Six reasons to buy the new iPhone SE

Following months of speculation and rumors across the industry, Apple finally launched its new, compact, iPhone SE at its spring 2016 event on March 21, and there are six excellent reasons why every Aussie should think about buying one.

The look

As expected, and in response to huge demand, Apple went against the trend for huge android-sized phones with the release of its new ‘special edition’ iPhone has been released with a much smaller 4-inch screen – it looks like the much-loved iPhone 5, but with the design features of an iPhone 6.

The gadget – which comes in silver gold, space grey or rose gold – takes an incredibly popular design and refines it even further.

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Crafted from bead-blasted aluminum for a satin-like finish, this light and compact phone is designed to fit comfortably in your hand.

A brilliant 4‑inch1Retina display makes everything look vibrant and sharp.

And matte-chamfered edges and a color-matched stainless steel logo finish the look.

The technology

At the core of iPhone SE is the A9, the same advanced chip that’s in iPhone 6s.

With 64‑bit desktop-class architecture, the A9 chip brings you spectacular speed and responsiveness.

And with console-class graphics performance, your favorite games and apps are incredibly rich and immersive, making it a mighty chip for maximum performance.

Embedded directly into the A9 chip, the M9 motion coprocessor connects to the accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope for a range of fitness tracking capabilities, such as measuring your steps and distance.

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‘Hey Siri’

Apple’s ‘Hey Siri’ function is also hugely improved by the A9X chip.

The sensors on the iPad are always ready to go on any instruction, even on a locked screen, which means its easy to activate Siri by simply saying ‘Hey Siri’, without even having to pick up your phone.

The functionality also has the capacity to quickly answer simple questions about the weather to complicated calculations.

The camera

The 12‑megapixel iSight camera means users can capture sharp, detailed stills like the ones shot on iPhone 6s.

That includes shooting, and even editing, brilliant 4K video which is up to four times the resolution of 1080p HD video.

Live photos bring your still photos to life with sound and movement.

Simply touch and hold anywhere on your 12-megapixel still and experience the moments just before and after it was taken, so your photos turn into living memories.

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What’s more, the Retina display isn’t just a place to see your content but is also a flash for your FaceTime HD camera.

Powered by a custom display chip that allows the display to flash three times brighter than usual, the Retina Flash helps illuminate your selfies in low light and at night.

And a True Tone flash matches the ambient light for more true-to-life colors and natural-looking skin tones.

The touch ID

Apple’s has expanded its touch ID capability so that now it can not only used be to access the device without a passcode, but makes approving iTunes purchases, accessing Apple Pay or even logging into accounts a much more streamlined process.

The wireless access

Browse the web, download apps and games, and stream video over 802.11ac Wi-Fi and LTE – with speeds even faster than on iPhone 5s.

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And more LTE bands make iPhone SE better for worldwide roaming.

iPhone SE also supports Voice over LTE and Wi-Fi calling for high-quality wideband calls.

And with Bluetooth technology, you can stay connected to your Apple Watch, external speakers, and other devices.