iPhone SE (2016) Smaller SE

[david911]

I really enjoy the SE, and like small phones in general. I am not a heavy user, and when I need to use the phone most often it is one handed. The SE works great, and what I have realized is key to it working is the 4" screen size. My usage is almost exclusively: email, text, voice call, maps, NYT, WSJ.


What would be really cool to me is if they used the new OS X tech to make another phone with a 4" screen, but have it be as small as possible. That would be perfect for carrying around in my pocket, and I think it could be very "jewel like" as an object. If you made the phone the same size but with a bigger screen, it would not be as usable one handed.


Anyone else think this is a good idea?


The watch is too small for my purposes, and I don't want to wear it anyway.

 

[Abs_p]

I think a phone smaller than SE having the same screen size as SE won't be as much fun to use.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I think a phone smaller than SE having the same screen size as SE won't be as much fun to use.

Agreed, I wouldn't want a phone that small.

 

[iapplelove]

Apple is going to make phones based on consumer trends, sales and market feedback. Large screens with small to no bezels are in. If you like small phones unfortunitly you may have to adapt.

 

[Hanson Eigilson]

Apple is going to make phones based on consumer trends, sales and market feedback. Large screens with small to no bezels are in. If you like small phones unfortunitly you may have to adapt.

it's a bit strange that there are no phones with a iphone7-like footprint or smaller with more than 70% screen to body ratio, you would think that people that prioritize having a small phone would find screen to body ratio MORE important, not less.

personally i think a smaller phone with 80% or more screen to body ratio would be a smash hit.

 

[maflynn]

I think that would be too small imo

 

[JPack]

iPhone is evolving from a communications device to an AR navigator.

To do so, you need a larger, wider display. The shift to 19.5:9 aspect ratio in landscape mode supports a larger field-of-view. A small display doesn't support that strategy.

The SE is already for niche customers and a smaller device doesn't serve much purpose.

 

[Hanson Eigilson]

comon lol "AR navigator"?
how about a phone for people that just need to get their business done the way business is done without walking around with an ipad in the pocket for no purpose at all.

 

[urkel]

The iPhone SEE. Now with 30 minute battery life and 70% more notch.


(I actually wouldn't mind an SE size device that uses the phones surface area more efficiently. That would be a nice secondary phone.)

 

[david911]

Clearly I am in the minority. I just like to carry small beautiful things. I am very seldom anywhere that I am both not in arms reach of a larger device and wanting to use a device.

But, admittedly, I am trying my hardest to do one thing at a time and not multi-task.

The comment about battery life is well taken.

 

[Hanson Eigilson]

The iPhone SEE. Now with 30 minute battery life and 70% more notch.


(I actually wouldn't mind an SE size device that uses the phones surface area more efficiently. That would be a nice secondary phone.)

exactly lol
touchID on the back or in the powerbutton, no notch and get the work done without a brick in the pocket!

 

[JPack]

comon lol "AR navigator"?
how about a phone for people that just need to get their business done the way business is done without walking around with an ipad in the pocket for no purpose at all.

Apple positions its products as leading edge and charges prices to match.

They would rather sell one $999 device instead of five $200 phones.

The marketplace is flooded with $200 Android smartphones if you want basic functions. Apple doesn't want to fight in the mud for that market share.

 

[david911]

It is not the functionality, it is the size! I don't need it to be cheaper, I need it to be smaller!

I remember when a small cell phone was a lot pricier than a large cell phone. Screen real estate is not what everyone wants, and a cool small phone is what I want.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

 

[JPack]

It is not the functionality, it is the size! I don't need it to be cheaper, I need it to be smaller!

Size itself is not an Apple strategy for innovation. Size is solely hardware-based. Anyone from Xiaomi to Huawei can drive down size and thin bezels and potentially beat Apple.

The AR navigation strategy relies on innovation on both hardware and software fronts. And you can't include good cameras in a small form factor yet.

You're asking for a small device to do basic things. Smartphones have evolved beyond that.

 

[Hanson Eigilson]

It is not the functionality, it is the size! I don't need it to be cheaper, I need it to be smaller!

I remember when a small cell phone was a lot pricier than a large cell phone. Screen real estate is not what everyone wants, and a cool small phone is what I want.

totally agree, I feel clumsy handling iphone 7 and larger one handed, and most people look silly doing it.
need a proper phone in a SE'ish footprint with large screen to body ratio (SE is 60.8%) bonus point for a headphone jack

 

[C DM]

View attachment 735753

Ah, the days when going smaller was all the rage...now it's the opposite.

 

[Danzobee]

I get what you’re looking for. Not cheaper, not budget. No. SAME functionality, same camera, face ID as the X, only in a small footprint.

I’d be first in line. It’s too bad the only 4” offering (SE) is essentially a budget device with 1 year/ 2 year old specs.

Im convinced if Apple released the *same* phone (besides screen size) in a 4” (mini), 4.7” (standard) and 5.5” plus size they’d be VERY surprised how well the mini would sell. There is unsatisfied demand in the marketplace for such a device, imo

 

[Hanson Eigilson]

I get what you’re looking for. Not cheaper, not budget. No. SAME functionality, same camera, face ID as the X, only in a small footprint.

I’d be first in line. It’s too bad the only 4” offering (SE) is essentially a budget device with 1 year/ 2 year old specs.

Im convinced if Apple released the *same* phone (besides screen size) in a 4” (mini), 4.7” (standard) and 5.5” plus size they’d be VERY surprised how well the mini would sell. There is unsatisfied demand in the marketplace for such a device, imo

hmm I don't know how large that market is! the SE was never marketed as a premium device, didn't see a single commercial for it and it was at the back of the stores since the start.

So i searched phonearena's database of 6000+ phones for a phone under 5" tall (like SE) and more than 75% screen to body ratio, and i got 2 results, out of 6000 phones lol, it's absurd and their quality absurdly bad.
you dont find any nice phones under 5 inches tall until you go down to 60% screen to body ratio and the SE pop's up, but it looks dated and the screen is much too small for the size of the device

I dont get why not a single manufacturer makes a premium phone in a small package designed for use at the office and meetings, I do not need a giant cinema movie aspect ratio screen at work, I do absolutely NOT want an "AR navigator" for work because I'm not a 10 year old chasing pokemons imagine the surprise. Double selfie camera, NO, faceID not secure enough for IT.
What i do is laptop under one arm and phone in other hand with google maps, office apps, skype and business apps that's it, in an attractive package, ceramic back ss frame and 80%+ screen to body ratio that looks and feels nice for onehanded operation. I really do not understand why it doesn't exist yet, and I hope apple has the sense to make one.

 

[44267547]

Agreed, I wouldn't want a phone that small.

The majority don't. But there are some that want the iPhone SE strictly for the form factor and one-handed use. It's about the comfortability One prefers over having the Latest capabilities/functionality with the newest iPhones.

 

[Brandonjr36]

I ordered my x and it won’t be here til early December I bought a prepaid se till I get mine. I don’t know how anyone could really like this phone lol... hope waiting for the x vs getting 8 or plus was worth it lol.

 

[tkermit]

Can you imagine, an iPhone 4 with a screen that stretched across the front. I would so fall in love with that. One can dream...

 

[Digger148]

I think that, in spite of what Apple marketing may say about "Mighty. Small", many have forgotten or have never known that the "real" impetus behind the creation of the SE was to stave off the horde of 400 USD so-called "flagship killers" that were supposed to be the next big thing. The only way Apple could make money doing that was by shoving the dirty bits from the 6S into the 5S carcass.

Luckily, a decent amount of folks still loved the ol'-skool iPhone 5S design (still better looking than any iPhone since, to my eye), so, the SE was a winner. However, now that its "fraternal twin" the 6S is now hitting the 350 USD and under price point, and the cheaper flagship-killer-army has dried up, I imagine there isn't, currently, a strong enough business case to reengineer a completely new small SE and keep it affordable.

Personally, though, I'd be all over the current SE body with the 8's dirty bits inside...and...a 13" MBP with specs from the high end 15" model. *wink, wink!

 

[Mene]

Did everyone

I think that, in spite of what Apple marketing may say about "Mighty. Small", many have forgotten or have never known that the "real" impetus behind the creation of the SE was to stave off the horde of 400 USD so-called "flagship killers" that were supposed to be the next big thing. The only way Apple could make money doing that was by shoving the dirty bits from the 6S into the 5S carcass.

Luckily, a decent amount of folks still loved the ol'-skool iPhone 5S design (still better looking than any iPhone since, to my eye), so, the SE was a winner. However, now that its "fraternal twin" the 6S is now hitting the 350 USD and under price point, and the cheaper flagship-killer-army has dried up, I imagine there isn't, currently, a strong enough business case to reengineer a completely new small SE and keep it affordable.

Personally, though, I'd be all over the current SE body with the 8's dirty bits inside...and...a 13" MBP with specs from the high end 15" model. *wink, wink!

In response to that, it's probably why iPhone 8s sales are up. People like the screen size and old architecture.

But
I think OP is on to something. A small powerful phone is what apple started with because of form built to facilitate FUNCTION!

Times changed & media consumption sky rocketed, so larger screens are required... nay, mandatory, but comfort and UX has always been something done in hindsight.

So OP, i stand with you. Give me everything I love about apples iPhones (connectivity, ios support for multiple generations, new hardware to keep up with innovation {AR, BT, NFC) and just make navigation a joy to use.

Also, please open up the NFC infrastructure.

Sorry for the rant, maybe this should have been a new topic.

So how do you guys deal with your love hate relationship, besides just overlooking it.

 

[Mojopin]

Can you imagine, an iPhone 4 with a screen that stretched across the front. I would so fall in love with that. One can dream...

View attachment 735811

that would be awesome, would be my daily driver def