TECH NEXT: Apple’s new affordable iPhone might be a sign of the times

A $399 (Rs 42,500 in India) smartphone that might be all the iPhone most average consumers want at a time when our buying process and priorities have been altered. The successor to the original 2016 iPhone SE has been a regular feature in the tech rumour mills for a while now and it arrives as the smartphone industry braces itself for the challenges ahead.

The 2020 SE sticks to the formula that worked for its predecessor. It features the key internals of Apple’s formidable iPhone 11 series packed into the body of an iPhone 8. That phone was overshadowed by the iPhone X that also launched in 2017 with its notch that some people took time getting used to. The SE features the same 4.7-inch form factor and compact size that has forced many iPhone 7 and 6 users still cling on to their old iPhones but it’s the internals that are the big story. The SE (2020) is propelled by the A13 bionic processor that makes the iPhone 11 trio formidable. This is Apple’s fastest processor ever, built with a focus on machine learning, with a dedicated 8-core Neural Engine that can handle 5 trillion operations per second.

The SE features a single rear cam with a 12MP lens (f/1.8 aperture) — the same as the primary lens on the 11 series. It features Portrait Mode (all six Portrait Lighting effects on the iPhone) and offers Smart HDR that improves lowlight images. There’s no ultra-wide lens though. Videos are even more immersive with stereo audio recording and cinematic video stabilisation on the front and rear cameras. The rear camera supports high-quality video capture at 4K up to 60fps. The front cam (7MP) uses machine learning and monocular depth estimation to

snap portraits. The second generation iPhone SE comes with IP67 rating (for dust and water resistance — up to 1 metre for 30 minutes) and wireless charging. Look out for our deep-dive review of the iPhone SE (2020). Apple might have hit a sweet spot with its newest iPhone. (From Rs 42,500 onwards)

Boat Rockerz 255: an affordable wireless Bluetooth headset to tune into your music playlist or connect to those online meetings. Rockerz 255 is equipped with an advanced Bluetooth 4.1 chipset and 10mm drivers for solid sound quality. You can enjoy HD sound and deep-rooted bass. The device is powered by a 110 mAh battery. A 10-minute charge keeps you going for at least 45 minutes. This lightweight accessory comes in a range of trendy colours including Neon, Ocean blue and Raging red aside from a customary black (Rs 1,499).