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# The iPhone SE is an Unusual Release for Apple, and That's a Good Thing
- URL: https://birchtree.me/blog/the-iphone-se-is-an-unusual-release-for-apple-and-thats-a-good-thing/
- Published: 2016-03-22T04:51:57.000Z
- Updated: 2016-03-22T04:51:57.000Z
- Author: Matt Birchler
- Tags: #Import 2023-06-01 22:41, #Import 2025-03-29 19:29

![](http://d.pr/i/1ahhS+) 

I was not expecting to be that impressed with the [iPhone SE](http://www.apple.com/iphone-se/?ref=birchtree.me), but I ended up being more excited about it than anything else Apple released today. I'm definitely going to get one of those [new Apple Watch bands](http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMA12/42mm-royal-blue-woven-nylon?ref=birchtree.me), and that [smaller iPad Pro](http://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/?ref=birchtree.me) is intriguing, but the new iPhone got me going more than I ever expected.

Walking into the event expecting to see a phone that looked like the iPhone 5S with iPhone 6 specs, and a $499 price point. I turned out to be right about just one of those things. Yes, the iPhone SE does look exactly like Apple's 2013 flagship[1](#fn-1543-1), but it's a more aggressive phone release than I was amping up for in an off-season release.

I assumed the SE would feature lower end specs, specifically an A8 chip with and 8MP camera, but Apple surprised me and made this new mini-phone a first class citizen in the iPhone family. The iPhone SE has an A9 chip, has a 12MP camera, shoots 4K video, sports 2GB of RAM, and has basically all the bells and whistles as the top of the line iPhone 6S[2](#fn-1543-2).

And then they got to the price. $399 is way more aggressive than I ever thought to see from Apple. That price puts it just $50 more than the [Nexus 5X](https://store.google.com/product/nexus%5F5x?ref=birchtree.me) and the [OnePlus Two](https://oneplus.net/2?ref=birchtree.me) two of the most beloved mid-range Android phones that are both known for their great prices. The iPhone SE is a high-end phone at a mid-range price. I'm not used to seeing this from Apple.

There's no way I'm going to get an iPhone SE, it's just too small, but I am wildly impressed with what Apple decided to put in this phone. The fact that you can get an essentially no compromises iPhone for $399 is still sinking in a bit. While this is not for me, I would imagine all those 4 inch-loving people out there will be extremely happy with this new phone.

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1. Now with new matte edges and a rose gold option. [↩](#fnref-1543-1)
2. Minus 3D Touch, and has a slower Touch ID sensor. [↩](#fnref-1543-2)