Apple today announced the iPhone SE, a new 4-inch iPhone that boasts many of the same features as the company's larger iPhone 6s.
The iPhone SE features the A9 chip and the same embedded M9 motion co-processor as Apple's flagship 4.7-inch phone, for double the CPU performance of the iPhone 5s, which was Apple's last 4-inch handset. The new phone also packs the same graphics capabilities of the larger iPhone 6s, meaning it has three times faster GPU performance compared to the iPhone 5s.
The iPhone SE features Apple's latest 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera. Thanks to the improved camera, 63-megapixel panoramas can be captured and 4K video at 30 FPS is supported. The new handset also features a 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime camera with a True Tone Retina Flash feature that lights up the display of the iPhone significantly more than usual, just before a photo is captured.
The iPhone SE features faster LTE and 802.11ac Wi-Fi at up to 150 Mbps and 433 Mbps respectively. The device supports up to 19 LTE bands and also comes with iOS 9.3, Apple Pay, VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling, new microphones, Live Photos support, always-on "Hey Siri" voice activation, and improved battery life.
The iPhone SE will be available to order from March 24 and begin shipping on March 31. First wave launch countries include the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Prices begin at $399 for the 16GB version, while the 64GB version will cost $499. A two-year contract is free for the 16GB version and financing starts at $17/month for the same model. Four colors are available with matte chamfered edges: Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold.
The new iPhone SE will be available in over 100 countries by the end of May.
