14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has launched a new iPhone SE model that comes with the look of the iPhone 8 and upgraded internals, once again providing potential customers with a new affordable alternative to its more premium iPhones.
For many, this is quite good news, not only because they didn’t want to spend a fortune on a new iPhone, but also because larger phones like the iPhone 11 Pro aren’t their own cup of tea.
So a new 4.7-inch iPhone may be exactly the phone they were looking for, albeit I’ve seen so many people lately calling for Apple to launch an even smaller iPhone that gets closer to the original iPhone SE with a 4-inch screen.
But as I said earlier this week, launching a mix of old and new doesn’t make any sense to me, so spending $400 on this iPhone instead of a new-generation Android might not be the right way to go. And today, I’ll further discuss the three main reasons that should convince you to at least check out the Android world before ordering the new iPhone SE.
Outdated design
First and foremost, the iPhone SE features an old-school design at a time when Apple is pushing so aggressively for the modern look of its iPhones. The 2020 iPhone SE looks just like the iPhone 8 launched in 2017 and continues to feature a front-facing home button with integrated Touch ID.
On the other hand, at $400 there are plenty of Android smartphones out there that come with a more exquisite look, and some even feature fingerprint sensors embedded into the screen for, smaller bezels, notches (with standard cameras though) and other design improvements.
While for many the familiar design of the iPhone SE makes more sense going forward, it doesn’t really when comparing it to the rest of the iPhone lineup and the other Android devices out there.
As a matter of fact, the iPhone SE launched in 2020 looks pretty much the same as the iPhone 6 announced in 2014. In other words, the iPhone SE uses a six-year-old design.
Better value for the money in the Android world
While some are ready to purchase the 2020 iPhone SE because “it’s an iPhone,” a quick look at the Android world proves that there are a lot of options delivering better value for the money.
One example is the Samsung Galaxy A51, which is available in the United States right now for just $349 and not only that is also offered with a 5G option, but features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, 4GB RAM, a microSD card port, and a four-camera camera configuration on the back.
Plenty of other features are also offered, including an optical fingerprint sensor under the screen, Bluetooth 5.0, and even a headphone jack, all for less money.
New-generation features
And while the iPhone SE itself running on new-generation hardware, including Apple’s new chip, there are several Android devices out there priced at the same level that come with so many features that you’d normally expect on more premium models.
Living proof is the Galaxy A51 that I’ve talked about earlier, as it is equipped with a four-camera configuration on the back (the iPhone SE features just one camera) and a fingerprint sensor installed under the screen.
And of course, you also get goodies like fast charging and a 4,000 mAh battery, which should provide pretty good battery life given the huge 6.5-inch display.
At the end of the day, buying a new smartphone shouldn’t just come down to “it’s an iPhone” or “it’s a Samsung.” Checking out what everyone has to offer should be the first thing on the agenda when thinking about spending hundreds of dollars on a new phone, and if everything sound too good to be true, it probably is.