Apple’s next-generation low-cost iPhone is almost here, with rumors suggesting we’re going to see it introduced as soon as next Tuesday. With a release happening in the very near future, we thought we’d highlight everything we know about Apple’s newest iPhone.
Design
The iPhone SE 4 will look like the iPhone 14, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display. The device’s launch will mark the end of smaller iPhones, as Apple will no longer sell anything smaller than 6.1 inches. The current iPhone SE is 4.7 inches, so the updated size will be noticeable, but getting rid of the bezels means there’s not a huge difference in overall device size despite the much larger display.
Apple used to sell a 5.4-inch iPhone “mini,” but it was discontinued after the iPhone 13 mini because the device simply wasn’t selling well. In the future, Apple may appease those who want a small iPhone with a clamshell device that folds in half, but rumors suggest that such a device is at least a year off.
If you want to know what the iPhone SE will look like, just go take a look at the iPhone 14. It’ll have the same general design with an all-display design, aluminum and glass build, mute switch, volume buttons, notch, power button, and 5G antenna/SIM tray. There will be a change to the back of the device, though. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have a single-lens rear camera, rather than the dual-lens setup of the iPhone 14.
You might have seen rumors about an Action Button or Camera Control button for the iPhone SE 4 during the rumor cycle, but it’s looking more and more like those are not features that are coming to Apple’s low-cost device. iPhone SE dummy models have not included an Action button or a Camera Control button, nor have cases designed for the device.
Both early iPhone cases and dummy models are often crafted based on supply chain leaks, and they’re usually accurate because there’s a lot of money up for grabs having a case ready to go right when a new device launches.
Display
The iPhone 14 introduced Ceramic Shield, which is stronger than typical smartphone glass and better able to hold up to drops and scratches. The iPhone SE 4 should be more durable than the current model.
It is worth noting that the current iPhone SE is the last iPhone with an LCD display, so the launch of the new model with an OLED display will see the end of LCD display technology for the iPhone.
No More Touch ID
With an iPhone 14-style all-display design, Touch ID is going away. Unless Apple keeps the existing iPhone SE around as a super low-cost device, there will be no iPhone with Touch ID in the lineup after the iPhone SE 4 launches.
Touch ID is still used for Macs and some iPads, but Apple will transition fully to Face ID for its iPhone models with the iPhone SE 4.
There are people who prefer Touch ID to Face ID, but Apple is all-in on facial recognition, and it’s more secure than Touch ID. There’s a less than 1 in 1,000,000 chance that a random person could unlock your iPhone with Face ID, but a 1 in 50,000 chance for Touch ID.
Getting rid of the Touch ID Home button allows for much more screen space, though it is worth noting there will still be a notch. We did hear some rumors suggesting Apple might use the Dynamic Island for the iPhone SE, but that’s another feature that looks like it’ll be reserved for the more expensive iPhone options.
No More Lightning
The iPhone SE will have a USB-C port for charging, which also means the Lightning port will be eliminated from almost all Apple devices. Older-generation iPhones like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus still have a Lightning port, but Apple has been phasing it out.
The iPhone SE is one of the last Apple devices that continues to use Lightning, and when Apple discontinues the iPhone 14, which could happen with the iPhone SE launch, Lightning will be eliminated from the iPhone lineup.
MagSafe
The iPhone 14 added support for MagSafe, and since the iPhone SE 4 is using an iPhone 14 design, it’s very likely it will work with MagSafe accessories and will support MagSafe wireless charging. MagSafe is not an option for the current iPhone SE.
A18 Chip and 8GB RAM
Apple is going to equip the iPhone SE 4 with the same A18 chip that’s in the iPhone 16, which means it’s going to have flagship performance at a much more affordable price. The iPhone SE 4 will be a solid deal, and the A18 chip will allow it to last for years to come.
With the A18 chip, the iPhone SE 4 will support Apple Intelligence features, and it’s going to be a huge improvement over the A15 chip in the current iPhone SE. Apple Intelligence requires 8GB RAM, so the new iPhone SE 4 will also have double the RAM of the current model.
Storage Space
There’s no rumor about this, but the rest of Apple’s iPhones start with 128GB of storage, so it’s likely we’re going to see the end of the 64GB storage option this year. 64GB is simply not enough storage space, even for a low-cost iPhone.
Camera
The iPhone SE 4 will have a single-lens camera with a Wide lens. Rumors suggest it’ll get the same 48-megapixel Wide lens that’s in the iPhone 16, which will bring a major leap in photo quality compared to the 12-megapixel camera in the iPhone SE 3.
The iPhone SE 4 won’t have a Telephoto lens or an Ultra Wide lens, but if it does indeed use the same Wide lens, it will support next-generation portraits with focus and depth control, the newest photographic styles, and an option to crop in to 2x optical zoom.
Connectivity
Apple is going to debut its new in-house modem in the iPhone SE 4, and it’ll give us our first look at how Apple’s modem technology compares to Qualcomm.
The new modem chip won’t support the fastest mmWave 5G speed, but it will connect to the more widespread 6GHz networks. Apple wants to cut down on its reliance on Qualcomm, and this new modem chip is the first step.
Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection
This is speculation, but with the iPhone 14, Apple added a Crash Detection feature that alerts emergency services if you’re in a car accident. It’s an important safety feature that’s likely to be included in the iPhone SE 4.
The iPhone 14 and later also support Emergency SOS via Satellite, and there’s a good chance that’ll be added to the iPhone SE 4 too.
Battery Life
Rumors suggest the iPhone SE 4 will have the same battery as the iPhone 14, which means it’ll offer up to 20 hours of video playback, up to 16 hours of streaming video, and up to 80 hours of audio playback.
There’s quite a bit more space in a 6.1-inch device for a battery than there is in a 4.7-inch device, so it should come as no surprise that there will be a major improvement in overall battery life.
The current iPhone SE offers 15 hours of video playback and up to 10 hours of streaming video playback.
Pricing
With higher-end components, the iPhone SE 4 could be more expensive than the current model, but Apple is still aiming for a price point under $500. The iPhone SE 3 is priced starting at $429.
No Event
The iPhone SE 4 is an important new iPhone in Apple’s lineup, but it reuses components from the iPhone 14 and iPhone 16, so it’s not the most exciting device. Apple isn’t going to hold an event to unveil the iPhone SE 4, instead introducing it through a press release and coverage on the Apple website.
We’re expecting the iPhone SE 4 to be announced early next week, perhaps on Tuesday, February 11, which is the same day that Apple plans to unveil its new Powerbeats earbuds. It could also come the day before or the day after if Apple is aiming to space out its announcements.
Launch Date
After being introduced early next week, Apple will likely accept pre-orders for the iPhone SE before launching it later in February.