Apple announces the new iPhone SE, its affordable smartphone at 489 euros

Apple announces the new iPhone SE, its affordable smartphone at 489 euros

     Smoothly, Apple has just renewed its entry-level by introducing a new iPhone SE, which should be powerful, since it will have the same processor as the iPhone 11 and will be sold from 489 euros for 64 GB of storage.

     After the iPad Pro and MacBook Air, it's the iPhone's turn to be updated without any special conference, still because of coronavirus.

     Anyway, the indiscretions were true. The iPhone SE launched in 2016 has finally been upgraded for the first time.

An affordable price

     Available in three finishes, black, white, and (Product)RED, this new smartphone retains its main asset: its price.

     It is sold from 489 euros, without subsidy, for the 64 GB model. For the record and comparison, in 2016, it is the 16 GB model which was at this price ... The 128 Gb model is sold at 539 euros and the 256 Gb model will cost 659 euros.


     Always positioned at the entry-level, it replaces the iPhone 8, which cost 539 euros for 64 GB until now, and the iPhone 8 Plus, which had this role.

     The rumor was about a large iPhone SE model (5.5 inches), for now, no news on this site. But, 2020 is still early.

Compact and powerful, always

     The other advantage of the iPhone SE was its compactness. The new model is a little bigger but keeps the same spirit. It is currently available with a 4.7-inch screen (compared to 4 inches previously) and keeps the design of the iPhone 8.

     So you'll find the borders on the side and top, as well as the Touch ID button at the bottom of the device.

     The larger screen obviously means better definition (1334x750 pixels) than the first model (1136x640 pixels), while the resolution remains the same at 326 pixels per inch. 

     Apple says that this panel should be much brighter and better contrast, the whole difference between a Retina screen and a Retina HD (True Tone and Dolby Vision and HDR10 compatible), so to speak.

     Finally, on the touch side, this new iPhone finishes burying 3D Touch and adopts the Haptic Touch technology to manage finger pressure on the screen and allow access to the "Quick Actions" of iOS.

     Like its elder in its time, the iPhone SE retains its other asset, power. Indeed, it benefits from the best chip of the moment from Apple.

     The A13 Bionic is at its heart. The performance should be very high, even if the amount of RAM onboard will certainly be less than on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

A step forward on the side of the photo     

     On the photo side, the iPhone SE offers only one rear photo module. It seems very close, if not identical, to the one on the iPhone XR. So there's a 12 Mpixel wide-angle sensor, and a lens that opens at f/1.8.

     The whole should benefit from the neuronal chip embedded in the A13 Bionic, as was the case for the XR in its time.

     In any case, you will be able to film in 4K at 60 fps. Of course, since the iPhone SE comes with iOS 13, you'll be able to take advantage of some new software, including QuickTake, which allows you to shoot a video quickly while in photo mode.

iPhone 12: 4 new models, 5G and a new design

Apple iPhone SE (2020)

SPEC SHEET

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

iOS 13 system

Apple A13 Bionic Processor

Number of hearts 6

Processor frequency 2.65 GHz

Integrated Graphics Chip

Memory card support No

Capacity 64 GB

Protection class (tightness) IP 67

Dual SIM Yes

DISPLAY

Size (diagonal) 4.7 "

LCD technology

Screen resolution 750 x 1334 px

Screen resolution 326 dpi

Refresh rate 60 Hz

INPUTS & OUTPUTS

Wi-Fi support Yes

Standard Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 n/ac, Wi-Fi 802.11b, Wi-Fi 

802.11g, Wi-Fi 6

Bluetooth support Yes

Bluetooth Version Bluetooth 5.0

NFC Support Yes

Infrared (IrDA) support No

USB Connector Type Proprietary

USB Host Compatibility No

Jack plug No

MULTIMEDIA

The main photosensor 12 Mpx

Flash Yes

Video recording (main) 2160 x 3840 px

Front panel sensor Yes

1920 x 1080 px front sensor video resolution

Front photosensor 1 7 Mpx

COMMUNICATION

GSM bands 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz Mhz

Max. reception rate 3G 42 Mbit/s

4G network compatible (LTE) Yes

5G network compatible No

POWER SUPPLY

Removable battery No

Wireless recharge Yes

DIMENSIONS

Width 6.73 cm

Height 13.84 cm

The thickness of 0.73 cm

Weight 148 g

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iPhone 12: 4 new models, 5G and a new design

iPhone 12: 4 new models, 5G and a new design

     A fan rendering based on rumors
     
     The next iPhone range is on the horizon in 2020, the iPhone 12 should be entitled to a new design and 5G.

     Like every year, Apple is preparing a new generation iPhone for the start of the school year in September. This year is all the more important as we should see the 5G make its arrival on the iPhone.


     This is confirmed by Bloomberg sources, always well informed when it comes to Apple's plans.

     These sources indicate that the brand is not planning two or even three new iPhones, but four models.

Four models of iPhone 12

     For the first time, Apple should, therefore, launch 4 new smartphones at the end of the year. Two high-end models, probably the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, and two more accessible models to replace the iPhone 11.

     Both Pro models should be entitled to a new design with straight edges, reminiscent of what Apple is offering with the new iPad Pro.

     This new design would be reminiscent of what Apple could offer with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. This has been a recurring rumor for several months.


     It's not the only thing that the iPhone would inherit from the iPad Pro since the iPhone 12 Pro would, in turn, be entitled to a LIDAR system for better 3D recognition of the environment.

     Another design change, the iPhone 12 would finally say goodbye to the very large notch that still appears on the front of the iPhone 11 Pro.

     Face ID would still be there, but the notch around the sensor would have been reduced.


     Bloomberg sources say less about the more accessible iPhones, and we'll be content to know that their photo modules should integrate only two cameras, like the iPhone 11.

Apple announces the new iPhone SE, its affordable smartphone at 489 euros

Late release due to COVID-19

     The ongoing coronavirus pandemic could pose challenges to the preparation and production of this, particularly ambitious iPhone range.

     As with the iPhone X, the release of the new iPhone could, therefore, be delayed until October.


     An autumn release would still be planned for the time being, even though there are currently too many uncertainties on a global scale to plan events exactly several months in advance.

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iPhone 12 (2020) : release date, price, datasheet, leaks, everything you need to know

If the iPhone 12 looks like this, it's going to be a hit

     The iPhone 12 should be available this year in three models, which should be launched in September, probably at prices very close to those of the iPhone 11. Release date, price, technical specifications, here is all we know at this stage of the next iPhone. 

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro: we may know almost everything about Apple's future smartphones

     The most eagerly awaited smartphone of the year, the iPhone 12 has fans on their feet. Who will completely crack if Apple releases this fabulous model...

     The iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max had been a disappointment at first: Apple didn't know how to make us dream with new technologies ahead of the market. 

     The iPhone 11 generation was a technological catch-up on Android competition that has become much stronger. 

     The iPhone 11 seemed destined to lead the class in as many categories as possible (screen, photo, battery life, biometrics, software support...). And from this point of view, it was rather a success.

The iPhone 12 generation is now set to transform the trial - and hopefully, it will popularize new technologies like 5G. In this dossier, we've gathered together the latest news and rumors about this smartphone.

When does the iPhone 12 come out?

     Every year Apple launches new iPhones at an event in September. It is therefore likely that the iPhone 12 will be launched in September 2020, perhaps at the end of the first or second week of the month. They will be on the market about ten days later.

How much will the iPhone 12 cost?

     
     The XS generation was the first for which Apple launched three smartphones, including the cheaper iPhone XR (€859), the iPhone XS (€1159), and the iPhone XS Max (€1259). 

     With the iPhone 11, Apple once again launched three smartphones: the iPhone 11 (€809), and the iPhone 11 Pro (€1159) and iPhone 11  Pro Max (€1259).

     Over two generations, the price of the cheapest version has dropped by €50, while the price of the most expensive iPhone has remained exactly the same. 

     Therefore, we can expect Apple to offer the iPhone 12 trio at about the same price as the last two iPhone generations. With perhaps, the icing on the cake, a slight price drop on the cheapest model.

What will be the datasheet of the iPhone 12?

     Some rumors are starting to accumulate around the technical specifications of the future iPhone of 2020. One thing is certain: like every new generation, it will have a new homemade SoC. 

     It is also expected to have significantly improved photo sensors and to make further progress in terms of battery capacity and battery life.

SoC A14

We're starting to know some details about the SoC A14 that these iPhones should carry. Apple has entrusted the manufacture to the founder TSMC. 

These chips will be the first on a consumer product to be engraved in 5 nm using the FinFET EUV (TSMC) process. 

For now, we don't know much more about these SoCs, except for the projections of a journalist Jason Cross who calculated that they could have 15 billion transistors compared to 8.5 billion on the previous generation, and a Geekbench score that is similar to that of the entry-level MacBook Pro (if such a thing exists).

Improved photosensors

     Apple should improve its photosensors again this year. But precise information is still missing at this stage. 

     The latest rumors speak of a clear improvement in depth-of-field detection - a must-have feature, for example, in Portrait modes as well as for generating a precise blur around a subject, the famous Bokeh effect. 

     The smartphone could carry a 3D laser sensor, or some other type of component capable of creating an accurate depth-of-field map, on its back. 

     In addition, whatever its sensors and optics, the smartphone should benefit from better image processing thanks to its new SoC, which is expected to be muscular.

     It could take more pictures at a time when the shutter release is triggered, and use this increased number of shots to generate brighter, more detailed pictures depending on the situation. 

     From this perspective, real-time image processing could also benefit movie shooting, with on-the-fly image quality effects and reprocessing.

iPhone 12 a better autonomy

     We saw it with the iPhone 11 Pro Max: Apple has made significant progress in terms of autonomy. And it is likely that the manufacturer is focusing its efforts on this point again. 

     All the more so as its SoC A14 is engraved in 5 nm and potentially has many more transistors than the previous generation - no doubt a sign of improved energy management, which will also result in increased autonomy.

Will the iPhone 12 finally make the notch disappear?

     One thing is for sure: iPhone 12s will benefit from improved screens. The whole question is how much they will be, and what that means for the rest of the datasheet.

Size changes

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the next iPhone will have slightly larger or smaller screen sizes than the iPhone 11 generation. 

Thus, the iPhone 12 Pro Max would have a 6.7″ screen (compared to 6.5″ on the iPhone 11 Pro Max) and the iPhone 12 Pro would have a 5.45″ screen (compared to 5.8″ on the iPhone 11 Pro).

OLED for all

     A persistent noise evokes the abandonment of LCD technology on the three models of the iPhone 12. The iPhone 11 (neither Pro nor Pro Max) has an IPS LCD screen, unlike the other models. 

     A way to lower production costs. It remains to be seen whether Apple will be able to offer the cheapest iPhone 12 with an OLED screen at the same price as the iPhone 11.

New 120 Hz display

     At least one of the iPhone 12 models should have a 120 Hz screen - instead of the 60 Hz refresh rate on current models. Apple was one of the first to introduce 120Hz screens on its iPad Pro as early as 2015. 

Until now, the firm has been reluctant to integrate such a screen into an iPhone, while many Android competitors have done so on gaming-oriented smartphones.

Knowing Apple's power in mobile gaming, it would seem surprising that the firm doesn't finally take the plunge. A higher refresh rate means smoother movements and a reduced response time, which can be a plus in some games.

Notch or borderless?

     Finally, one of the questions that will come upon this screen the most - until we finally get the answer - is "will it have a notch? ». Apple had popularized the notch by launching its iPhone X in 2017. 

     This cut-out at the top of the screen was until now a necessary evil for integrating advanced sensors like Face ID's on the front panel in smartphones whose edges melt like a skin of sorrow.

     But in a short period of time, technology has evolved. So much so that it has become possible to integrate a fingerprint sensor underneath screens. But it doesn't stop there: Several manufacturers have shown prototypes of photosensors that are also hidden under the floor. 

     The dream of a rectangle completely covered by a screen is now becoming reality. It remains to be seen whether Apple will be one of the pioneers or take the train.

Will the iPhone 12 have Face ID or Touch ID?

     That is, as we write this, the $1 billion question. Apple has touted its Face ID facial recognition technology as the most convenient and secure way to unlock your smartphone. Even more so than the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. 

     Rumors point to two possibilities. In the first scenario, Face ID would be completely replaced by a fingerprint reader under the screen.

     But other rumors suggest a much smaller Face ID device, which could fit into a redesigned notch, be hidden in the border, or even go entirely under the screen. 

     It's not impossible, by the way, that Apple has taken two approaches: one for the cheapest iPhone 12, and the other for the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max.

Will the iPhone 12 be 5G compatible?

     Apple missed the 5G mark in 2019 - and was probably not wrong to do so, given that the technology is finally available, at this stage, in only a few countries and coverage areas. 

     Nevertheless, it is likely that the company will offer 5G connectivity on at least one or even two of the three models. In fact, several reports have even been read that anticipate 5G compatibility on all three iPhone 12 variants.

     According to the latest information available, Apple would use the Snapdragon X55 modem to access these networks.

What does the design of the iPhone 12 look like?

     Apple usually changes its design every two generations. 

     So we can expect the fundamentals introduced in generation 11 to remain the same. The backs of the most expensive devices should be covered with frosted glass, except for the logo (shiny glass) and the photosensor finish, which is also shiny.

     The chassis of these cameras should be made of stainless steel again this year. There will be a new, attractive blue-purple color. 

     Some people imagine a flat chassis in the style of the latest iPad Pro, but again, such a radical change seems unlikely since the iPhone 11 had already changed its design.

Click here for the Last Update: 05/18/2020

     In the end, the only thing that should visually differentiate the previous generation smartphone will be new colors and the possible disappearance of the notch, which remains to be confirmed.

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