iPhone SE (2nd gen) Contract Deals – How To Find Them
The second generation iPhone SE for 2020 is here - also called the iPhone SE 2. Let's find out if it's worth getting on contract, now that the iPhone 8 (on which it is based) has gone out of production. If you're looking for a cheaper iPhone than the current range, but still need an Apple product, then this one might just be for you...
Contents
- iPhone SE 2: New, but with an old design
- iPhone SE 2020: Other changes
- Under the bonnet
- iPhone SE (2020): Camera
- iPhone SE (2020): Battery Life
- iPhone SE (2020): Price
- Verdict on the iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2: New, but with an old design
Visually, the current iPhone SE has nothing to do with the first, but instead is the rebirth of a classic: It looks exactly like the iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and 8. Curiously - and unlike other iPhone launches in the past -, there is a bright red (PRODUCT)RED variant available at the start.
The good news is that old iPhone 8 cases should fit, and the general operation does not change. There is no reinvention of the wheel here.
However, there are a few changes elsewhere: Apple has deleted the "3D Touch" function in iPhone SE (2016), in which pop-up menus were activated by applying more pressure. Instead, as with the iPhone XR, the company relies on "Haptic Touch", that is, activating the submenus by pressing for a longer time.
Since you usually press longer when pressing harder, the difference in everyday life is hardly noticeable.
Like the iPhone 8, the iPhone SE from 2020 is waterproof to IP67 (iPhone 11: IP68) - a major advance over the iPhone SE from 2016 where a lot of people came unstuck.
iPhone SE 2020: Other changes
The old design had its advantages, too. Although Apple's Face ID works well in everyday life and, unlike the supposedly unsecure face recognition of many Android phones, is difficult to crack, there are still users who do not want to miss the fingerprint sensor and home button.
You can breathe a sigh of relief here though: FaceID is not used; like the iPhone 6S, 7 and 8, a "Taptic Engine" is built into the home button, which imitates the operating feeling of a mechanical pressure point convincingly.
This makes the iPhone SE (2020) the only current Apple phone that can be biometrically unlocked by users with a coronavirus mask ;)
Under the bonnet
From the exterior design alogn, the SE 2 doesn't look like much different, but Apple has added quite a lot under the bonnet. A powerful A13 chip drives the smartphone. It can also be found in the devices from the iPhone 11 series such as the iPhone 11 Pro, making them the fastest smartphones in the world even in early 2020 and loosely outperforming every Android processor. As a result, the iPhone SE (2020) is smaller, but still faster than the iPhone XR from 2019 with the A12 bionic processor.
iPhone SE (2020): Camera
The results of the Foned in-house camera test are particularly exciting. On the one hand, Apple uses a slimmed-down technology with only one standard lens compared to the current 11 generation; both the tele lens of the Pro models and the ultra wide-angle camera of the iPhone 11 are missing.
On paper, the 12-megapixel camera appears to be technically identical to the main lens of the iPhone 11. On the other hand, a major difference between the iPhone SE camera and that in the first iPhone SE (as well as in the iPhone 8) is the more modern and faster image processing system.
The fast A13 bionic processor makes it all possible... thanks to this, the iPhone SE 2 also receives the new "Smart HDR" technology, which recognises objects like faces and automatically sets the appropriate brightness for these areas in HDR multiple exposures.
It also includes all the extras of portrait mode, such as the black and white mode and the expanded bokeh effect for the front and main cameras. If you hold the button down in photo mode, a video recording starts automatically, - optionally in 4K - to 60 frames / second or in Full HD with extended dynamic range (HDR).
iPhone SE (2020): Battery Life
At launch it was noted that Apple did not comment on the battery capacity , but we can now see that the iPhone SE is as large as the iPhone 8, i.e. 1,821 mAh. The laboratory test will provide a precise comparison of the runtime, but there is reason to fear that the iPhone SE has inherited the battery weakness of the iPhone 8, sadly.
The runtime is probably much lower than that of the iPhone 11 with its 3,110 mAh battery. Apple probably includes the well-known 5-watt power supply with a large USB-A connector for the iPhone SE. It's nice and small and the associated USB Lightning cable also works on older computers without USB-C, but the charging speed would be as slow as that of the iPhone 8.
The good news is, that with a suitable USB-C power supply like the anchor PowerPort III Mini (around 20 quid) and fast-charging USB-C Lightning cable works with Fast Charging with 18 watts. Wireless charging is also possible.
iPhone SE (2020): Price
The launch price in the UK is £419. For Apple, that is very cheap!
The more expensive ProductRED colour means that some of the increased cost goes to charity - and it also looks pretty cool, too.
Verdict on the iPhone SE 2
If you are buying an iPhone SE in 2020 then make sure compare prices on monthly contracts. Although it's a cheaper Apple phone, it makes sense to check on the pricing first and compare monthly quotes. That is what Foned is here for - any time of day, compare contract prices on any Apple model.
Other phones to consider:
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11
- Samsung Galaxy A71
Description from: Mobiles.co.uk
Apple iPhone SE (2020) has an advanced camera system with A13 Bionic which brings Portrait mode, which artfully blurs the background to put the focus on the subject. iPhone SE lets you watch up to 13 hours of video on a single charge.
Description from: Mobile Phones Direct
The iPhone SE sports a compact version of the classic iPhone design so it's stylish and comfortable to hold. Its 4" Retina display is sharp and bright and it features a 12MP iSight rear camera with a 2.2/f aperture capable of recording 4K video. It has a fast dual-core A9 processor and 2GB of RAM that delivers a seamless experience whether browsing the web or running popular social media apps.
All iPhone SE (2nd gen) colours:
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) contract deals in Black
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) contract deals in Rose Gold
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) contract deals in Silver
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) contract deals in Grey
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) contract deals in White
- iPhone SE (2nd gen) contract deals in (PRODUCT)RED
All iPhone SE (2nd gen) storage sizes:
Check each individual page for each size or storage capacity, to find the best deals.