Source: Apple. The iPhone SE.

Apple has launched the iPhone SE, boasting a 4-inch display and impressive processing power in a familiar compact design. This updated model features smooth, angled edges, a color-coordinated stainless steel Apple logo, and a choice of four metallic finishes, including rose gold.

“The iPhone SE is a fresh take on a beloved design — we took a popular, iconic look and completely redesigned its internals. This resulted in the most stunning and powerful 4-inch phone available,” stated Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. “Anyone who prefers a smaller phone will love the iPhone SE.”

The most powerful phone with a 4-inch display

The iPhone SE utilizes the same powerful 64-bit A9 chip found in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. This delivers rapid performance speeds, extended battery life, quick wireless connectivity, a 12-megapixel iSight camera with Live Photos and 4K video capabilities, and the convenience of Touch ID with Apple Pay. This chip offers iPhone SE users double the CPU speed and three times the GPU performance of the iPhone 5s, all while improving energy efficiency for better battery life. The A9 chip also integrates Apple’s latest motion coprocessor, M9, enabling constant low-power operation of features like “Hey Siri” voice activation and a range of fitness tracking functions for monitoring steps and distance.

iPhone SE users will experience browsing, downloading, and streaming speeds up to three times faster with Wi-Fi and 50% faster with LTE compared to the iPhone 5s. The phone also supports a wider range of LTE bands for enhanced global roaming and offers Voice over LTE and Wi-Fi calling for superior, clear audio.

Built on the secure and user-friendly iOS 9 platform, the iPhone SE provides access to essential apps such as Messages, FaceTime, Photos, Music, and Maps. IOS 9 also enhances the iPhone SE experience with proactive assistance, a robust search function, improved Siri functionality, and the new Night Shift feature. Night Shift utilizes the iPhone SE’s clock and location services to automatically adjust the display’s color temperature for a warmer tone after dark.

The world’s most popular camera

The iPhone SE boasts a sophisticated 12-megapixel iSight camera equipped with Focus Pixel technology for rapid focusing, an Apple-designed image signal processor, advanced noise reduction, third-generation local tone mapping, and enhanced face detection. These features combine to deliver sharper, more detailed photos. The Live Photos feature on the iPhone SE lets users go beyond still images by capturing moments in motion with sound, allowing them to relive memories more vividly. With just a touch, these 12-megapixel photos reveal the moments immediately before and after the image was captured.

Additional camera features include:

• 4K video recording at a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, editable on various devices.
• Retina Flash, which momentarily triples the display brightness for well-lit selfies in low-light conditions using the FaceTime HD camera.
• Features introduced with the iPhone 6s, such as panorama shots up to 63 megapixels, 1080p video recording at 60fps and 240fps for slow motion, and cinematic video stabilization.

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The iPhone SE is available in space gray, silver, gold, and rose gold metallic finishes with 16GB and 64GB storage options, starting at US$399**. You can find it at Apple’s retail stores, Apple.com, authorized resellers, and select carriers. Apple-designed accessories like leather cases in black and midnight blue (US$39**) and Lightning Docks in matching metallic finishes (US$49) are also available.

Every iPhone SE purchased from Apple includes free in-store or online Personal Setup to help users customize their device, set up email, explore new apps, and more. Free workshops on iPhone SE and iOS 9 are also available at all Apple Stores.

Customers in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore can pre-order the iPhone SE starting March 24th, with availability beginning March 31st. The phone will also be available in early April in Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, and the UAE.

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* Data plan required. LTE is available in select markets and through select carriers. Speeds vary based on site conditions and carrier. For details on LTE support, contact your carrier and see www.apple.com/iphone/LTE.

** US pricing. Prices may vary in other countries.