(See: Photos of iPhone SE)
In today’s date, knowingly or unknowingly, the iPhone has become a status symbol. Many people associate it with class, as it was said in an advertisement of Apple- If You Don’t Have An iPhone, You Don’t Have An iPhone. (If you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have an iPhone). It is also a fact that for most of the users, it was the price that drove them towards the iPhone. The high price first shocked everyone, then enticed. In the beginning, people started using it as a status symbol and gradually common users also started trying to get it. Meanwhile, the user also started to realize that the cost of the iPhone is a bit high. Its effect was also visible on the sales of the company. Apple has not been able to spread its foot in the Indian market as fast as it would have expected. On the other hand, the popularity of the screen size of the iPhone 5S has also continued to grow. Keeping all these things in mind, the company decided to introduce a ‘budget’ or ‘cheap’ iPhone with a 4-inch display. Will the company be able to make inroads in emerging markets like India with the help of this handset? This will become clear in the future. But keeping in mind the parameters like price, specification and value for money, the iPhone SE seems to miss in many cases.
Before forming any idea about the merits and demerits of the handset, there are a few things that you need to know. The price of 16 GB variant of iPhone SE in India is Rs 39,000. The price of the 64GB variant is yet to be known. It will be available in India from April 8.
Price: Pocket will still be loose
39,000 Rs. This is the price of Apple’s cheapest iPhone ever. In the Indian market, it will not be considered as a budget even in the mid-range segment. If cashback or exchange offers are not available, then spending so much money for any user is equivalent to withdrawing money for premium segment handsets. Keep in mind that we are talking about the 16 GB variant. Considering the difference in prices of different storage variants of Apple’s older iPhone models, the 64GB variant of the iPhone SE should be priced at Rs 49,000. It is clear that the prices do not excite much. In fact, this has turned out to be the most disappointing aspect of the product since its launch.
(Read: First glimpse of iPhone SE)
Specification: Old wine in new bottle
When you spend so much money for a gadget, you would definitely expect some new features. But this is not going to happen. The company has already clarified that most of its specifications are from the iPhone 6S. And the flagship feature of the iPhone 6S model is not even a 3D Touch display. Looking at the processor, camera, design and other features, it can be said that the iPhone SE is nothing more than ‘old wine in a new bottle’. Yes, if you have never used an iPhone then everything is new to you. But it is also worth noting that as of today, the iPhone 6S handset (16GB + Space Grey) with 4.7-inch display is available on Amazon for around Rs.40,900. That is, by spending just Rs 2,000 more, you can get a bigger screen, 3D touch display, and many other features.
(Read: Everything you need to know about the iPhone SE)
Storage: What will happen in this much
Any iPhone user would suggest that whatever happens, don’t go for the 16GB variant. That is, the only option left is the 64 GB variant of the iPhone SE. The biggest drawback of the iPhone is the lack of support for a microSD card. Most Android handsets in this price range come with 32GB of storage. If you are one of those users who prefer to install two or three powerful games and store music library on the handset, then you have no other option but to spend around Rs.49,000 more.
Screen: Bigger is better in India
While launching the iPhone SE, Apple had said that it had sold over 30 million 4-inch iPhone models in 2015. But the condition of the Indian market tells a different reality. 46% of smartphones sold in India have screens of 5 inches or more. And if you have ever used 5 inch or more screen size then it will not be easy to use 4 inch phone. To be honest, it would sound very awkward. Typing on the small screen will become a hassle. You will not like playing games or watching videos as much. However, due to the reduced screen size, the phone is definitely compact, but it will definitely affect the user experience.