As we approach the end of the year, it’s almost impossible not to wonder what new changes will come to the tech world over the next twelve months – and it seems likely to be an intriguing year for the iPhone.
For once, it’s not about speculation surrounding the next flagship phone: the iPhone 17 range that will likely hit in the latter part of the year, but has to do with what has been heavily rumored iPhone SE4.
We’re starting to get used to expecting a new, cheaper iPhone model from Apple every few years. But there’s something else in these rumors that has caught my attention – and it has nothing to do with the hardware rumors (such as a bigger screen, Face ID or others, which you can read all about in our iPhone SE 4 leaked features overview).
No, what concerns me is the strong possibility that the new iPhone SE will come with built-in Apple Intelligence, which would be huge for a phone that would sell for less than $500.
Smarter than your average budget phone
So far, Apple Intelligence has been firmly marketed as available on the most expensive iPhones: the iPhone 15 Pro range and the latest iPhone 16 models.
While this is all still speculative, bringing the AI capabilities to a lower-end model could be a huge selling point for Apple.
If it can build momentum for the features, it could help attract (and retain) people who want to upgrade their smartphones but don’t mind spending big bucks on a new phone just to get a bit of a spec bump.
While some buyers want multiple cameras and have strong opinions about the notch at the top of the screen, many others just want an iPhone – it’s what they’ve enjoyed using for years and have an ecosystem of gadgets that it fits into.
These people could be seduced by an iPhone that can rewrite their emails in different styles, or enjoy sharing custom emoji with family group chats. But only if it is at the right price.
A new potential poster child
This idea that the iPhone SE series is the “cheap” way to get the latest phone functionality isn’t new — after all, the iPhone SE 3 was Apple’s way of offering 5G connectivity without spending nearly $1,000 on it issued.
While the iPhone SE 4 would need a more powerful chipset to handle all the Apple Intelligence features, that AI heart could bring improvements to the entire phone without requiring a ton of other new hardware.
Apple’s promised updates to its line of AI-powered tools will “available in the coming months“, and that could tie in nicely with the expected spring launch of the latest iPhone SE. These additions will be important, because while the changes in iOS 18.1 and 18.2 (like Image Playground and ChatGPT support) are okay, they’re not earth-shattering.
If the intended new features are like useful, as rumors claimsuch as on-screen awareness that allows users to simply ask the phone to interact with things that appear on the screen (like editing a photo or saving a phone number sent), then they could entice users of older iPhones to upgrade .
So if the iPhone SE 4 comes with Apple Intelligence, I can easily imagine most of the launch being about bringing Intelligence to an even lower price point as the brand looks to improve the functionality of its phones in new areas.
Take directions from Google?
All of this reminds me a lot of 2019 Google Pixel 3a – the ‘a’ range is the budget version of the search giant’s flagship Pixel phones, the equivalent of Apple’s iPhone SE models.
What was interesting there was that Google had brought many of the advanced photography features from the more expensive Pixel phone to the budget model. Using the AI smarts on the phone, owners of a phone under $400 could access advanced photography features like Night Sight (one of the first examples of computational photography used to enhance night scenes).
AI was used to add new powers without the need for expensive additional hardware, and that’s what Apple’s iPhone SE4 could provide if the rumors turn out to be true.
If that’s the case, we’ll likely see an acceleration in the race to use on-device intelligence to improve what’s already there. We’re already seeing that – every brand is using algorithms to improve photos, battery life and performance – but finding new ways to help users on a daily basis using machine learning will be particularly powerful at a lower price point.
If Apple decides to make Intelligence the key feature of the new iPhone SE 4, its success could depend on whether the new capabilities are compelling enough.
Users might be reluctant to throw away their fingerprint sensor, or worry about moving to a ‘big’ phone (although 6.1 inches is). still below the global average smartphone screen size). This is where word of mouth or demonstrations from friends will be invaluable to Apple, with people eager to show off their AI artwork or quickly complete tasks that used to require more effort.
Of course, the iPhone SE 4 is unlikely to get it all the Apple Intelligence features; things like Visual Intelligence need the Camera Control hardware, and locking down certain capabilities to the more expensive models will still give others a reason to buy the more expensive models.
Should I wait?
What does that mean for you, especially if you’re considering buying a new phone in the near future? I would be strongly tempted to at least wait and see whether Apple will indeed launch a new iPhone SE in early 2025.
That’s because I want to know how the rollout of Apple Intelligence will proceed, how long it will take for the full suite of promised features to arrive, and whether the rumored release date for it will match the predicted launch of the new SE.
The main thing will depend on the momentum. If Apple’s marketing campaigns for Intelligence continue and highlight the new screen awareness capabilities combined with improved photo editing and the like, it could be a compelling reason for some to upgrade to a new iPhone for less than they might have expected.