In Summary
- Apple’s next compact phone, the iPhone SE 4, is expected to launch in March 2025.
- According to the leaks, it is going to be bigger with a 6.1-inch display, jumping from 4.7 on iPhone SE (3rd Gen), and a bezel-less design with a notch, single rear camera, A18 Bionic chip, and also with support for Apple Intelligence.
- The iPhone SE is also expected to be priced between $499 and $549 (roughly translates to 42000/- to 46,000/- Indian rupees), and it might mark the start of the end of the compact iPhone era.
With the discontinuation of the iPhone mini-series, Apple has left a void for people looking for compact iPhones. The iPhone 13 mini was the last compact iPhone from Apple, released in September 2021. However, due to poor sales, Apple discontinued the mini-series and later introduced the Plus series, which is significantly larger than the mini-sized iPhone.
The mini-series is part of the mainstream devices in the iPhone number series lineup. Apple has a separate SE ‘small edition’ or special edition category for iPhones that is more affordable and has an old design. The first iPhone SE was introduced in 2016. Later, it was upgraded in 2020, and in less than two years, Apple upgraded it again in 2022. All the iPhone SE series have a similar design. It is compact in size and features Touch ID, a single-lens camera, and a powerful processor.
Apple is planning another iPhone SE four refresh in March 2025. According to the latest reports, Apple will introduce the iPhone SE 4 in March 2025. These are leaks from reputable sources, and we also have the CAD for the upcoming iPhone SE 4.
The upcoming iPhone SE 4 is expected to have a 6.1-inch display instead of a 4.7-inch one. This major change in the iPhone SE 4 could be a deal-breaker and disappointment for many iPhone SE fans.
Instead of a compact iPhone, the iPhone SE 4 will hold the line of the best-budget iPhone. It comes with a new bezel design and upgraded features for 2025 (according to Apple). I have plenty of details to talk about. If you are looking to buy an iPhone SE 4, here is everything that you should know.
Table of Contents
A 6.1-inch iPhone SE
The biggest change coming to the iPhone SE 4 is the phone’s size. Apple is increasing the size of the iPhone SE from the traditional 4.7 inches to 6.1 inches. Most rumors, including the CAD renders, state that the iPhone SE will have very similar dimensions to the iPhone 14, which has a 6.1-inch display.
This is surprising and disappointing, and it is evident at the same time. Speaking of disappointment, I have plenty of people in my network looking for a compact iPhone, and I still get plenty of requests for the launch of the next iPhone mini version. Unfortunately, there will be no compact or mini version of the iPhone in the coming years (as of now). Apple had a mini version of the iPhone series, but the sales numbers didn’t match the hype.
Here's what the iPhone SE 4 looks like pic.twitter.com/pEyIAJ34VR
— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) January 25, 2025
As per the data, the iPhone mini sales were the poorest, and at some point, Apple had to reduce the production numbers of the iPhone 12 mini to match the demand. This indicates poor demand for smaller-sized iPhones. There is a market for the compact iPhone, but this is very limited in numbers. Considering this, Apple might have had to decide to avoid the smaller iPhone, which is disappointing for me too.
A New Design With a Notch
While the bigger size is not a welcoming change, the iPhone SE is expected to get a better, bezel-less design with a notch. According to the CAD renders and leaks, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to have a 6.1-inch OLED display, the first time in an SE model, with a 60 Hz refresh rate similar to the iPhone 14.
While the modern iPhones, like the latest 16 series, have moved from the notch to the dynamic island design, the Apple iPhone SE 4 is still expected to come with a notch on the front. This also means the iPhone SE 4 will be the first device to remove Touch ID and completely adopt advanced Face ID biometric authentication.
USB Type-C and Also an Action Button on SE?
The iPhone SE 4 will come with a USB Type-C, following Apple’s transition to Type-C ports from a Lightning port, and is also expected to come with a new action button introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in September 2023. However, the latest rumor suggests that the iPhone SE 4 may not feature the Action button.
According to the image shared by leaker Sonny Dickson, The case of the upcoming iPhone SE 4 has a traditional cutout for the mute switch above the volume control on the left side, where the mute switch is generally placed on the iPhone. If this is true, the upcoming iPhone SE 4 may not have the action button, and instead, it will use a traditional mute switch, which is a welcome unwelcome change.
A18 Bionic Chip With Apple Intelligent Support
One thing that has been very consistent in previous iPhone SE series, apart from the design, is the processor. Apple has used the same processor on the iPhone SE used in the same year’s iPhone number series.
For instance, the Apple iPhone SE in 2016 came with an A9 Bionic chip, which was also found in the iPhone 6S, and the A13 Bionic chip was in the iPhone SE 2020 and the iPhone 11 series and A15 bionic hip which was used in the iPhone 13 series. However, rumors state that the iPhone SE 4 is expected to come with the A18 Bionic chip found on the recently announced iPhone 16 series.
A18 is the most powerful processor on an iPhone with a 6-core CPU (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), a 5-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, and it supports the latest Apple Intelligence features.
Apple Intelligence (AI) features, exclusive to smartphones powered by the A17 Pro and A18 Bionic, will now be available in the iPhone SE 4. Even the recent older models like the iPhone 15 and 14 series don’t support Apple Intelligence. However, with the inclusion of the A18 processor in the iPhone SE 4 is expected to support all on-device Apple Intelligence features, including AI writing tools, advanced Siri, image playground, notification summaries, ChatGPT integration and more.
A Single 48MP Rear Camera
Whether for cost-cutting or to differentiate the iPhone SE from the other Apple devices, Apple has decided to stick with a single camera lens on the back. However, it was upgraded from 12 to 48 megapixels, the same camera lens found on iPhone 15.
While the exact details of camera features on the future iPhone SE are short, the 48 MP camera on the iPhone SE 4 supports high-resolution photos and 2x digital zoom support without losing significant photo quality. Combined with the Apple A18 Pro, it might also get Apple Intelligence and computational photography features on the iPhone SE 4. A bigger upgrade from the iPhone SE 3, but a single-lens camera on a smartphone in 2024 is like a 60 Hz display in 2026.
While Apple might use software tricks to make a single camera more useful, we must wait and see what Apple brings to the table for the iPhone SE 4. I am more excited about Apple’s tagline for this camera’s marketing on the iPhone SE 4.
iPhone SE 4 is also expected to get an updated 12-megapixel camera on the front. Again, it is expected to get a handful of software features currently available on modern iPhones. It is also expected to support portrait mode, high-resolution mode, 4K video recording support, cinematic mode and more on the front camera.
In-house 5G Modem and Wireless Charging Support
The iPhone SE 4 is also expected to use Apple’s in-house 5G modem to support 5G on Apple devices. It is also expected to be the first SE smartphone to get Qi wireless charging support. Apple might also get support for MagSafe, compatible with a range of magnetic accessories.
Finally! Lasts a Full Day With a Bigger BATTERY
The major complaint with the compact version of the iPhone, including the Mini series, is the battery life. Due to the form factor, which only fits the smaller size, the battery life on these iPhones did not last a single day, even for a medium user. That is going to change with the iPhone SE 4. With the bigger size, it is said to feature a 3,279 mAh battery, identical to the one used in the iPhone 14, which is a big jump from the previous iPhone SE 2 with a 2,018 mAh battery.
The upcoming Apple iPhone SE 4 is no longer a compact or small-edition iPhone. Instead, Apple wants to make it a budget iPhone with useful trade-offs. However, the pricing significantly differentiates this smartphone, especially since the base iPhone SE (3rd Generation) is still available and starts at $429.
Big Changes Coming to the iPhone SE 4 in 2025
The iPhone SE is expected to be priced around $499 and $549 (roughly translates to 42000/- to 46,000/-Indian rupees). Considering the pricing history of previous iPhone SE models and the expected upgrades, the Apple iPhone SE 4 is expected to be priced similarly to the iPhone 14 series. For comparison, the other compact phones like the Google Pixel 8a cost $399, and Samsung Galaxy S24 for $759. We should see the full details and pricing of the iPhone SE 4 in the coming March.
Update: Apple iPhone SE 4 is officially launching on Feb 19th, 2025.
Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.
Wednesday, February 19. #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/0ML0NfMedu
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 13, 2025
iPhone SE 4 Latest Updates:
- Feb 13, 2025: iPhone SE 4 officially launches on Feb 19, 2025. Apple CEO Tim Cook teases a new product launch event.
- Feb 7, 2025: The Apple iPhone is expected to launch next week, according to Bloomberg.
- January 28, 2025 – iPhone SE 4 First look (Leaked video): This might be the first look of the iPhone SE 4 shared by a popular leaker, Majin Bu. The design resembles the iPhone 14, with a notch and full-screen design on the front. It comes with a single camera on the rear, expected to be 48Mp, and a 6.1-inch OLED display. Check out the video here
