After years of rumors and speculations, Apple launched its new affordable entry-level iPhone, iPhone SE on April 15, 2020, after a very long gap of 4 years. There were some rumors that Apple may call it “iPhone 9”, but Apple has decided to stick to iPhone SE. In case, you’re wondering, SE stands for “Special Edition”. Apple had launched the original iPhone SE in 2016 but discontinued it in 2018.

Here’s a quick overview of the second-generation iPhone SE specifications including details Apple does not mention on its tech specs page:

• iPhone SE is identical to the iPhone 8 in design
• Features a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD display with True Tone to match the ambient lighting in a room, Wide color, Dolby Vision, and HDR1. The screen also sports a 1334-by-750-pixel resolution at 326 PPI.
• Powered by A13 Bionic chip with 3 GB RAM
• Single 12MP wide rear camera (ƒ/1.8 aperture) with 5x digital zoom
• 7MP front camera (f/2.2 aperture)
• Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the Home button
• 1821 mAH battery, same as the iPhone 8. It lasts about the same as iPhone 8 with up to 13 hours of video playback, up to 40 hours of audio playback
• Support fast charging but you need to buy the charger separately
• Cellular and Wireless capabilities: Gigabit-class LTE with 2×2 MIMO and LAA4, 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology, NFC with reader mode, Express Cards with power reserve
• Wireless charging (works with Qi chargers), and support Fast charging
• It is available in Black, white and PRODUCT (RED) colors
• 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage capacities

2020 iPhone SE Features

Here’s a look at the best iPhone SE features:

Design

iPhone SE features an aerospace-grade aluminum and durable glass design with an all-black front and is available in black, white and (PRODUCT)RED. It is similar in design to iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. However, Apple has increased the size of the screen from 4-inch to 4.7-inch, so it might not go down well with users who prefer the original iPhone SE’s smaller form factor.

A13 Bionic Chip

iPhone SE is powered by A13 Bionic chip, same as the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. It is the fastest CPU in any smartphone. It features up to 20% faster CPU than the A12 chip. The A13 chip has special improvements for machine learning accelerators that allow the CPU to deliver more than 5 trillion operations per second.

Camera

It comes with a 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture wide camera, the same as the iPhone XR, however, it is more capable than the iPhone XR because of A13’s imaging pipeline. The new iPhone SE supports all six Portrait Lightning effects and Depth Control, which iPhone XR does not support.

The rear camera also supports high-quality video capture at 4K up to 60fps, and extended dynamic range comes to iPhone SE for more highlight details up to 30fps.

Touch ID

The Touch ID fingerprint sensor is built into the Home button. Since Apple has now discontinued iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the new iPhone SE is the only iPhone to feature Touch ID.

Water- and Dust-Resistant

The second generation iPhone SE is water- and dust-resistant with an IP67 rating for water resistance up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

Wi-Fi 6

It also supports the new Wi-Fi 6 standard for faster download speeds.

Express Cards

It supports “Express Cards with power reserve.” This means your iPhone can authenticate even when it is completely discharged. The Express Cards feature is likely to help with Apple’s upcoming CarKey feature. Furthermore, you will also be able to pay for rides with Apple Pay using Express Transit.

Comparison Table of Apple’s 2019-2020 iPhone models

Here’s a look at how Apple’s new iPhone SE compares with the other iPhone models available currently such as iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Note: If you’re on a mobile device, then you will need to view the table in landscape mode.

[via AnandTech]

Missing Features

As you would expect, Apple’s new budget iPhone does not come with some features that are available in the top-end iPhones such as wide-angle camera, night mode, Face ID, tap to wake, and U1 Ultra Wideband chip. You can read our article to learn more about the features that are missing in Apple’s new budget iPhone.

iPhone SE Review

iPhone SE reviews have generally been positive. Most reviewers agree that it is the best smartphone for $399. Apple seems to have nailed it.

You can also check out the iPhone SE video review by the famous YouTuber, Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD:

iPhone SE Colors

It is available in 3 colors: black, white, and PRODUCT (RED). Check our article to find out which color iPhone SE you should buy.

Storage Capacities

The base model comes with 64GB. It is also available in 128GB and 256GB. If you are confused as to which storage variant of the iPhone SE you should buy, read our guide.

Pricing

The pricing starts at $399 or $16.62 per month in the U.S. The 128GB model is available for $449 or $18.70 per month, and the 256GB model is available for $549 or $22.87 per month.

Please find the pricing details in various countries.

Availability

The new iPhone will go on sale in 40 countries. Here’s the complete list of countries: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guernsey, Jersey, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE.

The pre-orders went live on April 17 and will be available in retail stores on April 24, 2020.

Should You Buy iPhone SE?

If you are confused about whether you should upgrade to iPhone SE from your current iPhone, or if you have decided to buy but confused about which storage variant or color to buy, then we have you covered with the guides.

Should you upgrade from your current iPhone to iPhone SE?

• iPhone 6 vs 2020 iPhone SE: Should You Upgrade?
• iPhone 6s vs 2020 iPhone SE: Should You Upgrade?
• iPhone 7 vs 2020 iPhone SE: Should You Upgrade?
• 2020 iPhone SE vs iPhone 8: Should You Upgrade?
• iPhone SE vs iPhone XR vs iPhone 11: Which Budget iPhone Should You Buy?
• iPhone SE vs 2020 iPhone SE: Here’s Why You Should Upgrade

If you are confused about which storage option or which color to buy, then check our detailed guides to make your decision easier.

• Which 2020 iPhone SE Storage Capacity Should You Buy — 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB?
• Which Color 2020 iPhone SE Should You Buy – Black, White, or (Product) RED?

Best Places to Buy iPhone SE

Here are the best places to buy iPhone SE.

• Apple
• Amazon
• Best Buy – Best Buy is bundling a $50 gift card when you purchase the iPhone SE.
• Comcast Xfinity – It is taking off $200 from the price of the phone if port over a new number and activate a new line simultaneously.
• Carriers – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon

If you have already bought the iPhone SE, then check out the best accessories, cases and screen protectors for your shiny new iPhone.

• The Best iPhone SE (2020) Accessories
• The Best iPhone SE (2020) Cases For Every Budget
• The Best iPhone SE 2020 Screen Protectors

iPhone SE (2nd Generation) How-Tos and Articles

• The Best Tips and Tricks
• The Best Apps
• How to Force Restart, Hard Reboot, or Force Reboot
• How To Take a Screenshot
• How to Check Battery Percentage in 4 Easy Ways
• How to Enable Night Mode

Jailbreak iPhone SE

On May 23, jailbreaking team Uncover released Uncover 5.0, which allows you to jailbreak iOS 13.5 on all iPhones and iPads including the new iPhone SE (2020). If you need help, then you can check out our article for the step-by-step guide on how to jailbreak iOS 13.5 on your iPhone SE using Unc0ver jailbreak.

Check out the latest iPhone SE news below.

Note: We may earn a commission for purchases from the links above, which helps us keep the site running.

This post was last updated on May 25, 2020.