Apple announces new S$649 iPhone SE; Singapore pre-orders begin on 17 April
SINGAPORE – Apple has announced the second-generation iPhone SE at a more affordable pricing, giving customers access to the expensive and coveted iPhone 11’s many high-end features, for a fraction of its price. The iPhone SE comes in three colours — black, white and (Product)Red — and will be available for pre-order beginning Friday (17 April), starting at just S$649.
While the original iPhone SE was first launched in March 2016, today’s new second-generation version features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, paired with Touch ID for security and powered by the Apple-designed A13 Bionic smart chip.
“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.
Features and capabilities
iPhone SE uses aerospace-grade aluminium and durable glass design with an all-black front. The rear glass finish includes a centered Apple logo and is made using a seven-layer colour process. It is water and dust-resistant with an IP67 rating for water resistance up to one metre for 30 minutes.
iPhone SE uses Haptic Touch for Quick Actions - such as animating Live Photos, previewing messages, rearranging apps and more - as well as contextual menus.
The familiar Home button is designed with sapphire crystal and a steel ring to detect a user’s fingerprint for Touch ID.
The new phone also features a 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture Wide camera and uses the image signal processor and Neural Engine of A13 Bionic to unlock Portrait mode, all six Portrait Lighting effects and Depth Control.
What is missing
Although the new second-generation phone features an affordable price, with features you can expect from its higher-priced models, it lacks 5G capability and Apple’s facial recognition system to unlock the device.
Pricing and availability
The iPhone SE will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in black, white and (Product)Red starting at S$649. The iPhone SE is available for purchase through Apple Authorised Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary per contract). Customers can also pre-order on apple.com/sg and the Apple Store app on Friday.
