The iPhone SE 4 could be getting a surprising (and speedy) first for an Apple device
The iPhone SE 4 is one of the most talked about devices in the Apple ecosystem right now, and its upcoming release early next year could mark a major reboot for Apple’s most affordable phone. Fresh off the back of a report from journalist Mark Gurman who spilled the beans on the device, news outlet 9to5Mac has made its debut with its own details on what we can expect, including an updated design and many feature improvements.
Citing its own “reliable sources,” 9to5Mac claims the iPhone SE 4 will come with an A18 chip, better cameras, and Apple’s own 5G modem. As a guarantee of the sources’ reliability, the website says they “told us precise details about the iPhone 16 in advance.”
According to this source, the iPhone SE 4 will have a much more modern design, specifically using a similar chassis to the iPhone 14, with flat sides and a notched OLED display (although it will be missing Dynamic Island). The source used by 9to5Mac says it will have a resolution of 1170 x 2532 pixels, which is the same as the iPhone 14. It will also come with Face ID, they say, which means an end to the Home button and Touch ID.
On the inside, there will apparently be an A18 chip with a 5-core GPU and 8GB of memory, meaning the iPhone SE 4 will be compatible with Apple Intelligence. This puts it in line with the iPhone 16 in terms of power.
Aside from the design, other elements mentioned by 9to5Mac are taken from previous Apple phones. It says the iPhone SE 4 will have the same 48MP main camera and 12MP front camera as the iPhone 15 – the higher resolution of the rear camera could allow for 2x zoom footage at 12MP resolution . However, the iPhone SE 4 will reportedly only have a single rear camera, without ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses.
One of the most intriguing details in this report, however, is that the iPhone SE 4 could become the first iPhone with Apple’s own 5G modem, something that DigiTimes has also previously reported. Apple had been working on this part for years, but had trouble getting it up to speed. Now, however, 9to5Mac claims that the part is ready and can handle 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. It will also “dramatically reduce battery consumption,” says 9to5Mac, especially in the iPhone’s Low Power mode, saying that adding this feature to the iPhone SE 4 before any of its flagship models is “an experiment of sorts.”
When can we finally see the iPhone SE 4? That day will come in spring (March-May) 2025, 9to5Mac believes, echoing other outlets’ claims. Indeed, DigiTimes reported this today that “Apple has begun sourcing OLED panels” for the device, indicating that Apple is gearing up to launch the iPhone SE 4 in the coming months. If that turns out to be correct, it means we won’t have to wait long until we see what could be the biggest overhaul in iPhone SE history.