Apple launched brand new iPhones at the end of 2018, marking the fulfillment of yet another yearly routine. The majority of those handsets aren't cheap, either. The iPhone XS and XS Max are $1,000+ devices, and whether or not that matters comes down to each individual. It's a question about whether or not paying that much for a device is worth it. How long are you going to own it? How often do you use your phone really? And is it an integral part of your day-to-day routine that the cost will be justified by the cost?
But Apple also launched a not-as-expensive iPhone, too. The iPhone XR is a pretty great handset, especially for what it costs. Yes, you do lose some of the features when compared to the XS family, like the pair of cameras on the back and an LCD display rather than OLED, but those are small trade-offs as far as I'm concerned. But I'm also on the fence about the overall cost of these devices in general, especially the iPhone XS.
But, again, it all comes down to the individual.
Which is why I'm curious if any of you out there actually went for Apple's revitalization of the iPhone SE recently. The company has actually brought it back within the clearance store a couple of different times recently, and they were pretty inexpensive! The 32GB model was going for $249 and the 128GB option was priced at $299. That's not too shabby, even if the handset is pretty old. They were brand new, though, and not refurbished.
There have been rumors that Apple is working on an "iPhone SE 2", and that the handset will upgrade the key specifications (like processor, camera, and storage) to better reflect a current device. But it may keep the Touch ID biometric security feature instead of adopting Face ID, and it sounds like it would hold onto the big bezels, too. But there still seems to be a palpable excitement for an iPhone SE successor, especially with updated specs and features.
I can't help but wonder if Apple was testing the waters a bit by bringing back the iPhone SE in brief spurts of availability. Sure, those people who did buy the clearance handset, even at only $249, may not now be chomping at the bit to buy a brand new model at around $400, but it could still be a clear indicator to Apple that a handset like that still has a market. Apple could have the iPhone SE 2 ready to go, and recent feedback with the original model could be the incentive they were waiting for to actually launch it.
But, I'm not really curious about a projected sequel. I am more curious about the revival of the OG iPhone SE. When Apple brought it back, one of the three times, did you buy one? If you did, did you pick one up for yourself (either as a daily driver or a backup), or did you get it for someone else? Let me know!