Spring, the season of mating, chirping birds, budding flowers and iPhone SE launches. Two years after the 2nd generation iPhone SE, Apple is releasing a new entry-level generation from its large circular greenhouse. Made in the same old pot as its predecessor, the iPhone SE 2022 flourishes by gaining an A15 chip, 5G and improvements here and there. But has Apple put in enough fertilizer to make it a perennial smartphone? Answer in our test.
A design seen, reviewed and reviewed
Apple’s marketing genius has struck again. The iPhone SE 2020 was presented as “a powerful new smartphone with a recognized design. » His successor is a “powerful smartphone with an iconic design. » Emblematic is the nice term, not to say prehistoric, since it finds its roots in l’iPhone 6 released in 2014.
If you’ve ever seen an iPhone 6/6s/7/8/SE 2, you know the iPhone SE 3. The 4.7″ LCD screen is framed by wide black borders. The bottom one shows the button reception integrating the Touch ID sensor, which is still just as effective.
The grip is very familiar, or at least brings back memories. Measuring 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm and weighing 144 g (4 g less than its predecessor), the new iPhone SE is light and compact, making it easy to handle with one hand. Owners of old iPhones will not be confused by its operation. However, it is not as pleasant to use as an “all-screen” iPhone, the fault of its user experience rooted in the past. You can’t turn on your screen just by touching it, or activate the flashlight from the lock screen, or switch from one app to another with a side swipe…
One could object that these remarks are those of a modern iPhone user and that the iPhone SE 3 is not addressed to him. That’s true, but finally, nearly five years after the iPhone X hatched, aren’t consumers who don’t want or can’t put more than $500 into an iPhone entitled to a modern user experience ? Apple is the only brand that allows itself to release a smartphone with such an outdated design in 2022. Even the cheapest Android smartphones haven’t had such bezels for years.