Everything We Know About the iPhone SE 4
Credit: Concept Central
Toggle Dark Mode
Ever since the first model was released in early 2016, the iPhone SE has been a great device for its price. It basically offers the power of one of the latest iPhones in a simpler and more affordable form factor.
Granted, you usually have to make some compromises, especially in the camera and battery life departments. However, if you aren’t a power user and like smaller iPhones, the iPhone SE has always been a great bang for your buck.
That said, it’s been a few years since Apple upgraded its most affordable iPhone. However, if the rumors are true, the wait will be worth it.
According to many leaks, the fourth-generation iPhone SE will be a significant upgrade — and it might be closer than you think. Here’s what the current rumors say about the upcoming budget-friendly iPhone.
iPhone SE 4: Design
One of the biggest changes coming to the iPhone SE 4 will be its design. So far, we’ve gotten used to Apple using an old iPhone’s design for the newer iPhone SE. For instance, the first iPhone SE had the body of an iPhone 5s, while the second and third generations used the body of an iPhone 8.
So, typically, we’d expect Apple to use the old design of an iPhone X or iPhone 11, but it seems the company will skip a few generations ahead for the new iPhone SE.
According to rumors, the new iPhone SE will have a design similar to that of the iPhone 14, which is a pretty huge upgrade.
Of course, that confirms what we’ve all been waiting for: the end of Touch ID. The new iPhone SE 4 would feature Face ID for the first time ever.
So, you should expect a larger display without a Home button. Instead, Apple will use a big notch like the iPhone 14 models.
It’s also rumored that the iPhone will also feature a USB-C port. That’s a given since Apple has to abide by EU regulations, but it’s great news for iPhone SE fans.
Besides the new port and notch, there have been rumors that Apple might even ditch the Ring and Silent Switch on the iPhone SE and add an Action button, like with the newer iPhone models. However, that might sound like a stretch if it’s truly based on the iPhone 14, and recent rumors say it may not happen, so we’ll have to wait for the final product to see.
iPhone SE 4: Cameras
The camera department has always been lacking in the iPhone SE models, but with this new model, things might change.
Rumor has it that the new iPhone will still feature a single camera on the back, which is very likely as it’s a way for Apple to cut costs. However, the back camera will be a 48-megapixel camera, the same one you can find on the iPhone 15. Granted, it might not take pictures as well as the iPhone 15, but it’ll still be a high-quality camera and a massive upgrade compared to the current model.
The front-facing camera is also rumored to be the same as the one on the iPhone 15 models.
iPhone SE 4: Display
As we mentioned before, the display on the next-generation iPhone SE will be significantly larger. In fact, if the iPhone SE does look like the iPhone 14, we’re expecting a 6.1-inch display. The current iPhone SE has a much smaller 4.7-inch display, so the upgrade will be significant.
Speaking of display, Apple will also likely improve the quality of the iPhone SE’s display. The third-generation iPhone SE is the only phone Apple still sells with an LCD screen. That isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s far from the best. There have been several rumors that Apple will finally switch to an OLED display, the same technology used on the rest of its iPhone models since 2020.
iPhone SE 4: Internals
The inside of the iPhone SE 4 will also have a massive upgrade, and for a good reason.
If the rumors are true, the upcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature an A18 chip, which makes sense since Apple likes to use the most recent mainstream iPhone’s chip on each new budget-friendly iPhone SE.
Additionally, the RAM will also see a significant upgrade. The current iPhone SE has 4 GB of RAM, but Apple is said to increase this to 8 GB.
Of course, there’s a reason for this spec bump, and it’s called Apple Intelligence. It seems like Apple wants to add Apple Intelligence support for all its devices, and the A18 chip combined with the 8GB of RAM is the minimum requirement to support Apple Intelligence, which will be a great plus for iPhone SE users.
What About Apple’s 5G Chip?
If you love reading rumors about the iPhone, you’ve probably heard that Apple will add its very own 5G chip on the iPhone SE 4 and the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17.
The iPhone usually comes with an extra chip that supports the 5G technology, and Apple has been working on creating its own 5G model. The current generation of iPhones use a Qualcomm modem, but Apple is working on changing that.
According to popular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will use its new 5G chip on at least two iPhone models in 2025, including the iPhone SE 4.
iPhone SE 4: Battery Life
Another huge drawback of the iPhone SE models was battery life. Since the most affordable iPhone has traditionally used a smaller body, it was to be expected that the battery life would be below average.
Fortunately, with the bigger body that the new iPhone SE 4 is supposedly going to have, Apple will have room to add a larger battery.
According to rumors, the new iPhone SE 4 will feature the same battery as the iPhone 14, which is around 3,279 mAh. Yes, it’s not the biggest battery on a smartphone, but the iPhone 14 had solid battery life when it first came out, and we expect the iPhone SE to be the same.
iPhone SE 4: Price and Release Date
The biggest selling point of the iPhone SE is that it’s cheaper than the higher-end iPhones. Granted, it might not be considered a budget-friendly iPhone for many people, but at least it’s a cheaper model than a $1,000 iPhone.
If the rumors are true, the new iPhone SE will continue to be more affordable. The current iPhone SE starts at $429, and speculators say that Apple might keep the same price for the next generation iPhone SE.
With that said, Apple might increase the price, but rumors say that Apple wants to keep the iPhone SE under the $500 price tag. If that’s true, we should expect the new iPhone SE to increase its price to $499 at most.
As for the release date, everything points out that Apple will launch the new iPhone SE in the first quarter of 2025.
While we don’t know exactly when it’s coming, Apple launched every one of its prior iPhone SE models in March or April, so we expect it to do the same with this new model.
Get Ready for the iPhone SE 4
As you can see, the upcoming iPhone SE 4 will have some of the most significant changes we’ve seen on a specific iPhone model since the introduction of the iPhone X.
Of course, since everything we know about the new iPhone SE is just rumors, you should take it with a grain of salt. We won’t know how many rumors are true until Apple launches the new iPhone. We’ll have to wait until 2025 to see what this new budget iPhone is capable of.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
