Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6S: What’s the rumoured difference?

Apple is expected to hold an event sometime in March for the launch of a new iPad, new Watch and a new 4-inch iPhone, or that’s what the rumours are claiming anyway.

The new 4-inch iPhone is said to be replacing the iPhone 5S and it is going by name of iPhone SE at the moment. Until recently it was called the iPhone 5SE however and before that the iPhone 6C, just to confuse things a little.

We will be calling it the iPhone SE for the sake of this feature, where we are comparing it to the latest iPhone 6S and 2014’s iPhone 6 to see what the differences could be, based on the speculation. If you want to know how the rumoured iPhone SE differs to the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, you can read our separate feature.

Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 design

The Apple iPhone 6 measures 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm and weighs 129g. The iPhone 6S measures 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1mm and hits the scales at 143g. Both offer aluminium bodies, although the iPhone 6S is made from a different metal to the iPhone 6. 

The design is almost identical however with curved edges, slim builds and a fingerprint sensor within the Home button. The iPhone 6S has the second-generation of Touch ID, which is a little faster than the iPhone 6 but both have Touch ID nonetheless.

The iPhone SE is expected to take some of its design cues from the iPhone 5S but with the curves of the iPhone 6 and 6S and Touch ID. An aluminium body is rumoured and it is thought to be slimmer than the iPhone 5S, which measures 7.6mm. This could suggest we can expect a similar slimness to the iPhone 6S along with the same generation of fingerprint sensor as it wouldn’t make sense to put a older version in.

Rumours also suggest the iPhone SE will come in silver, space grey, gold and rose gold like the iPhone 6S. The iPhone 6 is now only available in silver and space grey colour options. 

Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 display

The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S both have 4.7-inch Retina HD displays. Both their resolutions sit at 1334 x 750, delivering pixel densities of 326ppi. The only difference between the two devices is the iPhone 6S has 3D Touch, which is Apple’s version of a pressure sensitive display allowing for different actions based on the force with which you press.

The iPhone SE is expected to offer a smaller 4-inch display, appealing to those who don’t want a larger smartphone. Those who have stuck with their iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C. The resolution is rumoured to be the same as the iPhone 5S, which puts it at 1336 x 640. Because of the size difference, it means the iPhone SE will still offer a pixel density of 326ppi if this is the case however.

Other reports have suggested the iPhone SE will come with the 2D curved glass that is present on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S so the display experience should be very similar to the iPhone 6, aside from the size. The SE isn’t expected to come with 3D Touch however, so it will offer a different experience to the iPhone 6S.

Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 camera

The Apple iPhone 6 offers an 8-megapixel rear camera with 1.5µm pixels and an aperture of f/2.2. It is capable of 1080p video recording and there is a True Tone flash on board. The front camera is 1.2-megapixel, also with an f/2.2 aperture.

The iPhone 6S takes things up a notch in the camera department offering a 12-megapixel rear snapper with 1.22µm pixels and a f/2.2 aperture. Video recording capabilities increase to 4K, but the True Tone flash remains intact. The front camera also sees a bump to 5-megapixels but the aperture remains at f/2.2.

The iPhone SE is rumoured to come with the same camera capabilities as the iPhone 6. If this is the case, we can expect an 8-megapixel rear snapper and 1.2-megapixel front snapper with Apple leaving its best camera to the flagship.

Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 hardware and specs

The Apple iPhone 6 comes with the A8 chip and M8 motion co-processor, supported by 1GB of RAM. It is thought to have a 1810mAh battery on board and it is available in 16GB and 64GB storage options.

The iPhone 6S has a newer and faster chip on board with the A9 and M9 motion co-processor, supported by double the RAM at 2GB. The battery is said to be 1715mAh, which is a little smaller than the iPhone 6.

Rumours claim the iPhone SE will feature the A9 chip and M9 motion co-processor like the iPhone 6S. It is also expected to come with 2GB of RAM and the battery capacity is speculated at 1642mAh, which would make it just shy of the iPhone 6S.

Apple Pay is supported on both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S but not on the iPhone 5S. Reports claim the iPhone SE will support Apple Pay, which makes complete sense.

Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 software

The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S both come with iOS 9 and this will be the case for the iPhone SE too, if it arrives at all. Apple tends not to even preview the new build of its iOS software until WWDC in June, releasing it with the next iPhone flagship in September. 

Therefore, if the iPhone SE is released in March, it will more than likely run on iOS 9, offering an identical experience to the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6S has a couple of extra features like Live Photos, as well as the 3D Touch functionality but other than that, the SE will be very familiar to the current iPhone offering.

Apple iPhone SE vs iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 conclusion

The Apple iPhone SE is rumoured to have some pretty interesting specs, which if they all come true, should make it a powerful little handset. 

This is all speculation for now, but it based on the rumours, it looks like the iPhone SE could offer a similar design to the iPhone 6 and 6S. It also looks like it could come with the iPhone 6’s camera and the iPhone 6S’s hardware but in a smaller form.

We will be updating this feature as more leaks appear and when/if the official specs come in. If you want to read more on the iPhone SE, you can read our rumour round up.