iPhone SE

iPhone SE

iPhone

Discontinued
Released: March 21, 2016Discontinued on: September 12, 2018
United States: N/A

Overview

Be aware that this A1724 iPhone SE model was sold exclusively in mainland China for use on the China Mobile network. It supports the same LTE and TD-LTE bands as the global A1723 iPhone SE model but lacks support for CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz).


Promoted as a "reinvented" 4-inch device, the iPhone SE (Special Edition) models are almost identical to the iPhone 5s in appearance, except for their matte-chamfered edges. Internally, however, they share more components with the higher-end iPhone 6s.


All iPhone SE models feature a 4-inch widescreen multi-touch IPS LED-backlit 1136x640 "retina display" (326 ppi) without 3D Touch. They have dual cameras: a rear 12-megapixel, 4K "iSight" camera with 1.22-micron pixels, an f/2.2 aperture, and a dual-LED "True Tone" flash, plus a more basic 1.2-megapixel, 720p front "FaceTime" camera.


The iPhone SE was available in four metallic colors: "Silver," "Space Gray," "Gold," and "Rose Gold." Every color option includes a first-generation "Touch ID" fingerprint sensor in the home button.


All iPhone SE models are driven by a 1.8 GHz 64-bit "Apple A9" processor, with 2 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and storage options of 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB (storage configurations changed over time). They support 4G/LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and NFC for Apple Pay. The device retains a bottom-mounted headphone jack and uses a "Lightning" port.


Apple's battery life estimates are up to 50 hours of audio, 14 hours of 3G talk time, 12-13 hours of internet use, 13 hours of video playback, and 10 days of standby.


In mainland China, this model was initially sold on China Mobile for RMB 3,288 (16 GB) and RMB 4,088 (64 GB). On March 21, 2017, storage was upgraded to 32 GB and 128 GB at the same prices. On September 12, 2017, the prices were reduced to RMB 2,988 and 3,788. The device was fully discontinued on September 12, 2018.

Evaluation

The China Mobile-specific iPhone SE variant demonstrated Apple's early commitment to adapting products for the Chinese market, earning recognition from regional technology media for its tailored approach to local carrier requirements. Reviewers noted the strategic importance of creating a dedicated model for China Mobile's network specifications, viewing it as a significant step in Apple's localization efforts. The device maintained all the celebrated characteristics of the global iPhone SE while ensuring optimal compatibility with China's largest carrier network. Technology analysts later identified this model as a precursor to Apple's increasingly sophisticated regional adaptation strategies, balancing global product integrity with market-specific technical requirements.

Product Info

Product Info Table
Model IDiPhone8,4
Apple Model NoA1724 (EMC 3042*)
Apple Order NoMLLP2CH/A
Apple SubfamilyiPhone SE

Price

Price Table
Original PriceN/A
United StatesN/A
ChinaRMB 3,288, 4,088

Pricing Extras

Pricing Extras Table
Est. Current RetailN/A

Body

Body Table
Form FactoriPhone SE
Case TypeHandheld
Housing ColorMetallic
Dimensions4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in / 123.70 x 58.67 x 7.62 mm
Avg. Weight3.99 oz / 113 g

Platform

Platform Table
Processor TypeApple A9
Processor Speed1.8 GHz
Processors1 (2 Cores)
Onboard RAM2 GB
Geekbench 2 (32)3035
Geekbench 3 (64)4422
Geekbench 4 (SC)2473
Geekbench 4 (MC)4223
Geekbench 5 (SC)546
Geekbench 5 (MC)1002

Storage

Storage Table
Storage Capacity16, 32, 64, 128 GB

Display

Display Table
Built-in Display4" Retina
Display Resolution1136x640 (326 ppi)
Camera12.0 Megapixels

Media Support

Media Support Table
Audio SupportApple reports that the iPhone SE supports "AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV."
Video SupportApple reports that the iPhone SE supports "H.264 video up to 4K, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.2 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (MJPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format."It also supports AirPlay Mirroring and video out to the Apple TV 2nd Gen or later as well as video mirroring and video out "up to" 1080p through the Lightning Digital AV Adapter and the Lightning to VGA Adapter.
Photo SupportApple does not formally specify photo formats for the iPhone SE. However, it can sync photos in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats, from iTunes and iCloud.

Wired Connectivity

Wired Connectivity Table
ConnectivityUSB
PortsLightning, Headphone
USB SupportSync & Charge

Wireless Connectivity

Wireless Connectivity Table
Cell NetworkGSM/CDMA/LTE
Standard Wireless802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Standard Bluetooth4.2

Power

Power Table
Battery TypeLithium Ion
Battery Life (Music)50 Hours
Battery Life (Voice)14 Hours
Standby Time250 Hours

Software

Software Table
Pre-Installed OSiOS 9.3 (13E233)
Maximum OSiOS 15.x
Mac SupportOS X 10.8.5
Windows SupportWindows 7

Accessories

Accessories Table
ControllerMulti-touch
Incl. AccessoriesShips with "Apple EarPods [headphones] with Remote and Mic, Lightning to USB cable, [and] a USB power adapter."In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells inexpensive headphones, cases and other accessories for this iPhone.Also see: What is the best external keyboard for the iPhone?