Long queues outside Apple stores are a common sight whenever a new device is launched. But it looks a tad unusual in these times of social distancing necessitated by the coronavirus. Some Apple fans were reportedly spotted outside a Hong Kong-based Apple store to experience the latest affordable iPhone.
iPhone SE 2020 and Chinese media
Even though the iPhone SE 2020 edition lacks the latest features such as Face ID or 5G connectivity, it is winning accolades for its price-to-performance ratio and several other aspects. The new device has had great reviews across the world, but sections of the Chinese media are still sceptical.
Reputed Chinese media house Abacus has put out an opinion piece titled, "Where does the iPhone SE fit in a country full of good, cheap phones?" It raises questions regarding the future of the latest iPhone in China for its not-so-cheap starting price of 2,298 yuan (roughly $325) in China. In another report, Abacus cited a survey by Strategy Analytics that 40 per cent of Chinese iPhone users are desperately planning to upgrade their devices.
What teardown reveals
A new teardown by a Chinese mobile phone repair company called AO Technology has reportedly revealed that the hardware layout of the iPhone SE 2020 is quite identical to its predecessor iPhone 8. However, the latest device does have a few significant hardware upgrades such as 3 GB RAM memory, and the A13 Bionic SoC found in the iPhone 11 series.
