The first time we ran a poll on the iPhone SE, just after launch, some 26% of you were planning to buy it. Now it’s on sale, and we’ve run a number of hands-on pieces with the more pocketable phone, and that number has grown dramatically, to 48%.
Straight after launch, approaching 16% of readers told us they were planning to upgrade from an older 4-inch phone, while just 10% were set to switch from a larger iPhone. But the numbers on Friday were very different: 25% of 4-inch owners, and an amazing 23% of owners of larger iPhones.
Some readers cited the size as the reason for the appeal of the SE.
I never wanted a large screen phone – but Apple gave me no choice. Now, SE will replace my (six months old) 6S […]
I’m so excited about the SE. 3D Touch is nice but definitely not worth the awkwardness of using a larger phone.[…]
I’m putting my money where my mouth is and bought this too after advocating for reasonably sized phones for a couple years now. Selling my 6s soon. Being able to walk down the street while carrying something in one hand and being able to write texts and emails is a welcoming feeling again.
While others share my preference for the classic design.
My first iPhone was a 5, and I have to agree it is the nicest design so far. Nothing bad at all about the 6, it is really quite nice, it just seems doesn’t match up with the 5 or SE […]
I love the 5S, it’s the most beautiful iPhone design ever. The SE makes me really happy.
While for some the price was key.
Personally I’d rather upgrade for a 6s, but for my budget, having almost the same specs for lots of bucks less is more important to me than screen size!
KGI may not believe the reported numbers for iPhone pre-orders, but among our readership – a demographic you’d expect to largely want the very best in specs – we’re seeing a surprising amount of love for Apple’s latest four-incher.
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“Never wanted a large screen phone – but Apple gave me no choice” really sums it up. I have a 6S now, but I hate the big screen – but more importantly I really hate the design. For the first time Apple released an iPhone that didn’t look or feel like an Apple product. It looks like your generic, average smartphone. No more, no less. The antenna bands are horrible and the pop out camera would never have happened a few years back. It looks rushed, it doesn’t have that special, Jony Ive-feel to it. The SE does. So I ordered one straight away. It looks like an Apple product, and I’ve been longing to be able to text and do other stuff with one hand. Not a day too soon, Apple.
Yeah I too upgraded from 6S to an SE on day 1.
It was a no brainier.
One handed use is definitely worth it.
3D Touch will be missed thought. It was cool but not worth it. Plus, my palm hurts less. Used to get strains. Now feels so much better.
Will upgrade again for a 128
More like downgraded but there’s nothing wrong with that. After buying a Nissan Titan I decided to only buy 4 cylinder cars because their more economical. I’m not going to pretend that a Honda Civic is a upgrade to a full size truck that can tow a boat and seat 6 people.
to tow a boat and seat 6 people is different than a “split second faster” (insignificant at best) phone.
If it wasn’t sold out in every Manhattan and lower NY store I checked I’d have one right now. I really thought I’d just walk into an apple store and pick one up. Didn’t think enough people cared about it that they’d run out of stock in 2 days.
That’s like 6 stores in Manhattan, 2 in long island, and 2 more just north of the city. Thought at least the more up state stores wouldn’t have sold out. Can’t draw conclusions on how popular it is based on that though who knows how much stock they had for this per store..
In any case… I was really disappointed.
Multiple report are describing the iPhone SE sales at “lackluster”.
Here in the SF Bay Area it more or less sold out!
Can’t wait to hear Apple’s financial outlook for Apr-Jun. It’s going to blow everyone away!
Right, you can’t buy a phone if it’s not in stock. I imagine others were just planning to buy in store and couldn’t.
The entire NYC market has been sold out of IPhones all weekend . I’ve had to turn down many people or give them alternative options.
I’m both disappointed that I couldn’t get one this weekend because it was sold out but also now really happy to see how many other people have wanted a smaller phone like this.
I really hope Apple takes this size seriously and it continues to get new designs and updates. I’d hate for this to just be some thing they put out there and never update. It’s still not perfect but I’m buying it to show it’s a step in the right direction.
I think when Apple realised the market opportunity, but opened a Pandora’s box and tried to please everyone by realising different sizes of iPhone, I don’t understand why they don’t throw the decision which iPhone to buy back to consumers and charge the same price for every iPhone based on memory and not size, because at the end of the day they are all packing in the same tech. This would help to maintain margins too.
Eg a 64gb 4 inch iPhone would cost the same as a 64gb iPhone 6s +
Oh and whilst I’m getting in my 2 pennies worth, it is deeply immoral and apple shouldn’t be selling iPhones with 16gb memory, because you can’t update to the latest iOS, STOP!!!
And stop making iPhones so thin that they could snap, the rules of geometry do apply to even Apple, and concentrate on bringing us great products with great tech and great battery life which are obviously easy to use, eg rounded plus minus volume buttons, the power button at the top of the phone etc
Got me my SE 1st day. Damn it is nice have an old friend back. Went through 6+ and blackberry classic back with an upgrade to my 5
I had to settle for a gold SE. Space Gray and Silver was sold out at my ATT store. Was pretty shocked.
I went to pick one up at my local Target but they hadn’t received their shipment yet. Went to a Verizon store and there was someone ahead of me turning in a 6s for the SE.
The Verizon employee said the demand wasn’t very high. And I noticed he owned either a 5s or a new SE. But I can see no one is rushing out to pick one up. No one believes that it will be difficult to acquire one.
Here it’s sold out in the 64 at all but one Apple Store which since I got mine has sold out. It’s sold out at Argos, Currys/PC World, the car phone warehouse you have to go in and order to see if they have any and deliveries anywhere aren’t due for another week even from apples own website. Haven’t been since a few days prior to launch.
really thought nobody would buy it. and was planning to get my mate to buy it from NY as she would be traveling there next week. turns out no stock until end of the month. So decided that i might just grab one in apple UK, same story as the US. Fuck this shit….
I am waiting for my local store to get the iPhone SE so I can quickly exchange my iPhone 6s with iPhone SE.