When the iPhone SE (2020) Debuting earlier this spring, I argued that the phone’s impressive specs and reasonable price were enough to make a veteran Android sit down and take note. For $ 400, Apple’s latest phone brings you a powerful processor, gorgeous screen, and sturdy camera, along with handy bells and whistles like water resistance and wireless charging.
In fact, you get a flagship phone for half what you would pay for a premium device. The iPhone SE sounded better than its closest Android competitors on paper, and that made me wonder: could it take on its Android rivals in real life?
In my experience, no. The iPhone SE is a powerful piece of hardware at an impressive price, but I found that the iOS experience reduces the entire product by several levels. If you have $ 400 to spend on a phone, you must buy the Google Pixel 3a (or wait for the early launch of the Pixel 4a) There are many reasons why, but the main one is the fact that your $ 400 will buy you a full product when you opt for an Android device, and not just a foot in the door of a much bigger and more expensive ecosystem.
The experiment
After I made the case for the iPhone SE in April, my publisher came up with an unusual experiment: If the iPhone SE really looked that good to me, would I be willing to use one for a whole month? After all, if iPhone SE could truly usher in a new era of mid-range smartphones, who would be a better test subject than a lifelong Android user? I installed my SIM card in an iPhone SE on May 15th and kept it there for the next month.
While Apple is certainly not my cup of tea, I decided to do this experiment with an open mind. I have reviewed Apple gadgets Before, and I think I have always evaluated their strengths and weaknesses fairly. I’m also not a staunch smartphone user in any way. I use my phone for calls, text messages, email, social media, and occasionally mobile games. I don’t have a ton of apps, and I almost always prefer to use a computer, game console, tablet, or e-reader. As such, I thought that anything I could do on an Android phone, I could probably do it on an iPhone as well. My hypothesis turned out to be almost correct.
What I liked about the iPhone SE
I found some things I like about the iPhone SE and the Apple experience in general. First, I was able to download new interface and security updates as they became available, rather than months later, when my wireless service provider deemed it appropriate. IPhone SE will continue to receive vital security updates for years, instead of running out after a year and a half or less. Android really, really needs to step up its game in this department.
I also thought that the photos taken were just beautiful. Even indoors, the color balance was perfect, and the phone did a fantastic job of distinguishing between people and objects, close-ups, and backgrounds. I don’t think it’s considerably better than the Pixel 3a’s camera, but it’s definitely better than what most mid-range phones offer.
I also liked everything that the excellent hardware of the iPhone SE provided. The screen was bright, vivid, and sharp, especially since it concentrates a lot of resolution in a small space. Navigation felt fast and immediate, whether I was playing a demanding 3D game or just scrolling through my photo library. The phone never hangs up or rings; it just loads everything almost instantly. Going back to my old Moto Z3 I felt downright slow in comparison. The wireless charging of the iPhone SE was great too, as I’ve never had a phone with this capability before.
However, my favorite part of the iOS experience was Apple arcade. For those who haven’t tried it, Apple Arcade is a $ 5 per month subscription service that gives you unlimited access to a variety of high-quality games that are not available anywhere on Android. (They’re often available on Steam or Switch, to be fair.)
These games avoid the worst excesses of free mobile games, as none allow in-app purchases. You get full experiences that you can play as long as you want without paying anything in addition to the subscription fee. I wish Android had a similar service.
What I didn’t like about the iPhone SE
The first thing I noticed was that iOS doesn’t have a unified back button. This may seem like a small complaint, but on Android, going back to the previous screen in any application is very clear. In iOS, each app has a different back button, and there is no consistency about where it is located. You may have to scroll to the upper left corner in one app, or to the lower right corner in another, making it impossible to learn to exit the current screen using muscle memory.
My second great understanding was that there was no way to access my text messages on a PC. Thanks to Google Messages, I’ve become very used to using my PC to answer text messages while I’m at home, which is most of the time these days. I know iMessage is available on Mac, but Google Messages is available on both PC and Mac, which seems like a much fairer fix.
Then there was the feature that started to get me out of my mind on day 1 and didn’t budge until day 30: there is no comma or period on the main screen of the iOS keyboard. Instead, if you want to rate your thoughts, you have to go to a secondary menu. Although Android doesn’t have all the punctuation marks on its default keyboard, it also can’t press and hold the period button to get what it needs. Fortunately, you can double tap the space bar on iOS to enter periods and also download third-party keyboards with more options.
I ran into a number of other minor annoyances during my time with an iPhone. There is no unified app menu, so you have to scroll through app pages or organize everything into folders manually. Apple seems to recognize that this is a problem, since iOS 14 it will finally include a unified apps menu and a new App Library feature that automatically organizes your apps for you.
No iPhone model includes a microSD card slot, which means you’re stuck with the amount of internal storage you buy, and that storage can be very expensive, as jumping from one capacity to another can add anywhere from $ 50 to $ 100. at the cost of your phone. The iPhone uses a proprietary charger instead of a USB-C, like any other modern phone in the world.
It also couldn’t bear the fact that iOS doesn’t allow you to simply drag and drop media files onto the system. You need to install iTunes on a computer, create a library, convert a bunch of files, and sync everything manually, which is time consuming and tedious. You cannot create your own ringtones, you cannot install applications from sources other than Apple, you cannot access anything on an iPhone through Windows Explorer, etc. It’s an old argument, but it’s still true: iOS feels very restrictive if you’ve been on Android from the start.
Admittedly, the iPhone SE allowed me to do everything I normally do with a phone. But it was all a little more difficult than necessary, for no real reason.
Fashion accessories
When I let Apple know that I was planning to write this article, a spokesperson suggested that I supplement the device with AirPods and an Apple Watch Series 5. Ever since the iPhone SE came out, customers have been buying all three devices together, as you can build a mini-Apple ecosystem for less than the cost of a flagship phone.
However, neither the Apple Watch nor the AirPods added much to the overall experience. I found the AirPods deeply uncomfortable, and always on the verge of falling. (The sound quality was excellent, to be fair).
Seeing notifications on my wrist with the Apple Watch was helpful, but it didn’t speed up my digital activities in any meaningful way. Granted, you’d probably have similar complaints about a Wear OS device, but the point is, having two expensive Apple accessories didn’t do much to elevate a very average phone experience.
Back to Android
With an iPhone SE, I could still surf the Web, check my email, read books, play games, watch videos, etc. My daily activities were almost the same as on Android. But I still experienced a deep sense of relief when I restarted my old Moto Z3. The back button made it easy to navigate, and the open file format meant you could add any media you wanted with just drag and drop.
Having given iOS a fair shot, I can honestly say that it is not for me. And yet, there were a few things you would like Android to learn from its competitor. Security and interface updates are vital and should be done as soon as possible, not whenever an operator wants it. The iconic processors belong to mid-range phones. Mobile gaming doesn’t have to be a cesspool, if you can attract proven developers with unique ideas.
Ultimately, when it comes time to choose a new phone, you will have to research both systems and then trust your gut. My instinct will take me back to a more open operating system.
