Apple SE and Samsung Galaxy M31 prices compared

Upgrading to the latest phone has grown into a more expensive business as the years go by, with costs for higher spec devices often exceeding £ 1,000.

However, in a sign that customers may be tired of spending their money on expensive devices, smartphone leaders Apple and Samsung have launched two new models that can be purchased for less than £ 450.

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy M31, which is now in pre-order exclusively from Amazon for £ 245, about £ 945 cheaper than its second latest launch, the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Meanwhile, Apple released an updated version of its SE model last week, costing £ 419 for the cheapest version.

This occurs more than four years after the launch of the original SE and is £ 730 cheaper than Apple’s current most expensive phone.

Since many face a difficult financial situation due to coronavirus, any reduction in costs is welcome, and saving hundreds on a new phone is a sure way to cut bills.

And both phones will probably do everything most people want and more from their mobile phone.

But why have Apple and Samsung decided that now is the right time to launch the cheapest models?

This is Money compares the new phones to previous versions and reveals the best Sim-only deals on the market.

Apple SE (second generation)

The iPhone SE is now the cheapest iPhone Apple currently sells. It is available to buy direct for £ 419 for the 64GB model, £ 469 for the 128GB model and £ 569 for the 256GB model.

Customers who have an old iPhone to swap can also get more money from these prices on the Apple website.

The SE features Apple’s latest microchip, the A13 Bionic, which can be found on its iPhone 11 models, as well as a single rear camera and a 4.7-inch Retina HD display.

On a break from its latest iPhones, Apple has retrieved the home button and touch ID for the SE, instead of the new face ID.

With three colors, black, white, and red, Apple will donate money to charities for every red iPhone SE sold.

Currently, Apple’s most expensive model is its iPhone 11 Pro Max, which costs £ 1,149 – £ 730 more expensive than the Apple SE.

Both have the A13 bionic chip, but the Pro Max has a 6.46-inch screen, while the SE is much smaller at 4.7 inches.

This is the same size as the previous iPhone 7’s screen and bigger than the old SE.

The resolution on the SE is also less advanced at 1334×750 pixels compared to Pro Max’s 2436×1125.

Customers can choose on both phones which storage they would like to start from 64GB to 512GB on the Pro Max and 256GB on the SE.

Phil Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, said: ‘The first iPhone SE was a hit with many customers who loved its unique combination of small size, high-end performance and affordable price.

“The new second-generation iPhone SE builds on that great idea and improves it in every way, including our best single camera system for great photos and videos, while still being very affordable.”

The iPhone SE is available for purchase on the Apple website with delivery dates currently estimated to be in mid-May, meaning some customers will have to wait up to three weeks to receive the item.

It is also available to buy from various other retailers, including major phone networks, which also report similar wait times when purchased correctly.

In a sign that demand for the new device is high, the phone is currently depleted in many different memory sizes at John Lewis and customers have to wait for the phone to become available again.

People can also choose to purchase the phone on a contract basis with prices that vary from network to network. Alternatively, many can choose to buy it directly and go to Sim alone and not be tied to an expensive monthly deal. With the new SE demonstrating, there are unlikely to be any popular price discounts.

Samsung Galaxy M31

The Samsung Galaxy M31 is also one of the cheapest options from the Korean phone giant, costing just £ 245.

The device is only available to purchase directly, not under contract. Therefore, customers will need to purchase a Sim for the phone, the best deals of which can be found below.

The phone comes with a 64MP main lens, an ultra wide-angle lens that promises 123-degree views, and a close-up macro lens, comprising four cameras in total.

It also has a 5-megapixel depth sensor for portrait shooting, which is becoming an essential feature, and a night mode setting, previously exclusive to high-end phones that cost more than £ 1,000.

One of the main features of the new device is the long battery life, which comes with a 6,000 mAh battery that lasts for about two days on a single charge.

Customers can choose to opt for the phone in blue, black or red.

In comparison, currently Samsung’s most expensive phone is its Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra which costs £ 1,199 for 128GB, although this can rise to £ 1,399 for a 512GB version. This works at a whopping £ 1,154 than the M31.

Both the M31 and S20 Ultra come with night mode, but the S20 Ultra comes with better battery life, better camera resolution, and a larger 6.9-inch screen compared to 6.4 inches.

Although the phone won’t launch until June 1, customers can pre-order on Amazon now, and those with Amazon Prime can get it with free overnight delivery.

Ru Bhikha, a mobile expert at Uswitch, said: “The cost of manufacturers’ flagship devices has increased in recent years, and research has shown that consumers have an increasing trend to keep their smartphones longer.”

“ There is no doubt that the big brands have done their homework and the move to offer cheaper smartphones, which offer a lot for their money, is likely to be a very opportunistic mid-tier market play.

“While unlikely to be a strategy that can be replicated with high-end phones, offering the phone exclusively through Amazon is a bold move on Samsung’s part, and I hope the industry is watching closely to see how the experiment unfolds. ”

Holly Niblett, digital director at Compare the Market, added: ‘Buying a mobile phone directly, especially flagship phones, is an expense that many people cannot afford.

‘We saw Apple launch a cheaper version of its iPhone in 2016, with the SE model, to allow the brand to better compete on price with models from other manufacturers, especially Huawei.

“For some people, it’s worth sacrificing considerable monthly savings on their contract with the latest technology, and some may wonder if their phone really needs three cameras.”