On Tuesday, March 21, at his headquarters in California, Apple CEO Tim Cook presented new iPhone SE. Latest version The iPhone 6S had 4.7” (5.5”) displays, rounded edges and buttons, which made it unusually different from all its predecessors. And now the corporation has corrected itself: in essence, the SE is a 6S in a 5S body. 4-inch display, A9 chipset, six-core graphics accelerator and 12 MP camera with excellent shooting quality. And the price: 37,990 rubles for the version with 16 GB, 47,990 rubles for 64 GB.

New iPhone smartphone SE will appear in Russia in April

Today's Appleno longer able to dictate its terms to the gadget market. Sixth generationiPhoneshowed low level sales backgroundAndroid-flagships, and fans of the brand found the 5.5-inch screen and proportionately high cost controversial. At the same time, a direct competitorApplefrom South Korea He created his flagship that was both more interesting and cheaper. The recession in the economies of the largest purchasing countries is forcing the corporation to make cheaper prices, and the new SE is one of these concessions. Analyzing the market, Cook’s company noticed that during the crisis, “budget” ones were more readily purchased.iPhone 5Swith a 4-inch touchscreen, and a comparable 6S model in the lineAppledid not have. And here we are, greetingsIPhone SE.

The price of the new Apple turned out to be even lower than analysts expected, but in a country where the crisis is growing stronger, the high cost of the logo on the back panel is increasingly becoming a stumbling block. We analyzed the market and selected five alternatives to the new iPhone for you, depending on your preferences.

SAMSUNG GALAXY A9

This, of course, is not the flagship S7 with space-age characteristics, but the A9 is more than enough to put the new iPhone in its belt. Judge for yourself: at the same cost, two SIM cards, a 6” touchscreen, a 13 MP camera plus an 8 MP front camera, an 8-core processor from Qualcomm, 32 GB internal and 3 GB random access memory, as well as a 4000 mAh super battery. What else do you need?

Price: about 35,000 rubles

SONY XPERIA Z5

Great alternative for those who knock their boots on the table, claiming that Apple cameras have no competitors in the segment. The Japanese still produce the best optics in the world, and the Z5 has a simply fantastic 23 MP camera with autofocus - all other things being equal. Add here 32 GB of memory and a slot for microSD, so necessary for amateurs mobile photo, – and think about it.

Price: about 37,000 rubles

LG NEXUS 5X H791

While the whole world is waiting for the futuristic LG G5 presented at MWC 2016, you can take your time and consider saving money with the Nexus 5X. Having approximately similar characteristics to the SE, the South Korean smartphone costs significantly less: from 30,000 rubles, although phones without the RosTest badge can be purchased for 21,000 rubles. Included: 6-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, 16 GB internal memory, 2 GB of RAM, 12.3 MP camera, 4k video recording and a fingerprint scanner. An excellent anti-crisis set.

Price: about 30,000 rubles

HTC ONE M9 PLUS

Despite the fact that the British-Chinese brand is not doing well right now, the M9 impresses with its resume. Firstly, HTC is always a spectacular design. If Apple products are primarily about style for you, then this is the place for you. Secondly, this smartphone has a double camera, 20 megapixels, F/2.2 aperture, and that’s not counting the front one. Thirdly, the processor MediaTek Helio X10 Turbo, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of hardware memory, a capacious battery and other benefits of progress - everything is there, as befits a flagship. It's really pleasing to the eye.

Price: about 32,000 rubles

XIAOMI MI5 OR MEIZU PRO 5

For those rational people who don’t care at all about the logo and name of the gadget, mega-functionality from Chinese manufacturer for all the same money. Let the skeptics be put to shame by the numerous testimonials and reviews; let the disdainful be reminded that i Phone SE They solder in exactly the same way in China. The characteristics of these two flagships will drive you crazy: the most powerful processors, gigabytes of memory, the most sensitive cameras with sets different functions, capacious batteries and good build quality. Even the design is on the verge of plagiarism with Apple– what could be better?

Price: about 32,000 rubles (Xiaomi MI5) and 29,000 rubles ( Meizu Pro 5)

The Chinese iPhone SE is close in characteristics to Apple technology, and Android expands the capabilities of the device. A smartphone with a 4-inch screen (like the original) is pleasing bright colors, 854x480 resolution is enough to watch video in HD format.

A fast quad-core processor and video accelerator are responsible for the smooth operation of the Chinese iPhone CE. RAM (512 MB) and internal memory (4 GB) are enough to install and normally use a set of programs. Main (5 MP) and front (1.3 MP) cameras, communication modules, GPS - the phone repeats the capabilities of the prototype, slightly inferior in characteristics.

iPhone SE replica apps and software

The device runs on Android, but the operating system is worked out to the smallest detail. The design, icon images, features and layout are stylized to match the latest iOS. Even the app store looks complete App Store, but with Google Play offers.

Install apps from official store, with third party resources, take advantage of the Apple look and feel android functionality. Do not hide the screen from prying eyes - by graphical shell no one will guess that you decided to buy cheap Chinese iPhone SE, and not spend 30-40 thousand rubles on a gadget.

Bottom line

The device is used with original Apple accessories. Branded cases fit the body like a glove, the cameras, speakers and microphone remain open. The device recognizes the “native” headset, headphones, stands - products are suitable for original iPhone SE/5S and third party accessories.

The quality of manufacturing and assembly of parts is at the level of a world brand: buttons, connectors, housing, sound switch. When purchasing, you get a smartphone that differs from Apple technology only in price.

Communication standards:	GSM 900/1800/1900, WCDMA2100
Operating system:	Android 4.2.2
Sim card:	1x nanoSIM
CPU:	MT6572, 2 cores x1.2 Ghz
RAM:	1 GB
Built-in memory:	8 GB
Navigation:	There is
3D Gravity Sensor:	There is
Display Size:	4.0" IPS
Display resolution:	480*640
Camera:	Front - 1.3MP. Rear - 8.0MP + Flash
Dictaphone:	There is
Communications:	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Internet:	Eat
Dimensions:	59mm * 8mm * 123mm (same as original)
Weight:	112 g
Battery capacity:	2000 mAh
Working hours:	Waiting - 300 hours, Conversation - 6 hours.

Will it open the way for compact Android flagships or not?

Let me remind you, March 21 at the spring Apple presentations introduced a new modern sub-flagship in a compact form factor called iPhone SE.

The current set of technical characteristics in a small package, coupled with a relatively low price, appealed to almost everyone. Yes and old design, which migrated here from the iPhone 5s, was appreciated not only by die-hard fans of the classics.

Not everyone wanted to see those same rounded “six” edges, right?

Why does Apple need SE?

Let’s believe the company’s official data, which it shares with the public with less and less enthusiasm.

In 2015 year Apple sold more than 30 million 4-inch devices. This is almost 8% of the total number of iPhones sold, which is significant. If it were not for the old hardware, these numbers would be even higher.

By the way, let’s remember last year’s research by American analysts from Piper Jaffray. According to their results, more than 20% of potential users will prefer a compact iPhone to a “shovel”.

To be fair, the 4.7- and 5.5-inch solutions were then 32% and 27%, respectively.

So, such interest from the outside target audience the company could not ignore. After all, the times when she dictated the rules to the market on her own have sunk into oblivion even after latest changes as General Director.

Today, Apple bends to the wishes of the masses and the opinions of investors, but still makes it “cool,” and that’s good.

Is the SE even a flagship?

If not a flagship, then very close. Current processor A9, 2GB RAM, 12MP camera with 4K video and so on.

The low screen resolution makes the new product more productive than the current iPhone 6s. Therefore, many consider the iPhone SE a more interesting investment in their personal iOS future.

For a compact smartphone, they actually only included 3D Touch, a new FaceTime camera, and other little things. If you believe 9to5Mac, all this does not matter to most users. It’s only hardened geeks who are used to comparing numbers and features, but there are only a few of them in the total mass.

Interestingly, Western media are confident that SE will be updated separately from the rest iPhone lines. That's why it doesn't have a number in its name.

According to rumors, the new product will definitely not be reissued over the next two or three years. That is why she has such a reserve of productivity.

Are competitors really doing badly?

There will definitely not be any decent compact smartphones with flagship specifications in the Android camp in the near future. A variety of local and Western tailoring experts have shared their opinions on this matter before.

But the other day I successfully formulated the general idea 9to5Android. Branch 9to5Mac argues that modern Android is still very far behind iOS in terms of optimization.

Remember the joke about the iPhone that walked into a bar and didn’t sit down? It lost its relevance only with the transition of competitors to phablets. It's simple - the huge body allowed manufacturers to install batteries of impressive capacity.

By and large, today the solution to the problem does not even fall on the shoulders of vendors. It all depends on Google, which is already trying to “stuff” its operating system a huge number of technologies that improve energy efficiency.

The indicator of success will be small flagship smartphones with adequate battery life, which simply do not exist today. Oops.

Which Android devices will compete with the iPhone SE

Almost everyone whose opinion in the world of mobile electronics means at least something is sure: it’s time for Android device manufacturers to find mine path. They too often spy on Apple's actions and try to copy them. This activity does not lead to anything good.

The company has already taken its first successful steps in the field of compact smartphones Sony With new X-series. The manufacturer abstracted itself from competitors and pointed to M.W.C. three interesting phone in a mini line.

It's a pity, Japanese sales today are a drop in the Android bucket. But there are positive changes.

Apple's main Korean competitor is now more than successfully pushing the line of uneven screens. All the same Galaxy S7 Edge offered a 5.5-inch display in a body from a much more modest-sized device.

Not everyone found it comfortable because of its sharp edges, but these are nuances.

So what will “roll” after all?

IN Lately I increasingly come across thoughts in the Western media about the beginning of a stagnant period in the Android market, the start of which is “planned” for 2016. I am sure that in any crisis, time will stop for a moment and think about the correct direction or the need for a timely turnaround.

Therefore, today vendors hold all the cards - in compact and any other form factor.

If we talk about competition with the iPhone SE, we first need to understand software optimization and the entire range of energy-efficient technologies available in the arsenal. The next step is to analyze your strengths and competitive advantages.

What will happen in the end? Imagine Samsung's new flagship Galaxy, the size of an iPhone SE, but with a curved screen at the sides that makes a potentially 4-inch smartphone look like a 5-inch one.

Utopia? I do not argue. But all “we were born to make a fairy tale come true,” right?

Apple took a risky step by introducing the iPhone SE in a design almost three years old. Nevertheless, the four-inch gadget is fraught with many surprises that are not typical for mid-range smartphones. price category. On the eve of the start iPhone sales SE in Russia Lenta.ru figured out why the new device is not just a 6s in a 5s body and who should think about buying it.

Design and ergonomics: deja vu

Externally, the iPhone SE is almost indistinguishable from the iPhone 5s - the same arrangement of buttons and slots, the same wide white antenna stripes and flat side edges that Apple abandoned in the iPhone 6.

The reason why Apple decided to use an outdated design is not entirely clear. The company said this was a concession to users who liked appearance iPhone 5s. On the other hand, perhaps they wanted to save money.

Those who iPhone six series seemed too heavy, I will be pleased with the weight of the iPhone SE - 113 grams. The gadget is easy to operate with one hand. However, the keys after the “sixes” are too small, and you will have to get used to typing again. The difference in thickness between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s is only 0.5 millimeters, and this made it possible to ensure that the smartphone's 12-megapixel camera does not protrude from the body, although the optical stabilization function available in Apple phablets is absent in the iPhone SE.

The screen is similar to a four-inch iPhone 5s with a resolution of 1136 by 640 pixels. Moreover, the device uses Retina, not Retina HD, so videos and games are not big screen They don't look nearly as attractive anymore. Plus, the iPhone SE is missing one of its key display technologies flagship models- 3D Touch. Fingerprint scanner finger touch The ID in the iPhone SE was also inherited from the iPhone 5s and therefore works a little slower than in later models. However, the gadget supports payment system Apple Pay.

Generally, iPhone owners 4s, 5 or 5s, you won't have to change your habits with iPhone SE. For those who managed to switch to the next generation Apple gadgets, you will need to remember your handling skills compact smartphone. Therefore, iPhone SE is either full replacement old models, or a return from a phablet to a phone with all the ensuing consequences.

Performance: powerful stuffing

But they clearly didn’t skimp on the hardware - the iPhone SE received an A9 processor with 64-bit architecture and an M9 motion coprocessor. Similar chips are built into both the iPhone 6s and 6s plus.

This was also reflected in the results of synthetic tests. Thus, the GFXBench Metal test to assess the quality of graphics processing showed that the chip in the iPhone SE is 40-50 percent more powerful than iPhone 5s and even 5-10 percent more productive than the iPhone 6s. IN real games This difference can be seen by eye, but when displaying images in Full HD, the 5s lags behind more seriously.

This advantage over the 5s suggests that the iPhone SE is truly modern smartphone, which will not become obsolete in one year. By the way, the M9 coprocessor also provides constant background work voice assistant Siri. It can be activated voice command Hey Siri without touching the unlock button.

As games and applications become more and more demanding, 5s owners should still opt for the SE. However, most applications are more convenient to use on a large screen, so it’s probably not worth replacing your iPhone 6, and especially 6s, with a four-inch new one

Time battery life: a pleasant surprise

Although Apple does not officially disclose the battery capacity of its smartphones, according to Phone data Arena, the iPhone SE has 1,624 mAh - about 5 percent more than the iPhone 6 and slightly less than the 6s. Hence the difference in charging time: the 6s Plus is fully charged in about 3 hours, and the SE in 2 hours.

But the main surprise is the battery life. The new product was completely discharged after 10 hours of operation at maximum brightness with a 4G and Wi-Fi connection, phone calls, photo and video shooting, performance tests and video playback.

An hour of watching a 4K movie on YouTube at maximum brightness and volume drained the smartphone by about 12 percent. In general, the smartphone demonstrated the most impressive results when watching videos, but voice calls drains the battery a lot.

Camera, photo and video shooting

Main 12-megapixel camera with flash True Tone It performed best in macro photography, rendering colors and textures, as well as in low light. However, the SE is seriously inferior to the 6s in selfies - after all, the resolution is still only 1.2 megapixels. However, in dark time The day is saved by the on-screen Retina Flash.

iPhone SE takes Live Photos, records 4K video and 63-megapixel panoramas. But given the memory capacity of SE models, you'll have to limit yourself with these features.

Memory size: limited opportunities

The Lente.ru test included a version with 64 gigabytes of memory. About 55 gigabytes are allocated for user data.

A model with 16 gigabytes of memory will also be available on the market. A very modest volume, since a minute of 4K video takes up more than 300 megabytes, and a Live Photo weighs twice as much as a regular photo. Loading high-quality movies, games with complex graphics and storing many pictures and videos will be a very difficult task.

conclusions

Popular iPhone definition SE as a smartphone in the 5s body, but with the 6s plus filling it’s still not entirely correct. The device does not have 3D Touch, optical camera stabilization, a good front camera and Retina display HD. Therefore, flagship owners can only consider the iPhone SE as a complementary compact phone.

iPhone SE did not cause queues typical for Apple at the start of sales in the “first wave” countries. But in Russia, given the current economic situation, a smartphone is quite capable of arousing the interest of those who do not need a large screen and are not willing to pay 60-80 thousand rubles for flagship models.

In addition, users who are choosing an iPhone for the first time or are considering switching from Android smartphones should take a closer look at the iPhone SE. They may also be inclined to buy SE iPhone users earlier generations who did not want to switch to Apple phablets due to their size and weight.

At a recent Apple presentation, it turned out that about 40% of new iOS users start with 4-inch iPhone models. Some are attracted by the price, because the same 5/5S is becoming cheaper every year, while others are attracted solely by the size. That is, many would like something more functional, albeit more expensive, but there is nothing to choose from - there are “shovels” all around. That is why it is a unique smartphone of its kind, it is a “step back” and at the same time a “knight’s move”, allowing it to satisfy the needs of most connoisseurs of compact and at the same time modern gadgets.

Why “most” and not “all” - because, firstly, the impressive price, and secondly, iOS is unloved by many. If the declared 37,990 rubles for the version with 16 GB can “lose weight” by 25-30 percent over time, then you will have to put up with iOS - decent Android smartphones with such sizes are extremely difficult to find.

Here are some examples similar in key parameters, which can still be found for sale, at least on the secondary market:

• Samsung Galaxy S4 mini: 4.27" screen, 960x540 resolution, dual-core Snapdragon 410, 1.5 GB RAM, 8 GB expandable memory, 8 MP camera, LTE support, 1,900 mAh battery;
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact: 4.3" screen with a resolution of 1280x720, quad-core Snapdragon 800, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of expandable memory, 20.7 MP camera, LTE support, 2,300 mAh battery, moisture protection;
• Sony Xperia Z3 Compact: 4.6" screen with a resolution of 1280x720, quad-core Snapdragon 801, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of expandable memory, 20.7 MP camera, LTE support, 2,600 mAh battery, moisture protection;
• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact: 4.6" screen with a resolution of 1280x720, quad-core Snapdragon 810, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of expandable memory, 23 MP camera, LTE support, 2,700 mAh battery, moisture protection.

The first one is the closest in size to the iPhone SE, but much inferior in characteristics, and it is already extremely problematic to buy it. With the second, things are better, but there is a risk of encountering a manufacturing defect in the case, which took place. In addition, the 20-megapixel camera is much inferior to the 12 megapixels of the SE (judging by iPhone tests 6S, which has the same module), and this is not to mention the level of performance in general.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact and Z3 Compact

The last two gadgets on the list have 4.6" screens, but they are still worth mentioning, because their matrices fit into approximately the same dimensions as the first ones - thanks to the narrow display frames. However, even with this, the iPhone SE is noticeably thinner and at each of them, and in comparison with the Z5 it also costs only a couple of thousand more (37,900 versus 35,990 rubles).

iPhone SE and Sony Xperia Z5 Compact

There is nothing to choose among 4-inch Android smartphones - only ultra-budget models, which, due to just one identical parameter, you simply don’t want to put on the same level as the SE.

If we start from size and convenience, then even the Xperia Z5 Compact is the most worthy analogue in terms of technical specifications- cannot be called complete iPhone competitor SE. If someone comes to the store and picks up each of them, the choice will be obvious - new Apple will seem much more comfortable and attractive in appearance. There’s no need to even talk about the tactile sensations of metal, trendy body colors, etc.

This entire “ode” to a controversial device, whatever one may say, can be regarded as material in praise of Satan Apple. Only they dared to revive the segment of ultra-compact smartphones. And personally, I’m annoyed that there are no such flagships on Android, and are not yet expected.