Forget iPhone SE: Why do we really need an iPhone SE Plus?



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The iPhone SE 2020 is a great phone for $ 399. But despite the fact that this phone is priced for everyone, it is not designed for everyone, especially due to its relatively small 4.7-inch screen.

Maybe it’s because of my old eyes, but I found the screen quite small after swapping my monstrous 6.7-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max for a week. So you could see why a bigger iPhone SE could be so tempting.

Unfortunately, an analyst believes that Apple won’t launch an iPhone SE Plus until the second half of 2021, long after the iPhone 12’s launch. That’s a long time to wait. But given the state of the economy, I think Apple would be foolish to wait that long.

Here’s why I think the iPhone SE Plus could be the budget phone to beat if Apple pulled the trigger sooner rather than later.

IPhone SE Plus would have a much larger screen

You’ll likely get the same 5.5-inch display on iPhone 8 Plus on iPhone SE Plus, and let me tell you, the difference is huge. I remember reviewing both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, and I much preferred the iPhone 8 Plus.

A 5.5-inch panel on the iPhone SE Plus would make watching videos more immersive, easier to write, and also less readable. If Apple really hopes to launch an iPhone SE Plus next year, I hope it will offer a design with slimmer bezels. That would allow the phone to offer a screen closer to 6 inches in the same size.

Telephoto, and not just to zoom

(Image credit: Shaun Lucas / Tom’s Guide)

While reviewing the iPhone SE, I noticed that my daughter had to get very close to make portraits, and that is because the new phone lacks a telephoto lens. Having a second lens allows you to get a bokeh effect through hardware rather than just software, and that’s where the iPhone SE Plus would stand out. In the era of social distancing, you really shouldn’t be within 6 feet of your subject.

The other benefit, or course, is 2x optical zoom. This allows you to get close to whatever is shooting. The digital zoom of the iPhone SE Plus is pretty good, but it’s hard to beat a second dedicated lens.

IPhone SE Plus would have a longer battery life

Review of iPhone SE 2020

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The battery results are ready for the iPhone SE, and they’re not great. The reported 1,821 mAh battery inside Apple’s basic phone lasted just 9 hours and 18 minutes on average. The phones in our best list of phone battery life last 11 hours or more.

Assuming the iPhone SE Plus is left with a similarly-sized battery, you’ll see a jump in 2,675 mAh capacity. In comparison, the iPhone 8 lasted 9:54 in a slightly older version of our web browsing battery test, compared to 11:16 for the iPhone 8 Plus. Therefore, you would expect similar resistance from an iPhone SE Plus.

IPhone SE Price: How Much Would It Cost?

Before Apple discontinued the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the iPhone 8 cost $ 449 and the iPhone 8 Plus $ 549. So if Apple decided to launch an iPhone SE Plus, it would probably be priced $ 100 higher than the iPhone. I KNOW. Is $ 499 a reasonable price?

I’d say yes, if you consider that in order to get an affordable big screen phone from Apple right now you should go up to the $ 599 iPhone XR. That phone has a slower A12 Bionic processor but offers a large 6.1 inch screen and Face ID.

Bottom line

The iPhone SE Plus is unconfirmed, but based on leaks and rumors, and the expected success of the normal iPhone SE, I can see Apple preparing an iPhone SE Plus for launch in the next 12 months. And while I can see that Apple doesn’t want to spoil its own iPhone 12 party this fall, it wouldn’t wait long past the beginning of 2021 to launch the iPhone SE’s big brother.

When it arrives, I think iPhone SE Plus will warn all mid-range Android phones, including the upcoming Google Pixel 4a.

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