The iPhone SE 4 may be a surprising (and fast) first for Apple

The iPhone SE 4 is currently one of the most talked about devices in the Apple ecosystem, and its impending launch early next year could mark a major reboot of Apple’s cheapest phone. Hot on the heels of journalist Mark Gurman’s report on the device, news site 9to5Mac shared its own details on what we can expect, including an updated design and a host of feature improvements.

Citing its own “reliable sources”, 9to5Mac claims that the iPhone SE 4 will be equipped with an A18 chip, better cameras and Apple’s own 5G modem. Attesting to the sources’ credibility, the site claims that they “gave us accurate details about the iPhone 16 in advance.”

According to this source, the iPhone SE 4 will have a much more modern design, specifically thanks to the use of a similar housing to the iPhone 14, with flat sides and a notched OLED display (although it will be without Dynamic Island). A source used by 9to5Mac claims that it will have a resolution of 1170 x 2532 pixels, which is the same as the iPhone 14. It is said that it will also come with Face ID, which means the end of the Home button and Touch ID.

Inside, there will reportedly be an A18 chip with a 5-core GPU and 8GB of memory, which means the iPhone SE 4 will be compatible with Apple Intelligence. This will match the iPhone 16 in terms of power.

A person holds an iPhone while performing a 5G speed test.

(Photo: Frederik Lipfert, Unsplash)

In addition to the design, other elements mentioned by 9to5Mac come from previous Apple phones. The iPhone SE 4 is said to have the same 48MP main camera and 12MP front camera as the iPhone 15 – the higher resolution of the rear camera will enable taking 2x zoom photos at 12MP resolution. However, the iPhone SE 4 will reportedly only have a single rear camera, giving up the ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses.

However, one of the most intriguing details of this report is that the iPhone SE 4 could become the first iPhone to feature Apple’s own 5G modem, as DigiTimes previously reported. Apple has reportedly been working on this component for years but has struggled to speed it up. Now, however, 9to5Mac claims that the part is ready and will support 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. “It will also drastically reduce battery consumption,” says 9to5Mac, especially in iPhone’s Low Power Mode, and says adding this component to the iPhone SE 4 before any of its flagship models is “kind of an experiment.”

When can we finally see the iPhone SE 4? That day will come in spring (March-May) 2025, 9to5Mac believes, echoing claims from other media outlets. Indeed, DigiTimes reported today that “Apple has begun sourcing OLED panels” for the device, indicating that Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone SE 4 in the coming months. If this is confirmed, it means we won’t have to wait long until we see what could be the biggest change in the history of the iPhone SE.