iPhone SE

Video: all iPhone sapphire lenses scratch tested

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 3, 2016

As you may know, Apple's marketing boss Phil Schiller recently insisted that rumors of the iPhone 7's Home button and camera lens not being covered in pure sapphire were false. However, YouTuber JerryRigEverything has found that these parts do leave scratch marks at a level six on the Mohs scale of hardness, which is odd given that pure sapphire crystal should sustain scratches up to a level nine.

Apple on its website states that all of the iPhones it currently sells offer sapphire protection for the Touch ID sensor and iSight camera, which doesn't explain why these parts appear to scratch more easily than they should.

Could Apple be using a sapphire/glass hybrid or even a normal tempered glass rather than a 100 percent sapphire crystal? That's what JerryRigEverything set out to find in a comprehensive scratch test video of the iPhone SE/6/6s/7 series.

Weight, size, and battery life: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6s

Anthony Bouchard ∙ September 7, 2016

Apple's iPhone lineup just got even better as of Wednesday's product unveiling. Not only are the devices super fast, more power-efficient, and available in new finishes, but they also come with a slew of new finishes that owners of previous-generations of iPhone will drool over.

In this piece, we'll compare the iPhone 7 to the iPhone 6s so you have an idea of the differences in size, weight, and even their expected battery life.

Obviously fake iPhone 6SE packaging photos are circulating around the Internet

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 24, 2016

Some reputable outlets are running supposed photographs of the supposed packaging for Apple's supposed 'iPhone 6SE' smartphone—despite the fact that the images have been identified as poorly faked Photoshop mockups. The understandable excitement around those obviously doctored shots stems from a very sketchy post by German blog Apfelpage.de.

Earlier in the summer, that outlet made unsubstantiated claims that Apple might market the iPhone 7 under the 'iPhone 6SE' moniker or perhaps release an updated iPhone SE with iPhone 6-style design, neither of which makes any sense to me.

Rumor: ‘iPhone 7’ may be called ‘iPhone 6SE’?

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

German blog Apfelpage.de has learned from sources in China who claim to have seen the next iPhone's packaging that the forthcoming handset will be marketed under the ‘iPhone 6SE’ moniker rather than be called ‘iPhone 7’. Although the report is somewhat sketchy, such a move may not be without its merits.

For starters, Apple is rumored to be switching to a three-year iPhone refresh cycle and, more importantly, the next iPhone seems to sport iterative enhancements and be very similar in appearance to the existing iPhone 6/6s lineup.

iPhone SE is more popular than Apple anticipated so it’s boosting production

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 3, 2016

Due to stronger-than-expected sales of the four-inch iPhone SE, Apple has boosted production of the handset in the second quarter of this year, Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes reported Tuesday.

Citing industry sources, DigiTimes claims Apple's just increased orders for the iPhone SE to more than five million units from the original plan of 3.5-4 million units in the second quarter of 2016.

Many iPhone SE users complain about audio issues with Bluetooth phone calls

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

As evidenced by a growing thread on the Apple Support Communities, many owners of the new iPhone SE smartphone are plagued with various Bluetooth issues.

Folks are reporting distorted or inaudible calls when the handset is paired with a car or headset.

These issues appear to only affect Bluetooth phone calls, not music playback. Apple had not commented on this problem at post time.

iPhone SE: 10 features that didn’t make the cut

Andrew O'Hara ∙ April 4, 2016

The iPhone SE has the body of an iPhone 5s, but with all of Apple's latest tech. Well, most of it anyway. In this post and video, we've compiled a list of the latest features that didn't make the cut to Apple's four inch handset.

Torture tests expectedly find iPhone SE less durable than iPhone 6s

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 4, 2016

Extended warranty provider SquareTrade has put the new iPhone SE through its paces in terms of durability. After pitting the device against the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models in bend, drop and water tests, the firm has found the iPhone SE to be less durable than the iPhone 6s series, made from a strengthened aluminum alloy.

“While it holds its own against the much bigger iPhone 6s Plus, the new iPhone SE still has some growing up to do before it can compete with the durable iPhone 6s,” concluded SquareTrade. A video of the tests shows the four-inch iPhone SE being submerged in water, dropped on its corner and bending under pressure.

iFixit tears down iPhone SE, reveals some interchangeable 5s parts

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 31, 2016

Following the first day of availability of the iPhone SE, iFixit has gotten their hands on their own unit and has started their ritualistic practice of disconnecting every little screw, cable, and hinge that comes on it.

The iFixit teardown comes a day after Chipworks' version, which revealed a lot of familiar parts in the iPhone SE that could be found in previous iPhone models, such as the 5s, 6, and 6s.

iFixit has not only confirmed these findings from Chipworks, but also provides some new insight about the iPhone SE's parts that is sure to interest its consumers.

Teardown of iPhone SE finds hardware is a collage of 5s, 6, and 6s parts

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 31, 2016

The first legitimate hardware teardown of Apple's new 4-inch smartphone, the iPhone SE, has been conducted by Chipworks. Apple just unveiled this new handset at its recent 'Let us loop you in' event alongside the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

The teardown finds that the iPhone SE is more than just a new generation of smaller iPhone from Apple, but that it's actually a very clever device that takes the best from the performance world and combines it with the economics of older devices. This allows Apple to provide a product at a cheaper cost, but with similar performance.

As the teardown reveals, the iPhone SE is actually a Frankenstein of iPhone 5s, 6, and 6s parts that all work together to create a powerful 6s-like performance experience in a smaller 4-inch package.

T-Mobile promo takes half off any iPhone when you buy a second iPhone and add a line

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 30, 2016

In time for the new iPhone SE, which lands on store shelves tomorrow, wireless carrier T-Mobile announced a new BOGO (Buy One Get One) promotion that gives qualifying Simple Choice postpaid customers half off any iPhone when they buy a second iPhone and add a line.

Devices eligible for this promotion include all iPhones that the company currently stocks, including the new four-inch iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Certified pre-owned iPhones are not eligible for this time-limited offer, which goes live on Thursday, March 31.

Preliminary numbers show strong iPhone SE interest in China with 3.4 million pre-orders

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Apple's new four-inch iPhone SE could prove very popular in China, Apple's second largest market in terms of revenue, as launch weekend pre-orders from retailers have topped an estimated 3.4 million units, said CNBC on Monday. Data from local retailers reveals that Gold and Rose Gold are the most popular colorways among buyers in China. Those are preliminary figures: Apple has not publicly boasted about iPhone SE pre-orders as of yet.