Apple has unveiled a new low-cost iPhone SE on its website.
The company had been widely expected to release the new budget device at its March Special Event, but that was put on hold following concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Others predicted that the firm would wait until its new virtual Worldwide Developers Conference, expected in June, but it appears as though Apple was ready to lift the lid on the device at a time when much of the world is beginning to feel the pinch.
The new iPhone SE – which was rumored to be called the iPhone 9 – has a 4.7-inch display and a physical home button like the iPhone 8, alongside touch ID, a single rear-facing camera and the supercharged A13 Bionic chip, designed for Apple Arcade gaming.
Starting from just $399 in the United States, the phone is ideal for the price-conscious consumer and those who are looking for a new device to tide them over until the 5G iPhone, which may be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic causing production issues.
The SE 2 is available in three color options – black, silver, and Product(RED) – and offers similar performance to the iPhone 11 Pro, making it one of the most competitive budget smartphones on the market.
With an LCD display, it doesn’t offer the same Liquid Retina as the iPhone 11 and the iPhone XR, but it’s a compromise worth making to save a few bucks.
Apple is also offering the chance to purchase the device from just $9.54 per month or from $229 upfront by trading in an old iPhone.
Speaking of the new device, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said: “The first iPhone SE was a hit with many customers who loved its unique combination of small size, high-end performance and affordable price; the new second-generation iPhone SE builds on that great idea and improves on it in every way — including our best-ever single-camera system for great photos and videos — while still being very affordable.
“Phone SE features the industry-leading performance of A13 Bionic that enables great battery life, takes stunning Portrait mode and Smart HDR photos, shoots amazing videos with stereo audio, is great for games and super fast web surfing, and is built with the same industry-leading security features our customers expect. We can’t wait to get iPhone SE into customers’ hands.”
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