If you're looking to get a new iPhone and spend as little as possible, the iPhone SE models have long been the place to be. But as the old iPhone 8-like design has started to get longer and longer in the tooth, it's become harder to recommend. That's all expected to change when the iPhone SE 4 finally arrives, and that's now expected to happen next year.
The iPhone SE has long been a combination of great features and a price that people can afford, especially as Apple's best iPhones have reached well above the $1,000 mark. But while the current model might not lag too far behind in terms of its internals, the external design looks old and dated. It still has a Home Button, for example, and that's one thing that the iPhone SE 4 is now tipped to change. But its budget credentials might not be quite as strong as they once were.
According to a new report, we shouldn't expect the iPhone SE 4 to fill the space that's currently being dominated by inexpensive Android phones when it debuts in 2025. Instead, we're told to expect an iPhone that will sell for more than $400 which may well be less than the flagship iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, but will still be far too much for some.
Still too expensive
This is according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing in his weekly Power On newsletter, at least. Gurman believes that Apple's iPhone SE will still sit at a price point that's just too high, likely retaining or even increasing the current $429 price tag.
"Ever since the original iPhone went on sale, there have been calls for a less expensive model. But it’s not something Apple has pursued aggressively," Gurman notes, adding that the iPhone 5c was one of the first attempts albeit with a modest $100. The $399 debut price of the iPhone SE was better, but that increased to the $429 that buyers must pay today.
Moving forward, Gurman expects that Apple will launch an iPhone SE 4 in 2025 but that it will feature "a faster chip and premium materials" which means "you can bet the price will stay well above $400."
Previous rumors have suggested that the iPhone SE 4 will essentially be a rebadged iPhone 14 complete with a 6.1-inch display, Face ID, and an OLED construction. Those things will take the tired iPhone SE 3 and revamp it to become a thoroughly modern device. USB-C and an as-yet unconfirmed chip upgrade. All of these things cost money, and it's likely that's why we won't see a significant price reduction this time out.
But this is all bad news for anyone who looks at the cheapest Android phones with envy. It's also bad news for Apple's emerging markets which can be much more price-conscious than the countries it has historically done well in across North America and Europe. The chances of a new iPhone costing $250 any time soon seem extremely remote. For that, you're probably going to want something with a Samsung logo on the back.
