The iPhone SE 4 is reportedly almost ready – here’s what you can expect

Updating Apple’s most affordable iPhone

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

For several years now,Applehas positioned theiPhone SEas a cut-price way into the iPhone ecosystem. Yet ever since the iPhone X’s all-screen era, the iPhone SE has been something of a throwback, with its chunky bezels and Home button keeping it lodged in yesteryear. Despite all that, though, Apple’s most affordable iPhone could be about to leap into the modern age – something that could happen as soon as early next year.

That’s according toBloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, at least, who has just claimed that Apple is getting ready to launch theiPhone SE 4in early 2025. The idea, Gurman says, is to add more modern features and designs in an attempt to woo budget-minded buyers.

Those features will apparently include an edge-to-edge display thatdrops the Home buttonand thick top and bottom bezels. That will pave the way for Face ID to come to the iPhone SE, drastically improving its security over the Home button’s Touch ID. The overall design, Gurman says, will resemble that of theiPhone 14, “including the notch cutout at the top.”

As well as that, the new iPhone SE will supportApple Intelligence, Apple’s brand-new artificial intelligence (AI) suite. And although Gurman didn’t specify it in his latest report, the inclusion of Apple Intelligence means that the iPhone SE will need a new, powerful chip in order to run the AI system. This would have to be at least an Apple A17 Pro but could potentially be an A18 to match the chip found in theiPhone 16.

A powerful new device

Gurman has a strong track record when it comes to Apple leaks, and he’s far from the only voice saying a new iPhone SE is on the way. Indeed, rumors have been swirling for years that the device is due for a major upgrade.

For example, display expertRoss Young has claimedthat the iPhone SE’s display will be 5.7 to 6.1 inches across, putting it in line with anything from the iPhone X to the iPhone 11 and up. The thing that all those phones have in common? An all-screen display with no Home button, further reinforcing Gurman’s claims.

Other leaks have suggested the iPhone SE will have anAction button and USB-C port, as well as anOLED displayand asingle 48MP camera. If all these rumors are correct, the lone camera would be one of the few things to make the iPhone SE a clear step below models like the iPhone 16. There’s also no mention from Gurman of the newCamera Control, which if absent could further demarcate the iPhone SE from the rest of Apple’s modern mobile range.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

But with an all-screen display, Apple Intelligence, a powerful chip and much more, the upcoming iPhone SE could be a very attractive option to prospective iPhone buyers – and it might even make the iPhone 16 sweat in comparison.

You might also like

Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

We might have our first look at the long-rumored Samsung tri-fold

A newly reported iPhone phenomenon could be bad news for both cops and robbers

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: who is [SPOILER], when is episode 4 coming out, and your biggest questions answered