iSwitched to iPhone SE Blog

A brief experiment where briefly switched to using an 8-year-old, the iPhone SE.


it's been fun, but i'm done.

That's right, I'm switching back from my iPhone SE.

Over the past two weeks, using this phone really has brought to light some of the issues and benefits of using such an old but great phone. I can be 100% sure on what the worst things was though: the battery life.

Honesly, I think if this iPhone SE had a new battery installed it would be perfectly good to use. Of course, running slightly older software & a slower processor will make it slightly less smooth to use, but overall most of the issues I encountered with the device were down to the battery life.

Thank you for keeping up with this challenge, it's been really fun! I'll see you around on the internet.

Written by Dylan Nicholas
Published: 16/08/2024


first full day

I feel like I've fully embraced my new phone now. Everything this morning went very well, my alarm went off, I was able to track bus times & use my mobile ticket, get directions via Google Maps & listen to music using the HEADPHONE JACK! One strange thing I have noticed though is today I was on a call while checking a map and the phone just shut off. The phone by that point was at 10% battery so I imagine the degredation has had an impact on it's reliability.

The battery life today wasn't great. I absolutely would not consider leaving the house without an external battery pack. Honestly, for me atleast, this doesn't really effect me as I had to carry one for my iPhone XS just to be on the safe side, but with this new phone it feels like a necessity.

I've noticed myself using swipe typing a LOT more than I did before (basically everything I type), it's just the disadvantages of having a smaller keyboard, but it has absolutely been worth it for the reachability of all corners of the screen.

Tomorrow will be much the same usage.

Thanks for reading, hope to see you back here soon!

Written by Dylan Nicholas
Published: 19/08/2024


setup & first impressions

Hello! As of writing this I have set up pretty much all the basic apps I would need on a day-to-day basis & transferred my SIM card to the iPhone SE.

I picked up the device today (an hour away on the train) for £10, which in my opinion, was an incredible deal. The phone has 77% battery health (which doesn't really bother me as I always carry a portable charger) and is in absoulutely imacculate condition. The phone came with a cracked screen protector but I just peeled that off. It also came with iOS 14 which I quickly updated to iOS 15.

One first observation is that, compared to my iPhone XS, the iPhone SE heats up quite a bit. I mean to be fair I have had in on charge and installing multiple apps at once so that may be down to the heavy workload I was putting it under, we'll see.

Of course with the iPhone SE being an 8-year-old phone, it is a bit slower than my current phone. Things like loading up modern-day apps like Snapchat & WhatsApp just take slightly longer. I should be able to get used to it though.

Tomorrow I expect to use music streaming, mobile bus tracking & tickets, phone, messages & Snapchat so I will report back on how each of them go tomorrow. Once again, I reccomend reading the "How I Use My Phone" as that gives a good indication of the kind of user I am.

One other thing I've noticed is that I'M ABLE TO TYPE AND REACH EVERY CORNER OF THE SCREEN WITH ONE HAND! I know it seems a bit pedantic but it's honestly so nice just to be able to send a quick message or take down a note with just one hand, I really love it. The design with the sleek squared edges and metal back really stands out on how great it still holds up today.

Thanks for reading, hope to see you back here soon!

Written by Dylan Nicholas
Published: 18/08/2024


introduction & explanation

Hello! I recently had the idea to switch from my current iPhone XS (2018) to an original iPhone SE (2016). The first thing you might ask is "well... why?", theres not really one definitive answer so I'll give you a couple now.

Firstly, I'm looking to reduce the amount of time I spend on my phone. Unlike my computer, where I engage in productive activities like creating content, reading, and watching in-depth YouTube videos, my phone often feels like a black hole of wasted time. It's easy to get sucked into apps that don't add much value to my life. By switching to a smaller, less enticing screen like the 4" display of the iPhone SE, I believe I can cut down on mindless scrolling. The smaller screen makes content consumption less immersive, which might help me be more intentional about how I use my phone.

Another big factor is the design of the iPhone SE. The squared edges, two-tone back design, Touch ID, home button, and yes, the presence of a headphone jack - features that are becoming more and more rare in modern smartphones. The iPhone SE is an ideal balance between form and function.

So, why the blog? I want to document my experiences with using the phone for other people who may be considering switching and honestly just as a reference for myself.

To add some context, here's a list of what I use my smartphone for on a day-to-day basis:
Transport:
- Mobile bus/train tickets
- Tracking live bus times & location
- Directions & route plans on Google Maps

Communication:
- iMessage & SMS messaging
- Phone calls
- WhatsApp messaging & calls
- FaceTime & Skype video calls
- Snapchat messaging
- Twitter (tweeting, interacting with tweets, DMs etc.)
- Email (via. iPhone Mail app)

Other:
- Taking photos & shooting video
- Writing notes (on iCloud notes)
- Browsing the web (FireFox)
- Mobile Banking
- Music streaming (YouTube Music)
- School Notes (OneNote)
- Apple Pay contactless payments

I have found a really good deal for a 16GB iPhone SE off Gumtree that I will be collecting on the 18th August. I'll get more into the specifics of the exact phone I'm picking up once I've recieved it... this blog post is already wayyyy too long.

I'll update this blog probably atleast once a day, with discoveries, useful information and my thoughts on the switch. You can also follow me on Twitter (@dylanjnich) as I might occasionally post on there about me switching.

Hope to see you back here soon!

Written by Dylan Nicholas
Published: 16/08/2024