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Apple officially unveils rumored ‘iPhone 9’ with iPhone SE name from $399, three colors, up to 256GB

The wait is finally over for Apple’s new state-of-the-art, entry level iPhone. The long rumored model often referred to as the iPhone 9 or iPhone SE 2 is officially called iPhone SE as 9to5Mac previously reported. The new model retails from $399 and comes in three color and storage options.

Details

Here’s what you need to know about the new iPhone SE:

  • Pre-orders start Friday, April 17, at 5 a.m. PDT/8 a.m. EDT
  • Delivery starts Friday, April 24
  • Priced at $399, $449, and $549
  • Available in black, white, or red with black front glass
  • 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options

The new iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch display (like the iPhone 8 that it replaces) which is smaller than the iPhone XR or iPhone 11. iPhone SE packs an Apple A13 Bionic chip inside, matching performance of iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.

Camera

Its camera features a single 12MP sensor on the rear with 4K video recording at up to 60 fps. The front-facing camera offers 1080p video recording at 30 fps with a 7MP sensor.

Touch ID

Unlike iPhones with Face ID facial recognition features, the new iPhone SE retains Touch ID fingerprint recognition like iPhone 5s through iPhone 8. Battery life is comparable to the iPhone 8 despite lacking a 3D Touch pressure sensitive display.

The new iPhone SE also touts stereo audio recording and dual SIM support like the iPhone XS and later. Wi-Fi 6 is also supported like the latest flagship iPhones.

Accessories

iPhone SE silicone cases are available in black, white, and pink sand for $35. iPhone SE leather cases are sold in midnight blue, black, and red for $45.

Apple’s new model joins the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max which range from from $599 to $1449, bringing similar technology at a lower price. Notably, the new model also retains the physical Home button, not the gesture-based, on-screen Home indicator used on iPhone X and later.

How to trade in or recycle your old iPhone and upgrade to the iPhone SE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQIbeAk-bFA

iPhone SE: A Powerful New Smartphone in a Popular Design

The Most Affordable iPhone Features A13 Bionic, the Fastest Chip in a Smartphone, and the Best Single-Camera System in an iPhone

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today announced the second-generation iPhone® SE, a powerful new iPhone featuring a 4.7-inch Retina HD® display, paired with Touch ID® for industry-leading security. iPhone SE comes in a compact design, reinvented from the inside out, and is the most affordable iPhone. The new iPhone SE is powered by the Apple-designed A13 Bionic, the fastest chip in a smartphone, to handle the most demanding tasks. iPhone SE also features the best single-camera system ever in an iPhone, which unlocks the benefits of computational photography including Portrait mode, and is designed to withstand the elements with dust and water resistance.

iPhone SE comes in three beautiful colors — black, white and (PRODUCT)RED — and will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, April 17, starting at just $399 (US).

“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 on it in every way — including our best-ever single-camera system for great photos and videos — while still being very affordable,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone SE features the industry-leading performance of A13 Bionic that enables great battery life, takes stunning Portrait mode and Smart HDR photos, shoots amazing videos with stereo audio, is great for games and super fast web surfing, and is built with the same industry-leading security features our customers expect. We can’t wait to get iPhone SE into customers’ hands.”

Popular Design with a 4.7-inch Display

iPhone SE features an aerospace-grade aluminum and durable glass design with an all-black front, and is available in black, white and (PRODUCT)RED. The rear glass finish includes a centered Apple logo and is made using a seven-layer color process for precise hue and opacity, delivering rich depth of color with a color-matched aluminum band. It is water- and dust-resistant with an IP67 rating for water resistance up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.1

The 4.7-inch Retina HD display with True Tone® adjusts the white balance to match the ambient light for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience. The vibrant wide color gamut Retina HD display offers incredible color accuracy, and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 playback. iPhone SE uses Haptic Touch for Quick Actions — such as animating Live Photos™, previewing messages, rearranging apps and more — as well as contextual menus.

iPhone SE also features the familiar Home button designed with sapphire crystal to be durable and protect the sensor, and a steel ring to detect a user’s fingerprint for Touch ID. Using Touch ID is an easy, private and secure alternative to entering a passcode to unlock iPhone, fill in passwords using iCloud Keychain®, log in to apps, authorize App Store® purchases, and make Apple Pay® transactions.

A13 Bionic — The Fastest Chip in a Smartphone

Introduced with iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, A13 Bionic is the fastest chip ever in a smartphone and provides unparalleled performance for every task iPhone SE handles. Perfect for photography, gaming and augmented reality experiences, A13 Bionic makes every action feel fluid.

A13 Bionic was built with a focus on machine learning, with a dedicated 8-core Neural Engine capable of 5 trillion operations per second, two Machine Learning Accelerators on the CPU and a new Machine Learning Controller to balance performance and efficiency. Together, A13 Bionic and iOS 13 enable new intelligent apps that make use of machine learning and Core ML®.

Built for efficiency, the A13 Bionic also enables great battery life for iPhone SE. iPhone SE is wireless-charging capable with Qi-certified chargers and also supports fast-charging, giving customers up to 50 percent charge in just 30 minutes.2 Lightning-fast download speeds are available with Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit-class LTE.3 Dual SIM with eSIM provides the flexibility for users to have two separate phone numbers on a single device while traveling abroad or for use as a business line.4

New Camera Experience Powered by A13 Bionic

iPhone SE features the best single-camera system ever in an iPhone with a 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture Wide camera, and uses the image signal processor and Neural Engine of A13 Bionic to unlock even more benefits of computational photography, including Portrait mode, all six Portrait Lighting effects and Depth Control.5 Using machine learning and monocular depth estimation, iPhone SE also takes stunning Portraits with the front camera. Next-generation Smart HDR comes to iPhone SE, intelligently re-lighting recognized subjects in a frame for more natural-looking images with stunning highlight and shadow details.

Videos are even more immersive with stereo audio recording and cinematic video stabilization on the front and rear cameras. The rear camera supports high-quality video capture at 4K up to 60fps, and extended dynamic range comes to iPhone SE for more highlight details up to 30fps. Customers can also take advantage of QuickTake™ video on the front and rear cameras, allowing video recording without switching out of Photo mode.

With advanced Camera and Photos features in iOS 13, native video editing is even more comprehensive and intuitive through powerful tools that were once available only for photo editing.

Everything Apple has to Offer

iPhone SE gives customers access to Apple’s robust ecosystem of products, services and accessories. Users can take advantage of the almost 2 million apps on the App Store, including the best third-party apps and AR experiences, stay up to date on current events with Apple News®, enjoy original series, movies and documentaries from the world’s greatest storytellers with Apple TV+℠, stream over 60 million songs from their favorite artists on Apple Music®, make secure and private purchases with Apple Pay, and store photos, files and contacts on iCloud® with the ability to access content on all of a customer’s Apple devices. With a Lightning® connector, iPhone SE is also compatible with more than 25,000 Lightning accessories, including camera accessories, audio and speakers, docks, CarPlay® and more.

iPhone SE is built with the same industry-leading security features that customers expect from Apple — protecting privacy and giving customers control over their information. For example, Touch ID and the Secure Enclave protect fingerprint data, Intelligent Tracking Prevention on Safari® helps stop advertisers that follow users from site to site, Photos uses machine learning to organize photos on device and more.

iPhone SE with iOS 13 delivers a seamless experience with software and hardware integration unlike any other smartphone. iOS 13 features a dramatic look with Dark Mode, a more private way to sign in to apps and websites with Sign In with Apple, and an all-new Maps experience that delivers faster and more accurate navigation and beautiful street-level imagery with Look Around.

Pricing and Availability

  • iPhone SE will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in black, white and (PRODUCT)RED starting at $399 (US). Customers can also get iPhone SE for $9.54a month or $229 with trade-in from Apple.com, in the Apple Store® app and Apple Stores.6 iPhone SE is also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
  • iPhone SE is available to pre-order on Apple.com and the Apple Store app beginning at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, April 17 and will be available from Apple, Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers on Friday, April 24 in the US and more than 40 other countries and regions.
  • Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV® app on iPhone, Apple TV, iPod touch®, Mac® and other platforms including online (tv.apple.com), for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Customers who purchase iPhone SE can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free.7
  • Customers with questions about iPhone SE or which iPhone is right for them can contact a Specialist at 1-800-MY-APPLE or start a chat in Messages directly from the Apple Store app.
  • Anyone who purchases online from Apple will receive free no-contact home delivery and the option to trade in their current iPhone for credit toward the purchase of iPhone SE.8
  • Customers get 3 percent Daily Cash when they buy iPhone SE from Apple with Apple Card™.
  • Customers can extend their limited warranty with AppleCare+ and AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, and get 24/7 priority access to technical support.
  • A portion of proceeds for iPhone SE (PRODUCT)RED purchases will go directly to Global Fund’s newly established COVID-19 Response — providing funding to countries in need of PPE, diagnostics treatment, lab equipment, public safety communications, supply chain support and more — as well as HIV/AIDS grants that provide testing, counseling, treatment and prevention programs with a specific focus on eliminating transmission of the virus from mothers to their babies.

1iPhone SE is splash-, water- and dust-resistant, and was tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP67 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes). Splash, water and dust resistance are not permanent conditions, and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage not covered under warranty. iPhone SE is resistant to accidental spills from common liquids such as soda, coffee, tea, beer and juice. In the event of a spill, rinse the area with water and wipe your iPhone, and dry it.
2Up to 50 percent charge in 30 minutes with 18W adapter or higher (sold separately).
3Speeds vary based on site conditions and carrier. For details on LTE support, contact your carrier and see apple.com/iPhone/LTE.
4Use of Dual SIM requires two wireless service plans (which may include restrictions on roaming). Certain restrictions apply to use.
5 Portrait mode on iPhone SE has the ability to recognize people.
6Trade‑in values vary. iPhone SE promotional pricing is after trade-in of iPhone 8 in good condition. Additional trade‑in values require purchase of a new iPhone, subject to availability and limits. Must be at least 18. Apple or its trade-in partners reserve the right to refuse or limit any Trade In transaction for any reason. In‑store trade‑in requires presentation of a valid, government-issued photo ID (local law may require saving this information). Sales tax may be assessed on full value of new iPhone. Additional terms from Apple or Apple’s trade-in partners may apply. Monthly pricing: Available to qualified customers and requires 0% APR, 24-month installment loan with Citizens One or Apple Card Monthly Installments and iPhone activation with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon. Taxes and shipping not included. Additional Apple Card Monthly Installments terms are in the Customer Agreement. For additional information on iPhone Payments terms, visit apple.com/legal/sales-support.
7One subscription per Family Sharing group. Offer good for three months after eligible device activation, starting April 24, 2020. Plan automatically renews until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply.
8Online Trade In is not available in Mexico, Brazil and Turkey.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

© 2020 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, Retina HD, Touch ID, True Tone, Live Photos, iCloud Keychain, App Store, Apple Pay, Core ML, QuickTake, Apple News, Apple TV+, Apple Music, iCloud, Lightning, CarPlay, Safari, Apple Store, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Card and AppleCare+ are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.