Will the new iPhone SE be a hit, or a miss in India?

The new compact iPhone with a 4-inch screen is twice as powerful to the predecessor -- iPhone 5s -- and comes loaded with the latest 12 MP iSight camera.

The new compact iPhone with a 4-inch screen is twice as powerful to the predecessor -- iPhone 5s -- and comes loaded with the latest 12 MP iSight camera. (Apple)

The Apple iPhone SE was launched at a special event on Monday at a startting price of $399 for the 16 GB model. The phone is an upgrade of the iPhone 5s with identical cosmetics and upgraded innards.We heard from Apple and Redington that the phones will be available in India starting April 8 at a price of ₹39,000.

The new compact iPhone with a 4-inch screen is twice as powerful to the predecessor -- iPhone 5s -- and comes loaded with the latest 12 MP iSight camera.

There is however, no 3D Touch -- a feature that lets you perform quick tasks by pressing the iPhone's screen harder. This feature on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus lets you jump into a status update or launch camera in the selfie mode by pressing harder on the Facebook or camera app icon.

The phone is meant for people who appreciate smaller screen sizes. While most phones are available with 4.5-inches and more screen size, Apple's SE seems to be the only mini phone packed with a great camera and processing power. While some Indians are fascinated by a smaller, compact phone, the size of that group seems quite minuscule. And with more people leaning towards a bigger screen, the iPhone 6s available at a similar price is a more likely buy.

Even the front camera is only a 1.2 MP sensor that is a downgrade from the 5 MP one on 6s. So, even though you have a Retina Falsh that is helpful in taking selfies in the dark, you're unlikely to capture one as good as the bigger iPhone can.

From what we gathered during the announcement, Apple considers the iPhone SE to be a gateway device for people to the iOS world. And it does seem to be worthy for the job with a battery life even better than the current champion -- iPhone 6s Plus. Besides that, the price at which the SE is placed, will only spell trouble for it. Indians are more likely to be charmed by the iPhone 6s with a better screen and a marginally better battery life is unlikely to sway them. Apple's only hope is everyone sticking to their 4-inch iPhones because its so easy to use with a single hand.