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Is the iPhone SE the 'Best Minimalist Phone' Right Now? (theverge.com) 180

Posted by BeauHD from the bigger-isn't-always-better dept.
With Apple offering a clearance sale on the iPhone SE earlier this week, The Verge's Nick Statt decided that it was "the appropriate moment to hop on the backup phone bandwagon" and pick one up. He writes: I've always appreciated the classic 5S design, with its overtly rounded corners and its sturdy, not-so-delicate dimensions. It never felt like it really required a case, and its smaller screen and more comfortable, one-handed use is something I've thought far too much about as I've ferried around an iPhone X and now an XS over the past year and a half. Plus, it's got a headphone jack. Would you agree that the iPhone SE is "the best minimalist phone right now," or do you think that title belongs to a different device? Why or why not?
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Is the iPhone SE the 'Best Minimalist Phone' Right Now? More

Is the iPhone SE the 'Best Minimalist Phone' Right Now?

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  • Kyocera Dura Plus. (Score:3)

    by 0100010001010011 ( 652467 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @10:27AM (#58029564)

    For other definitions of 'minimalist'.

    https://www.kyoceramobile.com/... [kyoceramobile.com]

    If you absolutely need it there's even a Opera browser.

    Charge it about twice a month. Used it to crack open pistachios that weren't precracked enough. Still available used and for use on the Sprint network (or Ting). Costs about ~$15-20/month.

    Has some nice headset options as well, plus bluetooth.

    In Europe I know they get a lot of other fancy feature phones. You can get the Nokia 3310, but not sure about the frequencies compared with the US.

    https://www.nokia.com/phones/e... [nokia.com]

  • In most cases (Score:5, Insightful)

    by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @10:37AM (#58029618)

    The best “backup phone” is the one you shoved into a drawer right after you purchased your current phone.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      The best “backup phone” is the one you shoved into a drawer right after you purchased your current phone.

      You mean the one that doesn't work any more?

      Sounds like a shitty backup phone. You might be surprised to learn that a lot of people don't replace their phone yearly and many of those that do will often use the old phone as a hand-me-down to kids/family. My Nexus 5X was a mere 10 weeks from 3 years of faithful service when it died. Its predecessor, a Nexus 4 was killed by a TSA X-Ray machine. The last phone I still have that I used as a daily was a 2012 Galaxy Nexus. That's 7 years old.

      My backup phone

  • Isn't (Score:5, Funny)

    by JustOK ( 667959 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @10:37AM (#58029620) Journal
    Isn't the SE/30 supposed to be better?

  • I am an SE user, and IMO this is the last reasonable device from Apple. I certainly plan to keep using it until it either falls apart (and replacement is not available), or Apple comes out with another similar form factor device with an audio connector.

    Barring that - off to Android. Although I will miss iMessage and FaceTime, audio jack and form factor override those priorities. (I could always learn to like WhatsApp).

    • Totally agree. I only bought an iPhone SE because my 3-4 year old 5c's battery was only about 50% usable. If it lasts another three years I'll be happy.

      BTW, both cost me $350.

    • Barring that - off to Android. Although I will miss iMessage and FaceTime, audio jack and form factor override those priorities. (I could always learn to like WhatsApp).

      Well guess what? You'll probably get your headphone jack, but any Android phone that isn't an outdated wad of shit is going to have at least a 5" display. Even the Xperia XZ2 Compact sports a 5" screen. The closest thing to a "small" flagship is now the iPhone 8, which is already a generation behind.

      The entire mobile phone industry has given the middle finger to anyone who doesn't want what was, in fairly recent history [wikipedia.org], referred to as a "phablet".

    • I've kept hold of my 5s because by the time I was thinking about upgrading (usually I start after three years) it was all larger phones except for the SE. I wasn't interested in the SE because I see it as Apple deliberately keeping features out of it in order to make people want the larger phones. I want the smaller phone because I want to use it comfortably with one hand as I take the bus and walks lot to do my shopping which means I'm carrying groceries in one hand. Apple offered a terrible solution to u

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dublin ( 31215 )

      Agree. I bought an SE as soon as they (finally) introduced the 128GB version, which is still less room than I'd like.

      I have NO desire to carry a huge tablet that won't fit in my pocket, so I'll stay with the SE until Apple or some other manufacturer comes to their senses. BTW, a bezel-less 5-inch screen exactly fits the SE's body size, which is definitely the largest phone it's possible to run with one hand, even with its 4-inch display. (My ideal phone would be an Andromeda-type pen-capable folder the si

  • If other people want gigantic phones, that's fine, but I don't. I work with computers all day. My phone is not my primary computing device. It's not even my secondary computing device. For a phone, I want something that is comfortable to hold and easy to use with one hand. I can easily hit every corner of my SE with my thumb without adjusting my grip. The biggest thing I'd want would be an SE-sized phone with an XR-style* edge-to-edge screen, but even that would be pushing it, in terms of ease-of-one-handed

  • get a moto e5

    yes the iphone se is going to need a case... its still crazy expensive.

    the vendor lockin is too great to ever consider an apple device.
    they are generally hard to use.

    that said it does have a physical button for volume control... and that makes me wonder why android 9 is designed to ring in opera and theater and church...

    • Jesus, I looked at the website - either the phone is as big as the TV hanging on my wall or the model has dwarf hands. I don't think people in the market for the diminutive SE are going to be interested in owning a quarter acre of phone.

  • Got one when first released as an upgrade to my "no more OS updates and out of internal storage" 4s. I'll admit to being an edge case on use pattern and such, but I get almost 72 hours use out of a full battery charge.

    Got it for a 3 reasons -

    Form factor. The size is right to me. I don't need/want to carry a "phablet", etc.

    Supposed to be last w/ headphone jack. Weird, but this is one of my must haves, as is the ability to use it while charging without paying more money for various adapters.

    OS updates. M

  • For the smartphone I might concede the point to the SE, but for truly minimalist I still am rocking my Sony W850i with two fully charged backup batteries.

  • best for what price? (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    I got two Moto G6 on sale for $149.99. each.
    I do not care about the camera, so I don't know if it's any good or not. I don't watch shows on my phone,
    Otherwise, it works great
      I just want a smartphone so I can get Uber and a couple of other apps. Oh, and BTW, to talk to people.
    There is zero reason for me to pay the Apple tax

  • Of course not (Score:3)

    by Zocalo ( 252965 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @10:49AM (#58029692) Homepage
    That would be the Meizu Zero [techspot.com] or maybe the Vivo Apex 2019 [theverge.com]. Apple's courage doesn't yet extend so far as to go wireless charging only (no need for a USB port), remove all all the buttons, *and* go eSIM-only so they can dump the SIM card tray! I expect Apple with be copying (and patenting) these "innovations" and making them their own soon enough though, so hardly surprising the SE's sold out so fast.

  • Thanks for telling me about the sale after its over.

    • Thanks for telling me about the sale after its over.

      If you're in the USA, you can probably get a better deal on this phone through your carrier anyway.

      Metro by T-Mobile [metropcs.com] - Free, if you're porting over a number (get a disposable AT&T number from eBay or something, then switch the phone to your account)
      AT&T [bestbuy.com] - $194.99 (Yes, it will work on postpaid AT&T, too)
      Verizon [bestbuy.com] - $199.99 (Not 100% sure if Verizon will let you use this on postpaid, as they're a bit anal about that sort of thing)
      All of the Carlos [bestbuy.com] Slim [walmart.com] prepaid [walmart.com] brands [walmart.com] (America Movil) have the iPhone

  • for me, Isn't certainly a "smart" phone.

  • No. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Chris Mattern ( 191822 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @10:54AM (#58029710)

    A smartphone cannot be a "minimalist" phone, as that term defines a phone that only makes phone calls. This is all Apple marketing.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      A smartphone cannot be a "minimalist" phone, as that term defines a phone that only makes phone calls. This is all Apple marketing.

      Minimalist (n).

      1) Marketing. A term to describe a device that can't do half the things it's competitors can do.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Proteus ( 1926 )

      Minimalism as a concept is the reduction of a thing to its essential components. That is, to make a thing that does what it needs to do; no more, but also no less. Which means it's always a scoping question.

      A minimalist *phone* would only make phone calls; and possibly would only make phone calls to pre-defined numbers, depending on the scope of what's essential.

      A minimalist *smartphone* would do more than that, but how much more is going to depend on what the essential features of a smartphone are for you.

  • Stupid. (Score:3)

    by Gravis Zero ( 934156 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @11:06AM (#58029740)

    You want a minimalist phone? You can't handle minimalist phone! The truth is if you are going for a smartphone then it's not minimalist at all. Something like this is what you should be looking for: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g... [ebayimg.com]

  • My cheap ass fallback feature phone beats any iphone hands down in minimalism. And battery time.

  • "bandwagon"? (Score:3)

    by sacrilicious ( 316896 ) <qbgfynfu.opt@recursor.net> on Sunday January 27, 2019 @11:13AM (#58029772) Homepage

    The Verge's Nick Statt decided that it was "the appropriate moment to hop on the backup phone bandwagon"

    Sounds like he first decided to make up said "bandwagon". Then will come the "backup to your backup phone" bandwagon. The only part I can't figure out is why the phone industry would promote such a concept... oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me if I think about it long enough.

  • Short shelf life (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Apple will probably stop providing software updates in 2019 or 2020.

    That's a pretty short shelf life.

    Now, something like the 5S but with 5 years of software upgrades is worth considering.

  • A quick web search shows that the iPhone SE is still being sold in India (and assembled there I guess). I suspect that Apple was just testing the US market with this "clearance sale".

    BTW, I have a 3 years old iPhone SE, which I really like. I have no intention of buying a bigger phone. But an edge-to-edge iPhone SE2 for the same form factor ? Instant buy.

  • Plus, it's got a headphone jack.

    The cognitive dissonance is strong with Apple - it's not a "plus" unless it's on an Apple phone. All other times it's "Who cares if it's on Android phones, no one uses it anyway!!!!"

  • I paid less than $200 for this thing three years ago, and not only does everything still run on it, but the battery will last 2 or 3 days without needing a recharge.
    • I'll definitely second this. I have two Moto G's - one that's activated for phone use and an older one I've had around the house for years just for wifi (to check email, play solitaire, and a little web browsing). Wouldn't want to go much smaller than this & definitely not bigger, it's just about the perfect size for a smart phone. (though the SE is a nice size too; if they'd bring it back, I'd think about it) Main problem with the Moto G is its older software; something like 5.1 is the newest you c

  • I'm on my fourth SE. I already have fifth in the mail, just in case. My third Amazon refurb. I also carry around an iPhone 7 for work, so I do know some of what I'm "missing" in the newer form factor.

    Since the SE, Apple has not made a better phone for me.
    1 - The size of the whole phone, when including the mandatory slim case one needs, is right. If Apple wants me to buy a tablet, it shouldn't force me to have a phone that competes with that purchase.
    2 - The edges are squared, not rounded. This makes

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dublin ( 31215 )

      3 - It supports fingerprint-based login, not face recognition. This is my strong preference. I do not want face scanning for login. I would prefer to go back to PIN entry first.

      Yup, forgot this. FaceID is an anti-feature for me - this, along with the lack of a small form factor phone (and the execrable iTunes as the only viable backup and storage management tool), are the reasons I can't see myself ever buying another Apple phone. The problem is that Google is enough more evil that I just won't buy an Android/Fuschia phone, so my next phone will probably have to be some semi-lame third-party deal. Either that, or I go back to an actual dumb phone as a phone and get something lik

  • burners (Score:3)

    by PopeRatzo ( 965947 ) on Sunday January 27, 2019 @12:26PM (#58030034) Journal

    If you want a "backup phone", your best bet is still a cheap burner you can buy at a gas station. The main benefit is that you can have the very satisfying experience of breaking it and then throwing it into a trash can or out the car window to throw the bad guys off your scent like they do on the TV. And you are very unlikely to get any robocalls on it.

    The last phone I'd ever use for a backup is an Apple phone. Also, how funny is it that the iPhone model that is being celebrated by nerds is the one that is least like their current flagship models?

  • For a "minimalist" phone? Yikes!

  • I bought a new 32gb iPhone 5S for my new job in mid 2014. That christmas I picked up a FLIR for it when they had it on sale as they were replacing their "camera back" design with the "radio transmitter dongle" form factor. Since it's a back not just a lightning dongle, it only works with this model of phone.

    Nevermind that I've always wanted a FLIR as a bit of a toy, now that I have it I've found it's an incredibly useful tool and I turn it on at least weekly. I'd hate to lose it, and not having to deal w

    • Just as a thought, you can keep the device and still get a new phone (and might want to, just to preserve the life of the iPhone so you can keep using it with the camera.)

      The FLIR (and most features) will still work fine without a SIM. I've repurposed an old iPod touch as my 'alarm clock' - in Airplane mode it just sits there for 2-3 weeks on a charge and is quick and easy to set the alarm when I need it, and I get to wake up to a tune I like.

      Haven't figured out a use for a 1st gen iPad tho...

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by v1 ( 525388 )

        Just as a thought, you can keep the device and still get a new phone (and might want to, just to preserve the life of the iPhone so you can keep using it with the camera.)

        What makes it so useful is always having it handy. Is the AC in the room not working? Which server in the rack is overheating? What's affecting the thermostat in that room? Is a component on the board overheating? Do I have a brake shoe dragging on one of my wheels? Which car was the last one to arrive in the lot? Is that remote bro

  • Minimalist (Smart) Phone? For $250 ? You must be kidding. You get better offers for $100 less. Yes, that won't be an Apple phone, but who cares?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by kenh ( 9056 )

      Buy the AT&T GoPhone version for $150 (if on the AT&T network) and it's only $150, or at least it was 6 months ago when I got mine.

  • The iPhone SE is small, yet quite powerful. That can make it an attractive phone for those who want to carry less without compromising too much on functionality. It's an awesome compact phone.

    But it's that functionality that disqualifies it as a minimalist phone in my book. The functionality comes at a cost that a typical minimalist seeks to eliminate.

    I'm thinking complex configuration (by minimalist standards), worrying about charging, maintenance (app updates, etc.), relative high cost for what one really

  • I jumped the 5 and 5S, and went straight from an iPhone 4S to a 6. For me, that's still a one-hand phone. It does more than I need, and battery life isn't atrocious, though it's not great.

    I don't see myself wanting anything larger, though.

  • "Is the iPhone SE the 'Best Minimalist Phone' Right Now?"

    No, that award would likely go to any basic Android phone costing between $200 and $300 or so.

  • About 6 onths ago I "downgraded" from my third iPhone 6 Plus that froze and had serious digitizer issues. The way I got my iPhone SE was by buying it from Best Buy as an AT&T GoPhone device, $149.95 plus tax out the door. I worked with AT&T to move this device to my account, and I haven't looked back.

    For the first 4-6 weeks, my brain kept noticing how small the phone was, but as I got used to having it fit so well in my pocket I stopped noticing it.

    When I put my phone on the table at restaurants, fr

  • To answer this question to the satisfaction of all (or at least most), we need to pin down what exactly minimalism entails. The author focuses on one-hand use (smaller dimensions than most current phones) and perceived sturdiness (which is highly debatable), as well as cost. While the iPhone SE fits this narrow definition, I don't think a phone needs to be so outdated to be considered "minimalist," relatively speaking. The article calls the SE "nearly" three years old, but it must be noted that the design i
  • No, the Samsung J7 is. It has 8 cores, insane battery life, great graphics rendering, and it's like $240.

  • It has the best form factor. I sincerely dislike those phablet style crap that doesn't know if it wants to grow up and become a tablet or not. My phone's most important attribute is portability. I want to be able to put it into a pocket and not feel that it's there. The SE achieves that, the 6 and its cousins of the same size don't. I know, because I have both (private phone SE, work phone 6).

    Other people want other things, that's fine with me. If I were a women and put my phone into a purse, I'd probably n

  • Power of a 6 in a form factor easily held in the hand or shoved in a pocket ... and 3.5 mm audio socket.

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