When we buy phones for our elderly parents or grandparents, many of us think of cheap and tame feature phones that would enable them to contact people or speak to them when necessary. Let’s take this a bit further and think about why our elderly relatives would need a smartphone.
They perhaps don’t need all the features of a smartphone, but they may be interested in more cerebral games as a pastime or to keep in touch with friends and relatives. They not only need to keep in touch with near and dear ones, but they also need to see them. Video calls go a long way in alleviating the loneliness of parents and grandparents who live away from their families.
That is where the iPhone SE comes in. It can fulfil most of the unique needs of a senior citizen. Even if they have a limited income, the iPhone SE does not cost a bomb. The new, 3rd generation iPhone SE is priced at Rs 43,900 for the 64 GB version, Rs 48,900 for the 128 GB one and Rs 58,900 for the one that comes with 256 GB storage. If you buy an older model of the iPhone SE, it will cost even less.
FaceTime video calls from an iPhone are much superior to WhatsApp or other video calls.
Senior citizens may have problems reading small text. The font size can be adjusted to suit the senior person using it. Even if they suffer from arthritis, the keyboard is simple to operate and moreover they can also use voice commands. This has become even easier with Siri now understanding various Indian languages.
The biggest plus point is that it has safety features such as an SOS button, GPS and other medical alert features to keep an elderly person safe. It is compatible with hearing devices. So there is no high pitched feedback.
That and the intuitive interface makes it ideal for senior citizens.
In iOS, the operating system of the iPhone SE, the speed dial feature is called “Favourites”. It removes the burden of remembering which phone number to associate with which key. When you open your phone app, the “Favourite” button is on the extreme left of the bottom bar. Touch it. On the next screen, tap the plus sign on the top left corner. Your contacts will open with a note saying, “Choose a contact to add to Favourites”.
Last week, Apple announced a whole bunch of new devices to be launched that includes a 2022 model of the iPhone SE with 5G. This 3rd generation iPhone SE does not look very different from the previous version. With a 4.7-inch OLED screen, it is slightly smaller than the iPhone 13 mini.
However, it has an A15 Bionic processor, the same as the iPhone 13. This makes it as efficient as its super expensive cousins. This chip enables better battery life.
You get 5G connectivity which means it will be fast and the glass around it is the same ceramic shield that protects iPhone 13. It is also water and dust resistant.
Your elderly parents or grandparents may also want to click photos with this phone. It has a 12-megapixel wide camera and a 7-megapixel selfie camera, with an f/1.8 aperture. Face ID has given way to Touch ID which may be a blessing for seniors and the Home button remains. This phone will be available from March 18.
To get a good deal on the new iPhone SE, go to a shop that offers to buy back your old phone of any make. In Calcutta, Imagine by Systematix Media has buyback offers at their outlets in malls such as Quest, Acropolis, New Town City Centre and Mani Square. They are also Apple Premium Resellers.
Although refurbished iPhone SEs are available and are much cheaper, I would strongly advise you not to buy these. They are not Apple-certified and could be stolen or water damaged.
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