April 15, 2020, 5:38 p.m.
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Cupertino – Apple has launched a new smartphone. The new entry-level iPhone SE looks exactly like the iPhone 8 with its aluminum housing and the home button as a fingerprint reader. However, the US company has technically renewed the device and installed the modern processor A13 Bionic of the current iPhone 11. The optics and electronics of the camera have also been improved. Pre-ordered the iPhone SE from April 17th at 2 p.m.
The new iPhone SE was originally expected in early April. However, market observers were uncertain months ago how much the restrictions on corona virus containment will hinder cooperation between Apple developers in California and the production experts of the Chinese partner companies. Some analysts doubted that Chinese producers like Foxconn would be able to produce new iPhone models in sufficient numbers under the given circumstances. From corporate circles it is now said that enough devices could be manufactured to be able to withstand a large rush.
Prices lowered
With the new iPhone SE, Apple is price aggressive for its standards. Compared to the less powerful hardware of the iPhone 8, the price was reduced by CHF 50. The entry-level model is available from CHF 449 (64 GB memory). The version with 128 GB costs 519 francs, the largest with 256 GB costs 619 francs.
Unlocking with TouchID
In contrast to the latest top models, Apple does not rely on unlocking the device with face recognition (FaceID), but on a fingerprint sensor (TouchID) for the newly launched iPhone SE.
Apple had already used the device name iPhone SE in March 2016 for the entry-level model at that time, which at the time was relatively compact with a 4-inch display. In the new edition of the SE, Apple now uses a 4.7-inch screen like the iPhone 8. With the current chip, the SE is now 2.4 times faster than the model from 2016.
Changes to top models not before autumn
Changes to the top models of the Apple smartphone are not expected until autumn. In the past few years, Apple always presented a new generation of iPhone in September to do the Christmas business with fresh models. Here, too, some experts such as Daniel Ives from Wedbush Securities expressed the fear that Apple would have to postpone the usual autumn start into spring 2021. In the meantime, most market observers assume that Apple will present the iPhone 12 in autumn, which will then also support the fifth generation of mobile communications (5G) for the first time.
The well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from the financial institution TF International Securities, who is deeply networked in the Asian supply industry, recently predicted that a new design of the iPhones will be presented in the autumn. The current iPad Pro models are a role model. This would mean that Apple would say goodbye to the rounded frame that was introduced with the iPhone 6. Instead, the new models should have a metal edge, which was already available in a similar form on the iPhone 5. (awp / mc / pg)
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