Home
News
You are here

iPhone SE 3 has a new authentication feature that could also come to the iPhone 14

By Anam Hamid

Published: Mar 18, 2022, 11:15 AM

2comments

iOS Apple

We may earn a commission if you make a purchase from the links on this page.

iPhone SE 3 has a new authentication feature that could also come to the iPhone 14

Apple's first budget phone with 5G connectivity, the iPhone SE 3, went on sale today, and Bloomberg has now revealed the existence of a new "on-device authentication" feature that will cut out the middlemen and speed up the buying process.

Right now, when you buy an iPhone in the US at an Apple retail store or through the company's website, you are asked to provide your wireless phone number as well as the last four digits of the Social Security number. This helps carriers conduct a credit check and greenlight the transaction. The downside is that this adds time to the buying process and also results in a poor customer experience in scenarios when activation servers are overloaded.

That will change starting with the iPhone SE 3. Consumers who choose AT&T or T-Mobile as their carriers will not be asked to provide the aforementioned details or choose a network plan at the time of purchase. Instead, they will be allowed to take their new phone home and enter the data and connect to the carrier after they switch on the device.

Apple's website has already adopted the new process and stores will begin following it from March 29. The feature will also be extended to Verizon users at a later unspecified date. Apple will also allow consumers to purchase the iPhone SE 3 in stores with Apple Card monthly installment plans without connecting the device to a carrier.

Although this process is currently only for the iPhone SE, it is likely it will also be used for the iPhone 14 series that will allegedly be announced in September.

This is a part of a push by Apple to reduce reliance on carriers. Apple and other phone manufacturers have already started selling eSIM-compatible phones that makes it simpler for consumers to connect to their preferred carrier and switch to a different operator if they want. There is also chatter that Apple may eliminate the SIM card tray altogether in the future in favor of embedded SIMs.

The new iPhone SE 5G has the same design as its 2020 predecessor but is powered by the company's latest A15 Bionic processor, which has brought some new camera tricks to the phone. At $429, it is a little more expensive than the $399 iPhone SE 2, but still a lot more affordable than the base iPhone 13 model, which starts at $699.

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

The iPhone SE (2022) is available at Amazon locked to Cricket wireless. It can also be purchases with a monthly plan. The phone is available in 65, 128, and 256GB of storage.

Buy at Amazon

iPhone SE (2022) at Best Buy - unlocked

The iPhone SE (2022) unlocked is now available at Best Buy with a discount. The offer is valid with same-day activation to your carrier of choice. The phone can be activated for one of the carriers AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon.

$25 off (6%)

$404 ⁹⁹

$429 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

You can get the third-generation of iPhone SE from Apple. The company offers trade-in discounts, and the amount of the discount depends on the device (model, condition) that you decide to trade in. Check the conditions on Apple's website.

$429

Buy at Apple

View Full Bio

Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.