iPhone SE Review(2022): Apple Has Stuck To The Old Strategy

iPhone SE 2022 got lots of press as people believed this year Apple might revamp the externals of the most affordable iPhone. Some speculated Apple might put the new iPhone SE in the new body of the iPhone mini, iPhone 8 plus, or iPhone XR. Now we know that nothing of that sort happened, and iPhone SE 2022 is rocking the same old body as the iPhone SE. Now let us get over this disappointment and focus on the iPhone SE review(2022).  Let’s try to understand the pros and cons of this smallest iPhone.

The Old Formula At Work

If you have the previous iPhone SE and the latest iPhone SE(2022) in your hands, you will not notice any difference. Even if you use them side by side, you cannot pinpoint any difference. Because  Apple has not changed anything externally. It rocks the same 4.7 inches screen with the same retina display with 600 units of peak brightness. The phone looks outdated and small in hand. The big bezels at the top and bottom look historical to say at least. It is rocking only a single camera at the back with the same old sensor. You get a touch ID at the front along with the home button. In short, Apple has not put any effort to improve its design. The same old formula of the previous iPhone 8 is on display.

Don’t Let The Look Deceive You

Although externals are the same as the previous iPhone SE yet the new iPhone SE is a better performer from the inside. It has the fastest smartphone chip in the world- A-15 bionics, which makes it the fastest phone in the world right now. Yes, you hear it right, iPhone SE(2022) is the fastest phone in the world. It beats even the 1000 to 1500 dollars  Android phones in terms of performance. You throw whatever you want to at iPhone SE new model and it doesn’t slow down. Moreover, the latest iPhone SE supports 5G as well which means it is future-proof. But is it enough to recommend it to others? Let us discuss the other aspects of the iPhone SE (2022):

Camera

With the Apple iPhone SE (2022), you get a 12-megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture on the back. That camera has autofocus and it is fast. The phone comes with a 7-megapixel front camera with an f/2.2 aperture for taking selfies. As mentioned before the camera hardware is old but in real life, the single-camera takes better photos than the phone available in Android at the same or even higher price bracket. Using the camera is a delight since it has zero shutter lag and awesome clarity. While doing the  Iphone SE(2022) review,  we found that due to OIS,   the camera is very dependable and it is the best you can find in this price range ($429).  Yes, it is missing an ultra-wide or zoom lens but not everyone needs those sensors. At least, it is not carrying 2 megapixels pathetic sensors that we see in Android phones.

The front camera takes good selfies in the daylight with good color tones but struggles in the less light. The same is true for t back camera as it doesn’t have the dedicated night mode.

Among Apple’s latest technologies for iPhone SE2022 is Smart HDR 4 for improved results under challenging lighting conditions. For fine-tuning the quality of your photos, it has two options, Deep Fusion and Photographic Styles. These new features make the camera a brilliant aspect of the newest SE model.  

Apple Is The King of Videos

Another aspect where the new iPhone SE shines is the video recording. Its tiny sensor allows the recording of 4K 60FPS. Videos come out clear, with great dynamic range with awesome stabilization. Android phones in the range of 700 to 1000 $ struggle to put out such good videos. Apple has shown once again that it is really the king when it comes to video recording on mobile phones.

Elephant In the Room: The Battery

The battery was the biggest issue with the last model of the iPhone SE and this is still the biggest issue with the new SE model. Apple says it has improved the battery in the new model but during our testing, it seems it has improved marginally only. The battery is still the Achilles’ heel of the new model. What is the use of all the power when it can’t last for longer durations, especially during performance-intensive tasks! Most of the users will have to charge their mobile again to go through the whole day. Power users will have to keep the charger closer to them. The battery is certainly not its plus point

iPhone SE Is An Imbalance Phone:

iPhone is a strange phone in the sense that it can beat the best of Android phones in speed and camera but in looks, it can’t even compete with $200 phones. The small size, lower resolution, and big bezels make it look outdated. But once you are content with the looks, it delivers the best of the experience and camera capabilities. In short, this phone is not for everyone but targeted at a specific group of people. From whatever side look at it, you find Apple’s strategy annoying. Apple can certainly do better than this but it seems it doesn’t care. Either it fears that its customers will not purchase costlier models due to the better-looking iPhone SE or this lineup is not important for them.

After All It’s The Cheapest Apple Phone

At $429, the new SE model is the cheapest iPhone available with the latest chip and for most people, this is good enough, After all, they can expect the phone to last them for 3- 4 years at least as the Apple’s software support system is exemplary.  Though its hardware is old, it is durable.

 Moreover, people want iPhone as a social status. We need not say more about the blue bubble vs green bubble debate(Apple text messages are blue. When iPhone and iPad users text each other but green when received from Android).  But if you have a teenager or child and you want to get them the best of the latest Apple to join the blue bubble brigade, it is certainly the best choice. Since it has the legendary home button, it is an easy recommendation for old-age people as well.

Conclusion

iPhone SE2022 is certainly a mixed bag. However, it is not a bad phone snd certainly in terms of performance and camera it is the best one can get at $423(US pricing), But a small screen, poor resolution, and poor battery are its big drawbacks. Do look at the phone physically before making up your mind before purchasing this device.