iPhone SE 4 rumour roundup: What we know of Apple’s next affordable iPhone so far

Apple’s SE series of iPhones, first launched in 2016, is a series of low-cost iPhones for people looking to buy into the Apple ecosystem on a budget. The devices are also perfect for those looking to use an iPhone, but with a compact form factor that seems to be mostly absent on the smartphone scene today. Unfortunately though, Apple’s cadence for SE-version releases hasn’t been as regular as its flagship iPhone models.

Now, rumours strongly suggest that the Cupertino-based tech giant is gearing up to release the 4th-gen iPhone SE sometime in March 2025. And it is no surprise that the internet has been rife with rumours surrounding Apple’s next budget smartphone. In case you haven’t been able to keep track of them though, check out this little rumour roundup we’ve put together.

iPhone SE-4: Design

The iPhone SE series, first and foremost, has been loved for its compact form factor. That may just change with the 4th-gen iPhone SE though, since it is expected to sport a design similar to the iPhone 14. That means no more of the thick bezels and Touch ID button that we saw on the 3rd-gen as well as 2nd-gen iPhone SE. Instead, what we may get is a cleaner bezel-less design with a notch, and Face ID biometric authentication. At the back, the device is expected to closely resemble the iPhone XR – with a single camera setup.

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What’s cool though, Apple may ditch the lightning connector in favour of a USB Type-C port, putting an end to your charging woes once and for all.

More surprising though, is the fact that a MacRumors report suggests that the 4th-gen iPhone SE could receive an Action button, currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The button is one of the major differences which distinguishes Apple’s premium iPhones from entry-level offerings.

iPhone SE-4: Processor and battery

Now, the 3rd-gen iPhone SE is powered by the A15 Bionic chipset, the same one which powered the iPhone 13 series, launched in September 2021. This was six months before the former, which was launched in March 2022. The 4th-gen iPhone SE on the other hand, could potentially be powered by the A16 Bionic chipset, which powered the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, as well as the base iPhone 15.

Bearing in mind that these are relatively old chipsets, the company could also potentially launch the 4th-gen iPhone SE with a watered-down version of the A17 Pro chipset, which currently powers the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Just which one though, we will get to know for sure only when the device is launched.

Coming to the battery, the Apple 4th-gen iPhone SE could potentially pack the same 3,279mAh battery found in the iPhone 14. Battery life on the phone, for your reference, stands at up to 20 hours of continuous video playback on a full charge and 80 hours of audio playback.

Additionally, according to an interview CNBC had with Qualcomm CEP Cristiano Amon in March, Apple is likely to start supplying its products with modems developed in-house starting this year. Therefore, the 4th-gen iPhone SE may also get an Apple-developed 5G modem rather than one from Qualcomm, which has been the case with its other devices so far.

iPhone SE-4: Display

The 3rd-gen iPhone SE is the last remaining iPhone to sport an LCD display. All of Apple’s base and Pro-model iPhones since the iPhone 12 have gotten OLED displays. Accordingly, the next-generation iPhone SE is also expected to ditch the LCD in favour of an OLED unit.

The display is also set to get bigger this year, with the iPhone SE-4 expected to pack a bigger 6.1 inch screen instead of the smaller 4.7-inch screen the SE series has always featured.

iPhone SE-4: Camera

The 4th-gen iPhone SE, as mentioned earlier, will sport a single-camera setup at the rear. The SE series has traditionally always received only a single primary camera, whereas base model iPhones get a wide and ultra-wide-angle camera, and the Pro models receive wide, ultra-wide as well as a telephoto camera.

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However, this time around, the iPhone SE could see a serious bump in camera performance too, since it is expected to get the same 48MP primary sensor currently found in the base model iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, as well as the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

That is all we know about the Apple iPhone SE-4 right now. However, bear in mind that at the end of the day, these changes are just speculations based on leaks and rumours. Therefore, we recommend you take them with a pinch of salt. Concrete details around the phone should be revealed when Apple decides to launch the device.