The iPhone SE 4 could launch this week, bringing a significant redesign to Apple’s budget handset. It’ll reportedly mean the end of features that were iPhone hallmarks for many years, like the Home button. Plus, it’ll support Cupertino’s new collection of AI-powered features. Stay updated with the latest iOS news and what this means for iPhone SE owners by checking out this article.
Read on to learn everything that already leaked out describing the revamped fourth-generation SE.
iPhone SE 4: A big step forward
The iPhone SE series is Apple’s answer to criticism that its products cost too much. While the iPhone 16 starts at $799, the iPhone SE 3 comes in at about half that: $429. That said, if the numerous leaks and rumors about the new model turn out to be correct, the next-gen SE model will boast a range of advanced features that will bring it closer to parity with pricier models.
Expect the iPhone SE 4 design to be based on the iPhone 14. Most notably, the Home button from its predecessors should be gone to make room for a much larger screen — probably 6.1 inches.
Apple’s next iOS device will surely include a USB-C port. That’s a very safe bet after the EU forced Apple to drop its proprietary Lightning port. The SE 3 can’t even be sold in Europe any more.
Although a rumor predicted that the iPhone SE 4 includes a Dynamic Island instead of a screen notch, this is now considered dubious. But an Action button should take the place of the old mute switch, just as happened in pricier iPhones.
And Apple’s low-cost model is expected to keep its single rear-facing camera, though this is supposed to make the jump from 12MP to 48MP. And look forward to a 12MP TrueDepth front-facing camera.
A major change virtually all sources agree on is that the budget handset can run Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI tools that tweak users’ grammar and images and generate cutesy pictures based on user prompts. That will require at least an Apple A17 Pro processor and 8GB of RAM. Unconfirmed reports indicate the device will run on an A18 chip, Apple’s most recent.
Coming this week?
The last new budget version reached customers in March 2022, and we can apparently expect an upgraded version almost three years later. Maybe this week.
Perhaps the only unpleasant surprise in the iPhone SE 4 will be the cost. Given that Apple is pouring in advanced features, including its latest processor, there’s been speculation that the price will go up. It might end up closer to $500 than $430.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
