Will the four-inch iPhone SE start a reverse trend to smaller phones — or does size still matter
The media which attended Apple’s launch mela in the US last week, with bated breath, was mostly underwhelmed by the main announcement: A new iPhone with little new to write about. But they were not about to admit to any disappointment — which is why we have been subjected to much lofty speculations about the reason why iPhone SE (special edition) is at four inches, much smaller than the last few editions, with almost the same specs as iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (OK, the front camera is better at 12 MP). Analysts suggest it is meant to woo new customers in markets like India and China — or existing owners of the similarly sized iPhone 5.
The former argument turned out to be nonsense when Apple announced the SE’s India price — Rs 39,000 which is equal to $588 compared to the global price of $399 (Rs 27,000). Clearly Apple doesn’t want the business of ordinary Indians and is willing to keep prices here high to maintain an elite status.
Look at the phone being used by your bai, or the autorickshaw driver or the FlipKart delivery boy: Chances are, it is larger than your own phone. For them, the phone is an all-in-one agniastra: A tool for time-pass as much as for personal communication. They are not bothered about operating the phone with one hand. They are happy to use both hands or stick it conveniently on a handle-bar or dashboard. And today they can get a 3G five-inch to 5.5-inch phone for Rs 5,000 or less.
Apple’s Back to the Future march to a four-inch form factor is seen by some, not as a brilliant marketing ploy — but as an amber sign that innovation in phone hardware is slowly drying up. There is just so much you can do with the available RAM speeds, CPU power and battery capacity. A recent Digital Index study by Adobe found that demand for both smaller phones and tablet markets were slowing down as users went for phablets which served multiple needs. They are ready to put up with the inconvenience of a six-inch or larger phablet rather than carrying two devices.
The iPhone SE is not available here till next week. Meanwhile, we look at three different phones launched in India recently which straddle all sizes and budgets, while slowly narrowing the gap between phone and tablet.
