iPhone SE Teardown: 3D Touch Chip Removed, iPhone 8 Camera Sensor, and More - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iPhone SE Teardown: 3D Touch Chip Removed, iPhone 8 Camera Sensor, and More

iFixit has published its full teardown of the new iPhone SE, confirming that the device has many similar or identical components as the iPhone 8, including the display, battery, cameras, Taptic Engine, SIM tray, and more.

The new iPhone SE appears to have the same 12-megapixel rear camera sensor as the iPhone 8, with the benefit of the A13 chip's improved image signal processor, as Rene Ritchie mentioned earlier this month. iFixit also found that the front-facing camera sensor on the new iPhone SE and the iPhone 8 are interchangeable.

ifixit iphone se vs 8 vs xr rear camera sensors

From left to right: iPhone SE, iPhone 8, iPhone XR

While the new iPhone SE and the iPhone 8 have virtually identical display assemblies, Apple has removed the 3D Touch module from the iPhone SE. iFixit even tested the new iPhone SE with an iPhone 8 display and found that 3D Touch still did not work, suggesting that the feature is disabled at the software level on the device.

The teardown also confirms reports that the new iPhone SE has a 1,821 mAh battery capacity, identical to the iPhone 8.

ifixit iphone se teardown 2020
The new iPhone SE has been available to order on Apple.com since April 17 and began arriving to customers on April 24. Pricing starts at $399 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB and 256GB options available for $449 and $549 respectively.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone Duo Outer Display Hand

iPhone Duo Teardowns Reveal Two Batteries and More

Saturday October 24, 2026 8:02 am PDT by
The first iPhone Duo teardown videos have been shared by YouTube channels REWA Technology and Phone Repair Guru, providing us with a look inside the device. iPhone Duo has two battery cells that can be removed with electrically-activated adhesive. There is a larger battery with a 2,962 mAh (11.56 Wh) capacity and a smaller one that is rated at 1,921 mAh (7.5 Wh). Total battery capacity is...
duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...

Top Rated Comments

Sirious Avatar
85 months ago
I miss 3D Touch!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago
Astonishing some people still don't understand why an inexpensive entry level phone has fewer features than a much more expensive high-end phone.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
85 months ago

The 8se seems like a sore thumb. Why didn't Apple continue selling the prior generation at a cheaper price? This strategy of the 8se now seems like the marketing dept overdosed on something.
Just selling the iPhone 8 at $399 would have been lazy. Better to give it the SE treatment and upgrade the SoC to the current A13 (with 3GB of RAM). WiFi 6 is a nice touch.

$6-8/month for an iPhone that’ll be good for 4-6 years. That’s the whole point of making an SE.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

Didn’t the iPhone 11 Pro got 4hr extra from the XS a12 chip? Why is the SE still the same usage time as the iPhone 8? iPhone 8 had a a11 but no battery usage improvements.
Whilst some gains were made due to efficiency, the majority of the extra battery life for the 11series of iPhones was in physically larger batteries.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

you only Show your Lack of Expertise in High quantity Production. A bigger battery costs almost nothing in design and production, just a slightly thicker body.

cheaper existing battery, can’t believe you really wrote that, 😂
So much wrong about this, but the bigger lack of understanding here is your use of random uppercase letters.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago
Apple, with their huge resources really could have put in more than a minimal effort, even for their cheapest phone.
Apple is clearly not doing their best for each product anymore. I guess this is the new Apple now.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
4 hours ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
14 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
16 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
1 day ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
1 day ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
3 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
3 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
3 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
3 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
4 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
4 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
4 days ago