Apple iPhone SE 2022 official announced with 5G and A15 Bionic chip

Apple’s long awaited refresh of the iPhone SE has officially arrived, with added 5G connectivity and the latest A15 Bionic processor.

For those hoping for a refreshed look with the iPhone SE (2022) will be disappointed, as the design remains identical to the previous iPhone SE (2020). This is the same design Apple has used with all SE models since 2016, which itself is the same design as the iPhone 5S from 2013. It’s almost impressive how Apple have managed to continuously use the same design for 9 years, especially given how fast innovation and change happens in the phone market.

Despite the rumours of an upgrade to an OLED panel, it appears Apple will be sticking with the same 4.7 inch IPS LCD display. OLED panels have seen significant price reductions in recent years, and cost almost the same as LCD panels. It’s possible Apple’s hand may have been forced to stick with LCD due to the recent supply chain issues that have plagued the phone industry. The bezels remain thick, along with the round Touch ID and Home button at the front.

Apple will be using the same glass for the front and back as used with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, which they claim is ‘toughest glass in a smartphone’. An IP67 rating will remain, which offers dust and water resistance.

Of course, the most welcome feature is added 5G connectivity. At £419, this will be the cheapest 5G iPhone ever sold. Despite the added 5G, Apple claims battery life has actually improved over the previous iPhone SE, in part to the power efficient A15 Bionic chip. We have no reason to doubt Apple, as this is the same powerful chip used with the iPhone 13 series, which has proven to be a very power efficient device, especially when compared to the competition.

The camera will remain the same, with a single 12 MP f/1.8 wide module. However, with the new A15 Bionic chip, Apple claims the camera quality has actually improved thanks to their Deep Fusion technology, which uses AI and machine learning capabilities for advanced image processing. Furthermore, there’s now Smart HDR 4 and new Photographic Styles to choose from.

There’s no MagSafe charging, however Qi wireless charging will remain. Apple claims the battery can be charged to 50% within 30 minutes using a minimum 20W adapter. However, an adapter must be purchased separately as there isn’t one included in the box.

You can preorder the new iPhone SE from 11th March, and it will be available in stores from 18th March. There are 3 storage variants, with pricing starting from £419:

• 64GB - £419
• 128GB - £469
• 256GB - £569

There will be three colours to choose from: midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED.

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