March 31 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The device will be available in over 100 countries by May.
