The iPhone SE is undoubtedly one of the most important handsets in Apple's catalogue. Sure, it's not the best iPhone you can buy, but it often acts as a gateway drug, which users can try before progressing onto harder tech – like the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
It's also one of the best cheap phones on the market. Users get a full-fat version of Apple's software, paired with a fairly capable hardware offering. In the current generation SE, users will find the same A15 Bionic chipset used in the standard iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus.
But rumours are starting to suggest that the iPhone SE could bow out in future. We've heard various rumours about a new model which would lose the home button for the first time ever, instead sporting an all-screen design in an iPhone XR chassis.
This week, we even heard rumours about the handset using an in-house Apple-designed 5G modem. Apple have been working on their own 5G chipsets for a while now, looking to branch out from their stable of processors and reduce their reliance on external companies like Qualcomm.
But, according to respected insider, Ming-Chi Kuo, the handset mentioned may simply be a test device for that chip, with no plans for a mass-market release. In a tweet, Kuo said, "I think SE 4 is not currently part of Apple's new product planning for 2024/2025."
That's a real shame. The iPhone SE represents a fantastic value proposition in Apple's range, and the move to bring it closer in line with their flagships would have only increased that.
With the news that there's no SE planned for at least another two years, it looks likely to be killed off altogether. Based on their historic release schedule, we'd have expected another variant in 2024.
