iPhone SE: Upgrades, design changes, 5G, and more

My experience with using every iPhone and iPad screen size to date has taught me two things: one size does not fit all, and you can usually get used to using any screen size if you use it long enough. The tricky part is that it’s not super easy to know immediately which screen size is right for you, and using any one screen size for an extended period of time tends to make it feel normal.

iPhone displays were at first large by most standards at 3.5-inches diagonally in 2007; BlackBerry “smartphones” had tiny displays and large keyboards. Android handsets gradually raised the scope of what qualified as a phone, pressuring Apple to go bigger with the 4-inch iPhone 5 in 2012. Then even bigger and much bigger in 2014 with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

I spent just a few days with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus before I decided I needed to exchange it for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, but after a year with that screen size I decided to size up with the iPhone 6s Plus last September. The experience has been mostly okay as I really think we can all get used to any screen size (even 3.5-inch!), but extended use this go around has made the drawbacks for me very clear. More on that below, but as promised I’m venturing over to the 4-inch iPhone SE at least until the new iPhones come out in September. These are my day one observations after making the jump:

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Apple has released iOS 9.3.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The bug fix update to iOS 9.3, released last week, contains a crucial improvement for iOS users: it addresses the widespread issue where apps (and sometimes the whole OS) would crash or hangs when tapping links.

We’ll update the post if we spot anything else notable, although the Release Notes do not suggest anything else has changed …

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Supply-chain sources cited by the variably-reliable Digitimes claim that Apple’s Q2 chip orders are down on previous years, and that demand for the iPhone SE is not high enough to offset declining demand for the iPhone 6s/Plus.

Shipments for the new iPhone SE will be unable to offset the fall in shipments for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus devices in the second quarter, the sources continued. The shipment target for the SE in the second quarter is four to five million units, the sources said.

Apple did caution that the current quarter’s revenue would see its first year-on-year fall in 13 years, the company predicting a drop of around 11%, which will be in large part due to (probably temporary) ‘peak iPhone.’ This latest report suggests that the slump may continue into the following quarter …

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As the iPhone SE is slowly beginning to reach the hand’s of customers around the world, the folks at ChipWorks have already been able to take Apple’s latest 4-inch phone apart to see what’s powering it all on the inside. It’s often been said the iPhone SE is an iPhone 6s crammed into the body of an iPhone 5/5s, and for the most part, it looks like that really is the case.

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The iPhone SE may be Apple’s most muted iPhone launch in recent memory due to the fact that it’s not considered a flagship model for the company, but new data shows the 4-inch iPhone is attracting a large number of users in two of Apple’s most promising emerging markets: China and India.

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iPhone SE might be helping Apple attract more new users from Android compared to previous recent iPhone launches, according to the latest data on sales of the new device from Slice Intelligence. Specifically, Slice points to the higher number of SE buyers coming from Android compared to the iPhone 6S:

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We’ve been rounding up the latest cases and accessories for the new 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro since they were unveiled last week, and today both Zagg and Pad & Quill have shared their lineup of accessories for the new hardware hitting stores this Thursday. Zagg is offering a selection of screen protectors for the iPhone SE and iPad Pro plus a lineup of keyboard cases for the new iPad as well; Pad & Quill has a collection of well-crafted protective cases for both the iPhone SE and new iPad Pro.

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Apple has released an updated build of iOS 9.3 for users affected by an activation bug, first reported last week. Although the version number is still 9.3, the update features a new build number, 13E5237, to signify the change. The issue prevented some iPhone and iPad owners from successfully completing the upgrade steps for iOS 9.3 if they could not recall their Apple ID info immediately, to pass Activation Lock.

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A CNBC report claims that Apple has received more than 3.4M pre-orders for the iPhone SE through retailers in China. The report says that gold was the most popular color, accounting for 1.3M orders, with rose gold close behind at 1.2M. If the numbers are correct, adding in orders direct from Apple and in other countries could see some very impressive sales numbers …

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Well, I did it. After absorbing the March event on Monday and unpacking it with Benjamin on the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast this week, I set my alarm for 1:58 am last night and pre-ordered the iPhone SE. Based on Mark’s reporting, I had an early feeling that the iPhone SE would be compelling (aside from color, the iPhone 5c never was to me) and overall Apple delivered.

The FaceTime selfie camera is a bit disappointing and the display contrast is weak, but the price points for 16GB and 64GB had a surprise and delight effect that I wasn’t expecting. So in one week I’ll make the giant leap back down from a 5.5-inch iPhone to a 4-inch one. Expect my thoughts on that experience in a couple of weeks. I’ll also share my iPhone SE review after some testing so send any questions or ideas over; I’m primarily interested in comparing it to the iPhone 5s and measuring the differences.

And now that I’ve had a few days to digest this year’s March Apple event, I have a few thoughts on everything it contained including Apple’s new Woven Nylon bands, the differences between the two iPad Pros, and a comment on tech spring cleaning …

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After several hours of downtime, Apple’s Online Store is slowly coming back up and the iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7-inch are both now available for pre-order. The iPhone SE starts at $399 off-contract, while the iPad Pro starts at $599. Deliveries will begin in one week on March 31st.

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This week, Zac and Benjamin discuss the recent Apple event and all of the announcements that came from it. There’s a new 4-inch iPhone SE and a 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but what’s all the hype about? The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.

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Apple deserves a great deal of credit for the iPhone SE. I outlined yesterday why I believe the product makes long-term strategic sense, and the vast majority of you agree. But Apple has also managed to tempt not just one but two 9to5Mac writers to do something almost unthinkable for tech junkies: downgrade our iPhones! Like Zac, I too am seriously considering selling my iPhone 6s and replacing it with the SE.

I’ve long been a fan of small-screened phones. I actually sat out both the iPhone 5 and 5s because neither seemed to me at the time to offer enough reason to upgrade. But there’s only so long I can be without the latest tech, so eventually I had to bite the bullet and buy first the iPhone 6 and then the 6s.

However, the iPhone SE comes very close to offering the best of both worlds: the latest tech and a smaller form-factor …

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Small iPhone fans, rejoice! Apple has finally updated its 4-inch iPhone for the first time since the iPhone 5s in 2013. Dubbed the iPhone SE, Apple’s 2016 4-inch iPhone could pass for the iPhone 5s if you weren’t looking too close (save for the rose gold version), but how does it compare to its predecessor as well as the rest of the current iPhone lineup? We break it down below:

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I argued a couple of months ago that ‘peak iPhone’ was likely a temporary phenomenon, but that Apple might have to be willing to accept lower margins if it is to continue to grow its sales.

I think it will also need to learn to be a little more flexible when it comes to its profit margins, especially in growth markets. That ~40% markup has served it well for a great many years, but I don’t think it can necessarily expect to maintain it indefinitely.

Yesterday, the company indicated its willingness to do just that. For the first time, Apple’s entry-level phone is a brand-new device that offers close to flagship specs at a price level close to the previous-generation phone. That will hit Apple’s margins on the device for sure, but the company is looking to the long-term …

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The new toys are official. The iPhone SE very nearly amounts to an iPhone 6 in an iPhone 5 casing, and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is effectively a smaller version of the 12.9-inch model.

While the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were Apple’s response to a large part of its customer base who were waiting impatiently for larger-screened phones, there were others who found them too big – either awkward to handle, or just too large to fit comfortably into some pockets. Those people were left with the choice between a 4-inch phone with out-dated specs, or a high-spec phone that was larger than they wanted.

The iPhone SE is a 4-inch iPhone with very few compromises. You don’t get 3D Touch, the front-facing camera is limited to 1.2MP stills and 720p video, and you don’t get the option of 128GB storage – but otherwise it has all the new toys: A9 chip, Apple Pay, Always-on ‘Hey Siri,’ 12MP rear camera, Live Photos, 4K video …

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