APPLE

The iPhone SE is back, starting at $249

The iPhone SE is available for purchase again as Apple brought the small handset back to the clearance section of its online store. While supplies last, you can get a 32GB iPhone SE for $249 and a few select 128GB models for $299. Those prices represent up to $150 off of the iPhone SE's listing price of $349 to $449.
This isn't the first time in recent memory that the iPhone SE has popped up discounted on Apple's website. A few weeks ago, Apple listed a small number of the handsets, but they sold out within hours. It's unclear how long these deals will last, but we expect this batch of clearance iPhone SEs to disappear just as quickly as the last.
The relatively tiny iPhone first debuted back in March 2016 and has gleaned a passionate following among those who prefer smaller handsets. It has a 4-inch IPS Retina display (with bezels that would make the current family of iPhones shudder), a physical Home button, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, among other features. It runs on Apple's A9 chipset and, while it doesn't have the newest technology for FaceID, it does have TouchID.
There have been many rumors about Apple releasing a new version of the iPhone SE, but no details have been officially disclosed. However, it seems unlikely that Apple would embrace smaller handsets going forward. For those who use their smartphones as their primary device, larger screens provide more space for watching videos, playing mobile games, and doing other digital activities.
Apple has been gradually making its smartphones larger to accommodate such activity—the iPhone XS has the smallest screen of any new iPhone, with its 5.8-inch touchscreen. And with the company focusing on its services business, including its new TV streaming and gaming subscription services, larger devices are better for the company's bottom line. Valentina Palladino