Apple declaring war on budget Android phones with low-cost iPhone SE 4 | Hacker News Reader

Apple declaring war on budget Android phones with low-cost iPhone SE 4

phonearena.com

20 pointsredbell18 comments

There is no war.

A decent Samsung M series or A series phone costs about 150 - 250 USD in India.

I am using an A27 for past 2 years. It is absolutely fine. It works well, has a great screen, decent battery life, good set of features.

An iPhone would cost well over 450 USD here.

iPhones are phenomenally over-priced. An iPhone 14 costs about 3 months of median salary here.

I just don't get it.

It's because of the looks, for me it's about the consistency of the camera, but I actually own an A53 and A52s and the iPhone is my work phone.

It's not really overpriced. I think, but I can call with ENVY laptop and Samsung tablet, Bluetooth in-ears are automatically connected whatever device is playing music, even my laptop.

And my Android can do more than my iPhone.

Have you seen Samsung's privacy policy? Holy hell.

The financial outlay is only part of the cost.

iPhones are available on contract in most of the West. I don't know anyone around me that buys new devices outright. But considering how powerful are those devices compared to laptop, the price point of ~£1000 of top end isn't completely crazy.

I use a A53, A52 which is laying right next to me as i am typing and on the left, I have the regular iPhone 12.

I aiming at buying a Macbook and Iphone, but since the iPhone isn't much better in the things I do with my phone, I'm not going to buy an iPhone and Macbook. Photos and speakers (macbook) are better but that's just it for me.

The ecosystem between iPhone and Macbook is second to none, though. Got one from work after years of Linux/Windows, and it is almost flawless. If that stays the same, my next personal laptop will be a macbook.

I don't have any excuses to buy an iPhone in the very near future, but there's something about it. that makes it more satisfying.

Also I need to have a phone with built-in phone recording and Apple doesn't do that. I choose my laptops based on keyboards and the Macbook is on top of my list, but I don't like MacOS. though I am supporting people in the Apple ecosystem.

Weird conclusion in the article. How is $1000 a budget android? Or $500 for a budget phone for that matter?

Agreed. The article seems to mention "mid-range," though:

> Don’t buy an iPhone SE (2022) now; iPhone SE 4 with modern design coming in 2024 to put an end to Google and Samsung’s mid-range reign

Title should probably clarify that Apple has not announced the iPhone SE 4

I’d like it all to be true but this appears to be little more than wishful thinking.

Biggest draw for me buying a SE mark II, after 3 Xiaomi, was the sub 5" screen size. IF the rumor mill is correct this is going to be a 6.1" device.

I have a 13 mini, and I would love to at least know there will still be a small -screen upgrade path when I’m ready to retire this one in 2-3 years.

Agreed, the iPhone mini is the only thing that comes close to my old blackberry which I still pang over having to give up in 2019. Without it I'll probably invest in a good landline & get my social group to understand they can't reach me while I'm out.

Give it a headphone jack and SD card and I'll buy.

Exactly, a headphone jack. Apple disqualified itself from budget phone before they even started.

usb-c and my choice of a web browser and im in

The only thing that could change the ecosystem for me is being able to load my own software on the phone (without asking permission from apple).

I'd like a firewall that could block apple telemetry. Or a (complete) filesystem explorer.

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