iPhone SE 4 Rumors: Bigger OLED Screen, Apple Intelligence and More to Expect

Apple just launched the iPhone 16 lineup, but don’t forget the company’s cheaper, smaller model: the $429 iPhone SE.

According to Bloomberg, the pint-sized iPhone made a comeback in 2020 and 2022 and another new version is expected to launch in early 2025.

Unlike Apple’s flagship iPhone family, the launch timing of the iPhone SE is somewhat irregular. The first generation SE was launched in 2016, followed by the second version in 2020 and the third in 2022. Apple has also not mentioned whether it plans to release new iPhone SE models in the future, as it is rare to hear about future ones products speaks. But now that Apple has moved away from the iPhone Mini, the iPhone SE plays an important role as a more portable and affordable iPhone in Apple’s lineup.

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There’s plenty of room for Apple to continue improving its cheaper iPhone. While my colleague Patrick Holland praised the iPhone SE 2022 for its affordable price and familiar home button, he criticized it for its lack of night mode photos and its outdated design. Android competitors like Samsung and Google have also improved their similarly priced budget phones in recent years. The Google Pixel 8A and Samsung Galaxy A55 5G both offer features previously reserved for premium devices, like high refresh rates and multiple cameras.

It’s impossible to know exactly what to expect from Apple until the company makes an announcement. Based on predictions and reports from Bloomberg, MacRumors and affiliated TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as well as other leaks and Apple’s product launch history, here’s what we can expect from Apple’s next budget iPhone.

When this story was originally published, Apple did not respond to a request for comment about a future iPhone SE.

The iPhone SE 4 could hit the market in early 2025

There’s been a lot of back and forth over the iPhone SE 4’s launch timing in recent years. However, an August report from Bloomberg’s often-correct Mark Gurman suggests a new iPhone SE could launch in early 2025. That suggests it could arrive in the first quarter, which would line up with Apple’s previous iPhone SE release dates. The first and third generation models, for example, both came onto the market in March.

The report comes after reports and speculation about the existence of the iPhone SE have been uncertain for the past few years. In 2019, analyst Kuo said Apple was working on an iPhone SE with a full-screen design similar to the iPhone XR, MacRumors reported at the time. Since then, Apple has released two versions of the iPhone SE that retain the old iPhone 8-inspired design, leading to speculation as to whether the model Kuo was referring to has been canceled or postponed.

Kuo’s predictions for the iPhone SE 4 for 2023 are also mixed. He reported last January that an iPhone SE originally planned for 2024 was canceled, but followed up The project was revived. He changed his prediction again in April 2023 to say that the model he was referring to earlier may just be a technical prototype for Apple’s own 5G baseband chip. His previous comments also suggested that the iPhone SE 4 would include this 5G chip.

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But recent reports, including one from MacRumors, suggest that Apple is actually developing a new iPhone SE that supposedly includes some dramatic upgrades.

It will likely have a new processor and Apple Intelligence

The iPhone SE typically features the same processor as Apple’s latest flagship iPhone. For example, the iPhone SE 2022 has the same chip as the iPhone 13, which was released in September 2021. Since Apple’s latest mobile chip is usually the standout feature of the iPhone SE, it’s hard to imagine Apple deviating from this pattern.

But that’s more important than ever because Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of new AI features, relies on the company’s latest chips. The iPhone 16 family and last year’s Pro models are the only iPhones capable of these features for now. But based on Apple’s story and Bloomberg’s report that the iPhone SE 4 will support Apple Intelligence, it looks like that could change in the coming months.

Apple Intelligence includes new AI-powered features such as the ability to rewrite, summarize, and proofread text, a new version of Siri that understands words better even when you fumble, the ability to view objects in photos, and notification alerts. and delete news summaries features. The first wave of Apple Intelligence features will arrive in beta next month, while more features – like the ability to generate custom emojis – will come later.

Otherwise, the next iPhone SE could have an Apple-made 5G chip, they say Kuo. However, it is difficult to say whether this prediction is still true, as he later revised his estimate and said that this device was probably a technical prototype for testing this 5G chip. MacRumors also reports that the iPhone SE 4 will feature an Apple-made 5G modem.

An iPhone 14-like design with an OLED screen

If the company is working on another iPhone SE, it will likely feature a 6.1-inch screen, similar to Apple’s modern flagship phones. In comparison, the current iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch screen with thick bezels on the top and chin, similar to the iPhone 8.

In particular, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to be very similar to the iPhone 14 that Apple launched in 2022. A MacRumors article reported in September 2023 that the iPhone SE 4 will have a modified version of the iPhone 14’s body, and reiterated this point again in November. Bloomberg’s report also suggests that the iPhone SE4 will be similar to Apple’s two-year-old flagship.

Not only is the design expected to be improved; The display will also see improvements. Several reports, including those from Kuo, MacRumors, Bloomberg, The Elec and Nikkei Asia, suggest that the next iPhone SE will have an OLED screen instead of an LCD. That’s a big deal, since OLED typically has richer contrast and deeper blacks, and these types of screens are consistent across the rest of Apple’s iPhone lineup.

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The iPhone SE will likely have a larger battery

According to MacRumors, the next iPhone SE could also inherit the iPhone 14’s battery. If the blog’s previous reports about the iPhone SE 4 following in the footsteps of the iPhone 14 prove accurate, a larger battery would be required to power the larger screen. Apple doesn’t disclose the battery capacities of its phones, but says the iPhone 14 should offer five hours more video playback compared to the third-generation iPhone SE. Given the new chip and larger battery we’re expecting in the next iPhone SE, it seems like Apple’s next affordable iPhone could see some pretty significant gains in battery life.

Goodbye Touch ID, hello Face ID

Fans of Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor may be out of luck. MacRumors reports that the next iPhone SE, like other modern iPhones, will feature Face ID instead of Apple’s fingerprint sensor. This contradicts Kuo’s 2019 report, which indicated that the next iPhone SE would have a smaller notch area without Face ID and Touch ID in the power button. However, since Kuo’s report is approximately five years old, this information may be out of date.

It may have the iPhone 15’s camera, USB-C, and action button

Apple’s next wallet-friendly iPhone may share some similarities with Apple’s newer iPhones. Since Apple has switched to USB-C on the iPhone 15 series to comply with new European regulations, it is likely that the iPhone SE 4 could also do without the Lightning port. MacRumors also claims that the iPhone SE 4 will feature USB-C.

The more surprising hint in MacRumors’ story is that the iPhone SE 4 could get the Action button, a new button for programming shortcuts that is currently exclusive to the iPhone 16 family, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max . If true, it would be another sign that Apple wants to make the Action button standard across the iPhone lineup, after introducing the Action button to standard models this year.

MacRumors also reports that a 48-megapixel single camera could be on the market for the next iPhone SE. That would signal further similarity to the iPhone 15 and 16, which also have 48-megapixel main cameras. If the report is correct, the iPhone SE will only have a rear camera, unlike Apple’s more expensive phones. The regular iPhone 15 has wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle cameras, while the Pro versions have wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras.

But Apple has introduced the “Fusion” camera on this year’s regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, which is said to enable 2x optical-quality zoom despite not having a dedicated telephoto lens. Although the reports don’t specify whether the iPhone SE 4 will feature this camera, it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple implemented it to compensate for the iPhone SE’s single camera setup.

If the rumors are true, the fourth-generation iPhone SE could bring Apple’s small, budget iPhone up to speed with the rest of Apple’s lineup. Depending on the price, it could be a good choice for people who need a more modern iPhone and don’t care about the iPhone 16’s extras, like the camera control button.