OK, maybe not everything the iPhone X has to offer. I mean, that's a lot to pack into a 4.87-inch x 2.31-inch frame, but you get my point. Since the iPhone 7 launched, I've felt that Apple is leaving 4-inch form factor fans behind. We're lucky we even have the iPhone SE, but I want a 4-inch iPhone that comes as close to Apple's top-tier model as possible. This is a wish list, after all.
Edge-to-edge display
There's a chance that Apple could stretch the screen of the iPhone SE nearly to the size of the screen on the iPhone 8 (4.7-inches diagonally). This would definitely change the entire shape of the iPhone SE casing (which I love), but I'd be willing to compromise if it meant a large screen in a small body.
I currently have an iPhone X and I'm in love with the full-front screen. The notch, though noticeable at first, has blended into my everyday life so that I don't even notice it anymore.
If the 4-inch iPhone had a screen the same size as the iPhone 8, we'd have a much better experience without having to compromise on size.
Taptic engine
Getting a little buzz in your hand when you press a button... not the same as the remarkably comforting feel of haptics. When you feel a slight ... I don't know ... "poke" from your iPhone, it's a delight to the senses. I know I sound like a dork for being so passionate about haptics, but the difference is significant and haptics are far superior to a standard vibrating motor.
Apple's Taptic Engine is a small, but somewhat space-hogging system that I've been in love with since it was implemented in the iPhone 7 Plus. The way the no-button Touch ID indentation feels like a real button being pressed is, well, magical (not literally — a lot of work went into creating this extraordinary technology).
It does take up a lot of room in the guts of an iPhone, but Apple has already significantly reduced the size of motherboard in the iPhone X, so there's no reason that same design couldn't be transferred to the iPhone SE.
Which brings me to my next wish list item:
TrueDepth camera
If they're going to fit all the good stuff of an iPhone X into the body of an iPhone SE, Apple is going to have to get rid of something and that something should be the Home button. I'm telling you, Face ID is the best thing to happen since sliced bread, and, no matter how much you poo-poo it, you'll be impressed with how quickly and efficiently it works.
Face ID needs the entire system of the TrueDepth camera, which also means an upgrade to the front-facing camera, which is currently a paltry 1.2MP garbage fest on the iPhone SE. With TrueDepth on the front, we'd get a massive upgrade to 7MP, plus a whole lot of other cool stuff, like Portrait mode and Portrait lighting, Animoji, and all that facial recognition software that the TrueDepth camera uses.
I really just want it for the Face ID, I swear.
3D Touch
What good is having a Taptic Engine if you don't get to experience it with 3D Touch? Actually, Apple has made some significant software advancements that almost give a 3D Touch experience to iPhone SE owners. Long pressing on certain things, like Control Center panels, will call up some of the same options that 3D Touch would do.
Why not just make the leap to 3D Touch on iPhone SE, Apple?
A11 chip
The iPhone SE is still running on the A9 chipset. A9! Maybe Apple doesn't think the technology inside an iPhone SE needs the power of the A11 processor, but I can say from experience that I'd like my 4-inch iPhone to run a little faster. If I'm adding all of the above-mentioned technology, it'll need the A11 chip anyway. So lets get up to speed (see what I did there) and upgrade the iPhone SE processor chip. And while we're at it, go ahead and upgrade the motion coprocessor to M11, too.
More storage
Apple gave us a boost in storage with the iPhone 8 and X. You can now get as much as 256GB in one handheld computer. Unfortunately, the iPhone SE still maxes out at 128GB. Just because the phone is smaller, doesn't mean our storage needs are. I'd be happy with 256GB of storage in my iPhone SE 2, wouldn't you?
The problem with my wish list
There are two major problems with the things I dream of seeing in the iPhone SE 2 — space and cost.
The dimensions of the iPhone SE case may only be about a half-inch wider than the iPhone X, but they're nearly an inch longer. That extra room is needed for such technology as a TrueDepth camera, the 3D Touch system, and a Taptic Engine. As much as I want to cram all the good stuff from the iPhone X into a 4-inch iPhone, I'm just not sure it's possible.
Even if everything could fit, it's important to take into consideration the cost. How many of you did not think it was a good investment to spend $1,000 or more on the iPhone X? With all of the cool features I just mentioned, the iPhone SE 2 would cost pretty much the same. Just because it's smaller in size, doesn't mean those bits and bobs would cost any less.
Realistically...
If I were to give less of a perfect-world wish list and something more realistic, I'd choose two things from the list above: 3D Touch and the A11 chipset. I think those are both legitimate upgrades that could fit in the iPhone SE, and while it would make it more expensive than the low price of $350, it would be worth it.
Realistically, I'd also like the front-facing camera to get an upgrade to 7MP with 1080p HD video recording and auto image stabilization. Basically, I want the iPhone SE 2 to have the same FaceTime HD camera as the iPhone 8.
What's your iPhone SE 2 wish list?
Do you want an iPhone X crammed into a 4-inch form factor? Are you willing to accept a little less if it means the cost doesn't go up too high? What's on your iPhone SE 2 wish list?
