It’s insane that the next iPhone SE will not include Night mode in 2022.
A more inexpensive Google Pixel 5a, let alone the Pixel 6a that’s predicted to follow, has won out against Apple’s recently announced iPhone SE 2022. As a result of this, the new iPhone SE does not have a Night mode, which I find unusual.
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone SE 2022 is a direct successor to the iPhone SE 2020, which was unveiled at the previous Apple Event. Unfortunately, it seems to be more of a sequel than a significant advancement in the low-cost iPhone. That’s because it has a single camera and no low-light shooting option, in addition to maintaining the same design that was already antiquated two years ago.
For the time being, I have no objections to phones with basic back camera arrays. The OnePlus 8T is a case in point for why having a slew of secondary lenses may be cumbersome when one decent primary camera is all you need. At a time when smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy S22 and Oppo’s Find X5 Pro are making a big fuss about low-light photography, Apple’s iPhone SE 2022 has completely neglected it.
There’s a case to be made that a “cheap” phone shouldn’t come equipped with a night mode. Although the iPhone SE 2022 costs more than its predecessor, it no longer qualifies as a low-cost smartphone under $400 since several low-cost Android handsets now feature night modes, like the Pixel 5a described above. Also, there was the Google Pixel 4a before to that one. Before that, in 2019, there was the Google Pixel 3a.
Thus, Apple’s concession in the photography space is puzzling. Because said, it’s even more weird that I can think of no reason why the folks in Cupertino couldn’t include a Night mode to the iPhone SE 2022. Assuming both devices are running iOS 15, the comprehensive mode from the iPhone 13 should be usable on the iPad. Even more importantly, the new iPhone SE is equipped with Apple’s A15 Bionic mobile processor, which means that a Night mode should be possible on the device.
Maybe the iPhone SE 2022’s single rear camera isn’t able to capture enough light and data for the picture processor to process effectively. However, I don’t believe this, given the Pixel 5a and Pixel 4a’s single back camera performed an excellent job in low-light shooting.
Apple also made a big deal out of the A15 Bionic’s brain processing capability and intelligence. To brighten dim photos, you’d think the new iPhone SE would have enough silicon intelligence. Some useful low-light photos are not above my reasonable expectations, but I don’t anticipate the iPhone 13 Pro, which has the cameras and photographic consistency to win me over from Android.
Is it safe to assume that the iPhone SE 2022 will be a flop? No, I don’t believe that’s the case. People who want a competent, tiny iPhone but don’t want to spend a lot of money on an iPhone 13 mini would probably appreciate it. In addition, not everyone enjoys photographing in the darkness.
The cynic in me, though, sees this as a ruse by Apple to entice people to purchase the iPhone 13 rather than any technological constraints. The only thing I’m enraged about is the lack of progress we’ve made.