Apple is preparing to refresh the iPhone SE with a 4th generation coming sometime next year. We are already hearing iPhone SE 4 rumors and some leaks around it’s specs and features. One of the big changes will be introduction of Apple Intelligence or AI in iPhone SE. Lot’s to unpack so let’s go.
Table of Contents
iPhone SE 4 Sepcifications
Spec | Value |
---|---|
Display | 6.1 inch OLED (Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame) |
Design | iPhone 14 design and size but with iPhone 16 chassis (rumored) |
IP Rating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Face ID | Yes |
Rear Camera | Single 48MP shooter |
Front Camera | 12 MP shooter |
Chipset | Not confirmed (A18 series or A17 Pro rumored, minimum 8GB RAM for Apple Intelligence) |
OS | iOS 18 |
Resolution | 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio, 457 ppi density |
Storage and RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
Battery | Around 3279 mAh (rumored) |
5G Modem | Apple in-house modem (rumored) |
USB Port | USB-C |
Price | $449 (rumored) |
Release Date | March or April 2025 (rumored) |
Display and Design
Every iPhone SE model is designed on some past model. The iPhone SE 3 was based on iPhone 8 and based on rumors, iPhone SE 4 will be based on iPhone 14. That means SE 4 will do away with the home button and the Touch ID that is embedded withing. You will get Face ID embedded in the notch with thinner bezels all around. The notch is just another way to reduce cost and differentiate the budget SE series from the premium models.
Here is how iPhone 14 looks:
Thanks to EU regulations, iPhone SE 4 will feature a USBC port instead of the lightning port in the iPhone 14 and current gen SE 3. Unlike the iPhone 14, you will get a single shooter camera with iPhone SE 4 which is standard for all SE models till now. It helps Apple keep costs down and differentiate the SE series from the base models that sport 2 cameras and Pro models that sport 3 cameras. The good news is that the single camera on SE 4 can be a 48MP shooter, an upgrade from the current 12MP shooter iPhone SE 3 ships with.
Here are some CAD renders of the iPhone SE 4 shared by 91Mobiles some time ago.
Finally, a Weibo leaker named Fixed Focus Digital claims that iPhone SE 4 will use the same chasis that Apple uses for iPhone 16 series instead of the iPhone 14. Reason? iPhone 16 is already in production compared to iPhone 14 which has been long out of production and procuring older plates will prove to be more expensive.
iPhone SE 4’s OLED display will measure 6.1″ (up from 4.7″) making it the biggest SE model till date and a significant update over the iPhone SE 3.
It would be awesome if the iPhone SE 4 gets an Action button but it seems Apple has other plans. A recent leak of the phone’s case shows no cutout for the same.
Chipset, RAM, Storage
Apple Intelligence is currently supported on iPhones that run on 8GB RAM and A18 series and A17 Pro chipsets. That means if iPhone SE 4 will come with Apple Intelligence or AI, it must come with the minimum hardware requirement. Unfortunately, details are scarce around this for now but we will keep this space updated so watch out.
Battery and 5G Modem
iPhone SE 4 may feature the same battery as the iPhone 14 since it is based on that. By that logic, iPhone SE 4’s battery should be around 3279 mAh. However, Apple may not announce or reveal the battery details. Remember how iPhone 16 battery size was completely omitted both in the event and the product specsheet page? Apple is instead focussing on AI, features, and user experience rather than hardware specs it seems.
Apple likes full control over both hardware and software components that go into their products. They switched to M series chipsets on Macs a few years ago to reduce reliance on Intel. And now, they are preparing to launch their own 5G modem. It is still under works but it seems that iPhone SE 4 may become the first ever iPhone to feature an in-house 5G modem.
Release Date and Price
Apple is planning to release the iPhone SE early next year in 2025. Based on past launch dates of iPhone SE models (2016, 2020, and 2022), iPhone SE 4 will be released sometime in March or April 2025. iPhone SE 4 is rumored to be priced around $449. Apple will try to keep the price under $500 for this model as the iPhone 16 base model costs $799.