Snippet: Using the iPhone SE in 2019 ☇

Matt Birchler:

Despite this iPhone running the same software as my larger iPhone Xs, using it felt completely different, and that’s largely due to the size difference. While the iPhone Xs feels like a mini-computer to me, the SE feels more like a phone…if that makes any sense.

This feels more like a phone meant for text messaging, phone calls, and other quick communications. It’s a device for doing small tasks quickly, not for spending hours doing emails, reading the news, and watching videos. It can do all that, and we all did those things on this when it was the normal iPhone size, but today it feels like it’s not built for those things. This is totally just my feeling and others may feel differently, but to me it feels like the difference between the iPad Mini and Pro. Yes, you can edit video and audio and do multitasking on the Mini, but it doesn’t feel like that’s what that device is for. The Mini is better for browsing the web and watching videos, not doing hard work.

Before getting my current iPhone, an 8 Plus, I used an SE. From time to time, I get it out as a test/backup device. Each time, I’m still amazed how much technology is crammed into such a small and nice feeling package. There’s a few features that would currently keep me from going back, notably the better camera, Qi charging, water-resistance, and a solid state home button, but the idea still doesn’t sound terrible. Like many, I’d love to see Apple release a new iPhone SE, perhaps with a slightly larger screen in a similarly-sized enclosure and a reasonable price point.