The iPhone SE series has been popular since the first model was released back in 2016. No wonder, as it offers the core Apple smartphone experience at a fraction of the cost.
Apple’s most recent iPhone SE was released in 2022. While it’s an impressive phone in many ways, the iPhone 8-style design is quite different to the latest iPhone 15 handsets.
Will Apple finally bring the look of the cheapest iPhone up to date? Here’s everything we know about the fourth generation of the iPhone SE.
When will the iPhone SE 4 be released?
One of the biggest mysteries of the iPhone SE 4 is whether it will appear at all.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in January 2023 that plans for the iPhone SE in 2024 had been cancelled, before stating in February 2023 that the project had been revived. Then, in April 2023, Kuo stated that the model he was referring to might be just an engineering prototype and that “there are no plans for mass production and sales”.
However, a September 2023 report from MacRumors suggests Apple is indeed working on a new iPhone SE. No release date was given there, but analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors) suggested a launch at some point in 2025.
Korean site The Elec also believes we won’t see the next iPhone SE until 2025. Its reasoning is that Apple is placing sole reliance on a company called BOE for the supply of screens for the iPhone SE 4, and this panel manufacturer is encountering “performance issues”.
An Apple product roadmap, which leaker Revegnus claims has been obtained from Samsung Securities (a subsidiary of the main company), also suggests that the iPhone SE 4 will be released next year.
While it makes sense for the iPhone SE to appear then, an isolated leak like this isn’t enough for us to be sure about some of the other products listed.
For context, here’s when the previous iPhone SE models have launched:
- iPhone SE (2016) – March 2016
- iPhone SE 2 (2020) – April 2020
- iPhone SE 3 (2022) – March 2022
So, waiting three years between models, as is now likely to be the case, wouldn’t come as a huge surprise.
How much will the iPhone SE 4 cost?
Nothing has been revealed regarding pricing at this stage. But the iPhone SE is a relatively affordable mid-range phone, and that’s unlikely to change in the fourth generation.
Here’s how much the previous models cost at launch:
- iPhone SE (2016) – $399/£359
- iPhone SE 2 (2020) – $399/£419
- iPhone SE 3 (2022) – $429/£419
However, if it gets the expected design overhaul, the iPhone SE 4 may come with a price rise. Apple will want to avoid it being too close to the $799/£799 starting price of the iPhone 15, though.
What specs and features will the iPhone SE 4 have?
If Apple does end up releasing the iPhone SE 4, it’s likely to be a significant update, if rumours and leaks are anything to go by.
Design
Reports from MacRumors and X leaker Unknownz21 suggest that the iPhone SE 4 will essentially be a slightly modified version of the iPhone 14, boasting a 6.1-inch full-screen design.
To make way for it, Apple is expected to give iPhone SE 4 a notch instead of a Touch ID Home button. However, it’s not clear if the Face ID and TrueDepth camera system will be as advanced as on the flagship iPhones, considering the SE’s expected price.
Unknownz21 also claims that the iPhone SE 4 will introduce an Action Button, taking the place of the mute switch on the phone’s side. However, considering this feature is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models, the regular mute switch feels more likely right now – this might change by the time Apple is ready to release it, though.
It’d be a big surprise not to see a USB-C port on the iPhone SE 4, considering it’s mandated by the EU and on all iPhone 15 models. On X (formerly Twitter), creator Shea has made renders of what the phone might look like:
Renders of the iPhone SE 4 from 91Mobiles also showcase a striking resemblance to the iPhone 14.
With no room for a home button, we’ll almost certainly be getting Face ID. The module looks similar in size to the iPhone 14 version, so you can expect face unlock that’s just as fast and secure.
It’ll partly rely on the front-facing camera, with just one camera maintained on the back. The USB-C port looks to be there, but it’s not clear if the Action Button will be too.
iPhone SE 4’s CAD render
Leaker Majin Bu initially thought that Apple would be more ambitious, suggesting that the iPhone SE 4 may adopt a design closely resembling the upcoming iPhone 16, featuring a Dynamic Island and vertical rear camera module.
However, recent leaked images reveal a case for the iPhone SE without the traditional home button and Touch ID sensor, instead featuring a notch at the top of the display. Despite earlier speculation that it might adopt the iPhone 16’s design, Majin Bu is now also expecting it to resemble the iPhone 14, with a display notch rather than a Dynamic Island.
According to a Weibo user named Fixed Focus Digital, the iPhone SE 4’s rear side will be indistinguishable from the standard iPhone 16.
The recently leaked promotional material on Weibo (via GizmoChina), though unconfirmed, also hints at a major design overhaul for the iPhone SE 4, with a larger 6.1-inch display resembling the iPhone 14, including a notch for Face ID.
While the front design appears to be similar to the iPhone 14, the leak doesn’t reveal much about the back of the phone, although it’s speculated to potentially retain the single rear camera setup typical of previous SE models.
Display
The iPhone SE currently stands as the last remaining iPhone model equipped with an LCD display, but it looks like it will transition to OLED technology.
Back in March 2023, a Korean site The Elec claimed that the iPhone SE 4’s display will match the standard iPhone 14 model, which uses OLED. Then, in February 2024, The Elec claimed it again.
Now a prolific Chinese leaker, Ice Universe, also says that apparently the phone will have an OLED screen, for the first time in Apple’s affordable lineup.
However, it’s not clear if the resolution will be improved from the 1334×750 on the 2022 model.
Performance
If the phone undergoes a substantial revamp based on the iPhone 14, it would be logical to anticipate the inclusion of Apple’s A16 Bionic chip.
For context, the existing iPhone SE is powered by the same A15 chip found in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models. Therefore, there’s a possibility that the iPhone SE 4 might feature a previous-generation chip upon its release. That’s why we expect it to have the A16 Bionic.
However, according to the recent leak on Weibo (via GizmoChina), the next iPhone SE might feature the A18 Bionic chip, the same chip anticipated to power the iPhone 16 series, suggesting that the phone could offer high-end performance at a mid-range price.
Cameras
The latest iPhone SE is equipped with just one 12Mp camera on the back.
The upcoming iPhone SE 4 might also opt for a single-lens camera configuration to keep the price down.
However, there’s speculation that it could feature the 48Mp primary lens used in the iPhone 15 (shown below). That’s according to MacRumors, and it would make sense.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Battery & charging
Assuming the iPhone SE 4 has a larger total footprint than its predecessors, a larger battery is also likely.
According to a source close to MacRumors, the iPhone SE 4 will supposedly reuse the battery from the iPhone 14. If true, this 3279mAh cell would be a 60% increase on the 2022 model.
Even with its modest 2,018 mAh capacity, the latest iPhone SE battery manages to provide two additional hours of video playback compared to the SE 2. Battery life was better than you might expect from a small phone.
Given that the iPhone 14 delivers great battery life for the same size of device, it’s likely to be a key strength for the next iPhone SE.
20W charging on the current model is a little disappointing, but there’s no evidence that there’ll be any big improvements at this stage.
Software
As the iPhone SE 4 is not expected until 2025, it probably won’t be running iOS 17 out of the box. Instead, Apple is expected to unveil a successor in iOS 18 before then, which should then be running on the next iPhone SE.
It’s also expected to include Apple’s Intelligence features, which are currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and The Verge, this could make the SE a much more attractive option for budget-conscious buyers.
Connectivity
Ming-Chi Kuo stated back in April 2023 that Apple was testing the in-house 5G baseband chip with the iPhone SE 4 prototype. A report from MacRumors also confirms this.
The current iPhone SE already features 5G technology, but the next generation is likely to get support for additional bands.
There’s also no need for Apple to improve on the current Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 standards, even if they’re not the latest around these days.
That’s all we currently know about the highly anticipated iPhone SE 4. We’ll update this article when we find anything new.
In the meantime, feel free to check out our round-up of the best iPhone models you can buy right now.
