Apple updated its entry-level iPhone in March 2022, adding a few nips and tucks here and there along with a quiet price hike. But the aging design and minor upgrades mean the new iPhone SE has been coolly received, with many looking forward to the next generation and reviewers hoping Apple is planning a more radical overhaul. on the device.
In fact, rumors have already begun about what it will look like. In this article we’ve gathered everything we know so far, and what we can reasonably expect, about the iPhone SE 4.
Update 02/27/23: Analyst Ming-Chi Quo says Apple has restarted its iPhone SE 4 project, aiming to use a 6.1-inch OLED display and have its own 5G baseband chip.
iPhone SE 4 release date: When will the iPhone SE 4 be released?
Apple’s iPhone SE doesn’t follow the same predictable annual release schedule as the standard line, and the intervals between updates can be harder to predict. The timing of the next launch points to a biennial routine, but that follows a much longer gap between the first and second phones. Here’s when the three models released so far made their debut:
As you can see, after Apple introduced the SE line back in 2016 we had to wait four years until the device was updated – so long that the original SE was discontinued in September 2018. The 2nd generation replaced it from the design of the iPhone 5 / 5S to the style of the iPhone 6/6S it remains until now. Since then we have had two versions, two years apart. With that in mind, it is likely that the iPhone SE (4th gen) will arrive in March or April of 2024.
Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants, a reliable industry expert specializing in displays and very accurate in his predictions, also thinks that a new iPhone SE will arrive in 2024.
Dominik Tomaszewski
How much does the iPhone SE 4 cost?
The price has steadily increased over the three current generations, no doubt influenced by the global cost of components and distribution. While the iPhone SE (3rd generation) was released at the same price as the model it replaced, Apple added a fraction of the cost, making the current model a little less desirable than previous iterations, especially when you factor in the small amount of savings that comes with the baseline model. Here’s how they line up:
iPhone SE (3rd generation, 2022):
- 64GB: $429/£449
- 128GB: $479/£499
- 256GB: $579/£609
iPhone SE (2nd generation, 2020):
- 64GB: $399/£419
- 128GB: $449/£469
- 256GB: $549/£569
iPhone SE (1st gen, 2016):
- 32GB: $399/£379
- 128GB: $499/£449
However, the iPhone SE shouldn’t be expensive, and we’d be surprised to see a big increase in the next generation, even with the many rumored upgrades.
What does the new iPhone SE look like?
As the iPhone SE has always traditionally been one of the smallest devices offered by Apple, it seems logical that the discounted iPhone 13 mini format could come down to replace the iPhone 6 chassis in the SE. But it’s just one of many future Apple picks for the SE line.
In a recent episode of the Geared Up podcast, tech tipster Jon Prosser said the “iPhone SE 4… is just the iPhone XR,” meaning it will have an “all-screen” design and a 6.1 -inch display.
However, a report by Ross Young in late October said that Apple is also considering a 5.7-inch display as well, which is a new size for an iPhone. The iPhone 13 mini is 5.4 inches and the iPhone X and XS are 5.8 inches. Young also said that Apple is deciding whether to use LCD or OLED for the display.
Most recently, analyst Ming-Chi Quo reported that Apple is continuing with a 6.1-inch OLED display for the iPhone SE 4. The overall design and features are expected to be similar to the base iPhone 14 (which will be a 1.5-year model by the time the SE 4 will be released ).
What features does the iPhone SE 4 have?
Although the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to have a notch, it may not have Face ID. Apple has established Face ID as a feature of its high-end products (iPhone and iPad Pro), and the leakers are not sure if it will have face-scanning tech. Having a notch without Face ID might be strange but not unusual—remember that the MacBook Pro has a notch that’s only for the front camera. We’ve seen older reports from industry analyst Ming Chi-Kuo (via MacRumors) and Chinese tech site MyDrivers claiming that Apple will move the Touch ID sensor to the power button like in the 10th-gen iPad.
Renders by Ian Zelco of Front Page Tech show the iPhone SE 4 with a single camera, so you can expect the same 12MP wide-angle lens. However, we hope that it includes some of the features that we did not get in the iPhone SE 3, namely Night Mode and Cinematic Mode.
Depending on when it comes out, it could get the improved A15 chip found in the iPhone 14 or the newer A16. The A15 is also not much of an improvement over the current model.
The iPhone SE 4 may be the first iPhone to feature one of Apple’s own 5G modems. Analyst Ming-Chi Quo expects it to beand claims that the baseband chip will be manufactured with a 4nm process and will only support sub-6GHz bands.
With the iPhone 13 range moving to a baseline of 128GB (and the 14-series handsets following suit), it is expected that the new iPhone SE will do the same, as 64GB will no longer be enough for most of people, mainly because the system files are removed. more than 10GB. But we’re not so optimistic—the iPhone SE (3rd generation) launched after the iPhone 13 range and still starts with the same 64GB of storage, and the redesigned 10th generation iPad also starts with 64GB. We explain more about why you shouldn’t buy the 64GB iPhone SE.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to find out. We’ll update this article as more information becomes available, so check back often to see what we’ve got. In the meantime, if you can’t wait until next year, here’s a roundup of the best iPhone deals available right now.