Ever since Apple got rid of the iPhone mini, I've been holding out hope that the company would focus its attention on making the iPhone SE into something worthy of replacing it. With this latest rumor, that might actually be the case.
In a post on Weibo from an account called Ice Universe, we got what are potentially details of the iPhone SE 4 which is expected to be released as soon as this fall. While the iPhone SE has been doomed to the design of the iPhone 8 for years now, it looks like the model is finally getting an upgrade to take on the design language of the iPhone 12-15.
If these rumors are true, I might be downgrading from my iPhone 15 Pro to the iPhone SE 4.
What are the rumors with the iPhone SE 4
The display on the iPhone SE 4 is expected to get upgraded to a 6-inch OLED screen like the iPhone 15. It is also rumored to feature a 60Hz refresh rate like the iPhone 15 — no 120Hz refresh rate like the iPhone 15 Pro. That's pretty expected though. Apple doesn't call it ProMotion for nothing.
The phone is also expected to feature the A18 processor which is expected to debut in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro later this year. It will also come packed with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, a reasonable amount of RAM for an entry-level smartphone. This will ensure that the iPhone SE 4 is capable of all of the features that Apple Intelligence will launch when the AI technology starts rolling out in beta.
The rear camera of the iPhone SE 4 is expected to feature a 48MP lens, the first time such a huge lens comes to the iPhone SE. It'll be interesting to see if there's still only one camera on the rear of the iPhone SE, but that would be fine if it was the case.
Like the non-Pro models of the flagship iPhones, the new iPhone SE is expected to feature an aluminum frame. That's perfectly fine — I've enjoyed the Titanium frame of my iPhone 15 Pro but I haven't felt like moving back to aluminum on an iPhone 16 or iPhone SE 4 would be a huge deal.
Of course, since we're in 2024, the new iPhone SE is going to ditch the Lightning port for good in favor of a USB-C port. It is also dropping Touch ID in favor of Face ID, another round of "it's about time, Apple." Those are definitely two things that'll make the iPhone SE a worthy entry-level phone for the company.
Best yet? The price. The rumor says that the iPhone SE 4 will cost anywhere between $499 and $549. If that comes in under $500, the iPhone SE 4 might be an iPhone 16 killer. We'll have to wait to see if the rumors are true, but I for one am excited to see what Apple has in store for its most languished iPhone model. If the iPhone mini is dead forever, the least Apple can do is make the iPhone SE an incredible option for all of us.
