5 Things to Know About Apple’s New $399 iPhone

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Buying a new iPhone used to be a budget buster, but not anymore. Apple has just come out with a relatively cheap iPhone for price-sensitive customers.

Despite its small size, Apple’s new iPhone SE is far from a no-frills device. It’s packed with features that rival some of the best phones from other manufacturers.

Apple Introduces Cheaper iPhone SE: 5 Things to Know

Even money expert Clark Howard — who says you should never overpay for a phone (or anything, for that matter) — is impressed with the SE.

“Apple, in a completely different move than normal, has introduced a highly featured, fast-tech discount version of the iPhone,” he says.

Clark says that SE models that Apple used to produce were really stripped down devices with few amenities — but not anymore.

He says the new iPhone SE “was designed and intended to be marketed in low-income countries,” but is being made available in the United States with a big push from Apple.

If you’re interested in buying the new iPhone, here are five things you should know:

1. What’s the Price of the iPhone SE?

The price of the new iPhone SE will start at $399, according to Apple. As is customary with the company, there are multiple versions of the phone.

Here are the three models available, along with their suggested retail price:

  • 64GB — $399
  • 128GB — $449
  • 256GB — $549

2. When Will the iPhone SE Be Available?

The iPhone SE is available for pre-order beginning Friday, April 17, on the Apple website and through authorized retailers. You can also pick one up from the big four carriers:
A week later, on Friday, April 24, the new smartphones will be in stores in the U.S. and other countries.

3. What Colors Will the iPhone SE Come In?

The basic iPhone SE model will be available in three colors: white, black and red.

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For charitable consumers, Apple has set it up so that proceeds from every Red SE iPhone will be contributed directly to the Global Fund to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

4. How Good Is the Video & Photo Quality?

Apple says the SE comes with 4K video, which it defines as “four times more detail than in 1080p HD video.” In other words, it’s pretty good!

When it comes to taking photos, the SE has several elite features, including Depth Control. That lets you blur the background on images by moving a slider before or after you’ve taken the image.

5. How Long Will the Battery Last?

As you may be aware, Apple devices have had some battery issues in the past. But the company seems to have moved past that.

Apple says the SE “lets you watch up to 13 hours of video on a single charge.” Of course, battery life will depend on several factors, including your environment.

The company also promises that some fast-charge adapters will be able to take a drained SE to full charge in as little as 30 minutes.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the new SE is going to appeal to Apple lovers as well as people strapped for cash.

Clark says the new phone does have its limitations, including the smaller screen, but the price point is a big win, especially at this time.

“With people’s uncertainty about their jobs and their worries about the economy, that $399 suddenly sounds like a good idea vs. paying $1,200 for a new iPhone — even if it does have a smaller screen and not the fanciest of cameras.”

More Cell Phone Resources From Clark.com:

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