Hey India! The iPhone SE 2 is not for you
Before you go all in and bash me for outright undermining arguably the hottest phone in tech world right now, hear me out! And even before we get to the main story, a quick news update for those not in the knowhow. Apple released their latest midrange device the iPhone SE (yes, just SE. No suffix, no nothing. So we’ll call it the SE 2) yesterday — except it is not a midrange device. Why, you ask? It is run by Apple’s top of the line, and latest, A13 bionic processor. For the uninitiated, it is the Intel Core i7 of the smartphone world (or maybe even the Core i9) — meaning, there is no other processor that is as powerful as the A13 right now. No, not even the Snapdragon 865.
However, there is a caveat. The iPhone SE 2 looks like a device from 2014 — the iPhone 6.
Now, I am not against the fact that the iPhone SE is essentially the iPhone 8 with updated specs — and by specs I mean only the processor. What I do not like on the iPhone SE is its design. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an ugly design.
The iPhone SE 2 is a beautiful phone — only if it were launched in 2014. or 2015. or even maybe 2016.
But today, when Android manufacturers are frantically spending to get a device with virtually no bezels (the black borders) on the front, it is an absolute crime to launch a phone with bezels that huge. And I am saying this with experience. I extremely loathe my Pixel 2. It’s an amazing device, but, I want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Why? Because it has bezels that could fit a whole moon (just kidding, it could fit a Sun). Now you can be absolutely fine with those bezels, but the basic human nature of jealousy will haunt you forever. When you see your friends, your colleagues use those full screen phones you’d want to switch. The experience of using a full screen device is really really life changing. You’d never want to go back.
Another reason, this specifically for India, is that the iPhone SE 2 costs ₹42,500 in India for the 64GB version. Converted to USD, it amounts to around $560. That’s a pretty steep cost for a phone that does not look like a 2020 device. It costs $399 in the US. If it cost $399 or ₹30,500 in India, honestly, I would cave in and would have bought one myself. But when you cross that ₹40,000 barrier, the options that you get around that price or even lower are mind numbingly better. Especially if you do not mind Android. The biggest frontrunner is the OnePlus 7T which retails for ₹34,999 currently. Its an amazingly well crafted and specced device. Heck, it is a better value than the newer OnePlus 8. Then, there is the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite for ₹38,000, which might not be as good as the iPhone on most fronts, is a pretty good phone in itself.
However, if you are all into the iOS ecosystem, I would advise the iPhone XR instead. It costs around ₹10,000 more at its MRP currently, but we have seen frequent discounts on that phone in the recent past bringing its cost down to ₹49,000 or even ₹45,000 on a good day. Granted it doesn’t have the latest processor, but hey, iPhones are famous for their consistent performance across the board.
I would reiterate again. The SE 2 is a great phone, but for the price, it remains great only for its home market — the US. iPhones have traditionally been overpriced in India, that somewhat changed with the iPhone 11 though, and the price cut on iPhone XR is hard to miss. It is these factors that make me not want an iPhone SE 2 at all. Because the design is really upsetting and old. If you are investing ₹42,000 in a phone, you should really be getting your value for money. Top of the line technology isn’t too much to ask for that price. And it is the only reason I feel Indians should give the iPhone SE 2 a pass.
