The iPhone SE is basically the external chassis of the iPhone 5/5S, combined with most of the new internals of this years iPhone 6S. This is important because it shows Apples acceptance of the small Phone market. I didn't update my phone iPhone 5c when it came to it last year, on one hand because I wanted to test out this 'Planned Obsolescence' rumour that I had been hearing about apple products, but also because it would have meant upgrading to either the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6. The 5S would have only upgraded me by 'one year', and I think the 6 to be too big, in fact apple made a point about how it was too big during the time of Steve Jobs.
The iPhone SE does two things. Firstly, it gives us small phone users a chance to buy back into the brand, instead of leaving us abandoned; or forcing us to buy a phone other than we believe to be ideal. It also, in re-using the chassis of the 5, moves us closer to the MacBook product line model and away from bi-yearly cosmetic 'updates'.
To illustrate this point, it helps to look at the iPhone lineup in terms of years, each year introduces a new processor. In general, it can be assumed that each yearly iOS software update 'degrades'' the user experience of old phones by slowing them down a certain amount, eventually rendering the phone unusable in about 3-4 years after it's initial release. This means that right now, the iPhone 4S, 5 and 5c are getting close to their deaths. The 4 has been abandoned.
Last years iPhone generally sells at a cut price, in terms of british pricing; it tends to drop with the new model year, by about £10 for a monthly subscription. The iPhone a year older than that sells at an even lower price.
Prices are rough monthly prices in the UK.
The introduction of two sizes with the 6 puzzled me, I wondered how they were planning on presenting the lineup as a whole, and now the line up is slightly more puzzling given the introduction of the powerful iPhone SE.
What is the base model now? The 6 looks like it will be out of date, technically, before the SE, which is cheaper initially. So where does the lineup go now?
They will either not sell the original six, keeping the SE as the base model, or leave consumers with a confusing array of options. Then will they launch the next SE in march next year? or wait until the traditional September time?
In my opinion, I think that the iPhone lineup needs to become more like the MacBook lineup (before the 'new MacBook' confused things there as well). Phones will retain a familiar, 'ideal' design, and be sold as a product of two descisions only: size and power. This will give all customers a comfortable 3 to 4 years of legacy updates, and smooth the sales pitch.
The phone market is boring. Which is great. I'm struggling to see any worthwhile potential innovations, at least for the next 5 years or so. Some companies have experimented with flexible screens, 3D displays ect. which may become proven better for customers, but this won't be as significant as the addition of multi touch and apps was. In terms of genuine areas of innovation, modularity seems interesting, but is not in line with Apples general image. VR, Force Touch, digital wallets and connected devices look to make serious changes in the mobile market, but non require a phase shift in the way that the phones themselves are designed.
So I welcome the iPhone SE. It's just the kind of boring phone the market needs. Apple are a Design company, not an Innovation company, let's hope they continue to lead the market with sensible and considered progress.