Apple launches new entry-level iPhone with 5G for $719 in Australia

Apple has updated its entry-level iPhone today with the announcement of a new iPhone SE.

The phone will be available in Australia from Friday, March 18 at a price of $719.

That's $80 less than the current iPhone SE launched just two years ago, yet the new iPhone SE features the same internal power and performance of the more expensive iPhone 13, as well as being enabled for 5G mobile connectivity.

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iPhone SE has the same design as the iPhone 6, which was first revealed eight years ago, but now with newer and stronger glass technology as well as a new finish and range of colours.

Most importantly, iPhone SE is the only iPhone that still features the iconic round "home" button, and the fingerprint reading TouchID.

In a world of masks and face recognition, fingerprints are a faster solution for unlocking devices and making payments.

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iPhone SE will be desirable for those who are still using older iPhone 6, 7 and 8 devices — a familiar design, but with the latest performance, ensuring their new phone will get software updates for many years to come.

This new iPhone will come in three storage configurations of 64GB, 128GB and 256GB, and in three colours of midnight, starlight and red In Australia.

The price for the iPhone SE with 5G will start at $719.

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Pre-orders will begin on Saturday, with devices shipping and available in-store on Friday, March 18.

In addition to the new iPhone SE, Apple also announced a new Green colour option for the iPhone 13 - a device that was launched just four months ago.