We are most probably just one day away from a new iPhone launch. Sadly it's not the iPhone 17 – for that, we'll have to wait until September – but the next iPhone SE is shaping up to something special. In fact, it could redefine what's possible at the cheaper end of the smartphone market.
Rumours say it will have the body of the iPhone 14, with the same processor as the iPhone 16 and Apple's artificial intelligence smarts onboard. Which would make it quite a proposition.
The launch happens tomorrow. We'll bring you all the news as soon as it's official, but until then, these rumours, leaks and analysis will give you a good idea of what to expect.
iPhone SE 4: picture leaks
One of the potentially most exciting iPhone SE 4 rumours concerns the screen. It's said to take inspiration from the iPhone 14 (pictured). If accurate the phone will have a full-screen display with a notch – a big departure from the home button and thick-bezelled design of the iPhone SE 3.
That would allow the screen to be much bigger. According to Korean publication The Elec, it will have the same 6.1-inch OLED display as the iPhone 14 (and indeed the more recent iPhone 16). Which would be much larger than the previous SE's 4.7-incher (which is positively titchy by today's standards).
OLED on a (relatively) budget phone is also a big deal. OLED panels allow for greater contrast, adding more depth to the image and making it more immersive. They only became standard across the iPhone range on the iPhone 12 family – prior to this, they were reserved for the Pro variants. Now it looks like the cheapest iPhone will have one. How times change.
If these rumours are true, the SE 4 will miss out on the Dynamic Island that debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max and that became standard across the range from the iPhone 15 onwards. But that would be asking a lot of a budget phone.
iPhone SE 4: sound speculation
We haven't seen any rumours concerning the audio capabilities of the iPhone SE 4 yet, but we are keeping our eyes peeled.
If – as looks likely – the SE 4 ends up being a rebadged iPhone 14, that should bode well for the audio.
In our iPhone 14 review, we commented on the phone's "weighty bass with sparkling and clear vocals," adding that "timing is snappy and the iPhone’s excellent handling of dynamics allows for the dramatic sections of the song [James Blake's Limit To Your Love] to punch through alongside the softer moments."
Even its built-in speakers are pretty good, delivering clear and punchy vocals and a more spacious soundscape than most smartphones.
iPhone SE 4: release date rumours
Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.Wednesday, February 19. #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/0ML0NfMeduFebruary 13, 2025
As you can see above, Apple CEO Tim Cook has promised to introduce the world to the "newest member of the family" on Wednesday 19th February. This is widely rumoured to be the iPhone SE 4, given the steady drumbeat of recent rumours concerning the handset's launch.
Of course, the SE 4 isn't the only Apple device rumoured. The firm is also thought to be readying a new iPad Air and new MacBooks, and it's thought to be working on a HomePod with a screen, though that isn't thought to launch until later in the year.
All eyes on Wednesday.
Cook didn't mention a time, just the date, so it's highly likely the iPhone SE 4 will launch with just a press release instead of a full launch event.
iPhone SE 4: price predictions
The current iPhone SE starts at £429 / $429 / AU$719 – pretty cheap, for an iPhone. But Apple isn't alone at this section of the market. Rivals Google and Samsung also sell phones around this price – the Pixel 8a and Galaxy A35, respectively. Then there's competition from a whole host of other manufacturers like OnePlus, Nothing, Motorola and Xiaomi.
Competition is fierce. But phone prices have been rising since the iPhone SE 3 launched in 2022. We expect the SE 4 to cost a little more than its predecessor, especially given all the improvements it should involve. One tipster (via PhoneArena) reckons the SE 4 will cost $499. Given that you can currently buy an iPhone 14 new for £499, we would say this leak might be on the money (pardon the pun).
iPhone SE 4: design whispers
If the SE 4 has the same screen as the iPhone 14, chances are it will inherit most of the chassis as well. Which would make it essentially a rebadged iPhone 14. The iPhone SE 3 was basically the iPhone 8 in new clothing, so Apple has previous when it comes to this. Cue Alan Partridge declaring "they've rebadged it you fool."
Not that that's a bad thing. It would mean the SE 4 had very slim bezels and an Action button that can be assigned to different tasks. It would also consign Touch ID to the bin, for Apple's mobiles at least, leaving Face ID as the main method of unlocking the device.
iPhone SE 4: specs 'specs-ulation'
Probably the biggest rumour concerning its specs and features is that the iPhone SE 4 might come with artificial intelligence, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Usually, the SE model comes packing the same processor as the iPhone that launched the previous September. So the iPhone SE 3 (launched March 2022) has the same A15 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 13 (launched September 2021). If that holds true, the SE 4 would have the same A18 Bionic as the iPhone 16. Golly.
That A18 Bionic is not only super fast and highly efficient, it's also enabled for AI. So the iPhone SE 4 could have the same smarter and more context-aware Siri, predictive writing tools, AI image editing and more. It would mean the iPhone SE 4 leapfrogs the iPhone 15, which lacks AI (though the 15 Pro and Pro Max do have it). Hence Apple might be considering a name change for the next iPhone SE (see the next section).
Besides AI, the SE 4 is said to have a much bigger battery than the SE 3 (3279mAh up from 2018mAh), alongside a single 48-megapixel rear camera and 12-megapixel front-facer. You can also bet it will have a USB-C port, following an EU law change that mandated the format for compatibility reasons.
Seasoned Apple watcher Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted the new SE will be slightly more popular than the older model, shipping around 10-12 million units in the first six months. This will help stem falling iPhone sales (as around this time of year, people start holding off upgrading until the newer model launches in September) and – crucially – get Apple Intelligence in more people's hands.
It's also thought to have Apple's own in-house modem, which could mean slower download and upload speeds than other iPhones (which feature Qualcomm modems).
iPhone SE 4: name change to iPhone 16E?
One quite credible rumour is that Apple could change the name of the next iPhone SE. If it does offer artificial intelligence, calling it the iPhone SE 4 wouldn't do it justice. Hence Apple could rebrand it as the iPhone 16E.
It would make sense. Google and Samsung do the same with their budget phones (Pixel 8a and Galaxy S24 FE, respectively), positioning them as members of the same family as their premium lineups. Low-cost members, admittedly, but members all the same.
This would be all the more logical if the the SE 4 does turn out to share the same processor, screen and AI skills as the iPhone 16. These would make it superior in some ways to 2023's iPhone 15, so no wonder Apple would want to associate it with its latest range.
iPhone SE 4: early verdict
A new iPhone is always big news, so we await tomorrow's event with bated breath. The SE models have reviewed well in the past, and with the rumours pointing to a significant upgrade in terms of screen, processor and AI abilities, the SE 4 looks like it could be a great pocket media machine for not much cash.
We'll be watching come Wednesday and will update this article with all the details as soon as they're official.
MORE:
The new iPhone SE 4 could be cool – but I want a proper OLED Apple TV
These are the best iPhones around
And the best iPhone headphones to use
