EXPLAINER: The iPhone SE 2020, in simple English

Every year, new iPhones come out. And this time, it is the iPhone SE 2020. What do all its device specifications mean in English?

The second edition of the iPhone Special Edition (SE) series came out last month, April 2020. The first edition, which came out in 2016 right after the 6S, stopped production in 2018.

The SE series is Apple's attempt to break into the mid-range smartphone market. It retails for $400 (₦160,000), less than half the price of Apple's latest high-end phone, iPhone 11 pro max.

The SE 2020 has a 4.7-inch build, similar in looks to the iPhone 8, with the internals of an iPhone 11. So, let's dive right into the specifics.

Processor; very fast

This iPhone has the same processing chip, A13 Bionic, as the iPhone 11. This processor is a big deal, as it's the fastest ever seen in a smartphone. It boasts a processing speed, 2.65gHz, more rapid than some computers.

Camera; no night mode

The camera on the iPhone might seem unassuming because it has only one lens, unlike the iPhone 11. But don't let that deter you. There is almost no difference between a shot taken by the SE 2020 and the 11 Pro. With 12 megapixels and talent, you could launch an amateur iPhone photography career.

One disadvantage, though, is that it doesn't have "night mode" capability. Smartphone makers have gone to great length to make photos taken in poorly-lit areas look good. They bundle all that innovation into a "night mode" feature, which the iPhone SE doesn't have.

Design form; Home button restored

Who else misses the home button? Ever since Apple took out the home button, right after the iPhone 8+, the world became darker. I missed the fingerprint function, because of the ease of unlocking my phone. Sure, the new face ID works, but it still is not as seamless as the fingerprint to me.

With the SE 2020, Apple brought back the home button. Nothing else has felt like home. In their words, "home sweet home button".

More on Design; sleek with dual-SIM

The phone design is sleek, as usual, comes in black, red and white colours. It's water-resistant, and it comes with a frosted glass back. The 3GB RAM is 1GB less than the RAM in the 11, but that will make do. The SE 2020 comes with dual-SIM capabilities, a feature many Nigerians would love. Although, the second SIM is an embedded SIM (eSIM), which is not yet mainstream in Nigeria.

Battery life, not good enough

The iPhone SE's battery life is a major letdown. Apple claims you can watch a video for 13 hours in one charge, but with the battery capacity being 1,812 mAh, we don't think so. Think about it, the Samsung Galaxy S7 with battery capacity, 3,600 mAh, two times that of the SE lasts for only 18 hours. So, it's either Apple made their battery extra efficient or they are exaggerating. But of course, the SE charges fast, and wirelessly too.

Screen size, not big enough

The phone's 4.7-inch screen might work for you if you didn't mind the iPhone 6S. But research has shown that a lot of people have come to prefer phones with screen sizes 5.5-inch and above. You know, larger viewing to binge-watch Netflix or play your Call-of-Duty.

Bonus: Audio sharing

If you've ever had to remove one of your Airpod pair to a friend to listen to what you are hearing, that can stop now. On the latest iOS, you and a friend can listen to the same song using two different pairs of Airpods. So, you both get the best audio quality.

Overall, we've been largely positive about the iPhone SE, in this article. In a subsequent post, we hope to make a comparison between the iPhone SE and other budget smartphones. Which is a worthy buy?