Apple updated its entry-level iPhone in March 2022, adding a few tweaks and tucks here and there along with a quiet price hike. It retained the “iPhone 8” design with its Home button and small form factor that appeals to some, but the aging design and minimal upgrades meant the new iPhone SE was coolly received by the masses.
The iPhone SE is in desperate need of a major upgrade, and it looks like it’s getting one in spring 2025.
iPhone SE 4 Release Date: When Will iPhone SE 4 Release?
Apple’s iPhone SE doesn’t follow the same predictable annual release schedule as the standard iPhone lineup, and the intervals between updates can be harder to predict, but they always seem to be released in the spring, in March or April. Here’s when the three models released so far made their debut:
Dominik Tomaszewski
iPhone 4 SE Price: How Much Will the iPhone SE 4 Cost?
Prices have risen steadily across the three existing generations, no doubt influenced by the global cost of components and distribution. While the iPhone SE (3rd generation) was released around the same price as the model it replaced, Apple added a bit to the price, making the current model somewhat less desirable than previous iterations, especially when you factor in the paltry amount of storage space provided with the base model.
At launch, prices were even higher in the UK, but in September 2023, after adjusting for inflation, Apple dropped the price back to match the US price. Apple did the same for prices in euros in September 2024.
This is how they line up:
iPhone SE (3rd generation, 2022):
- 64GB: $429/£429 (was £449 at launch)
- 128GB: $479/£479 (was £499 at launch)
- 256GB: $579/£579 (was £609 at launch)
iPhone SE (2nd generation, 2020):
- 64GB: $399/£419
- 128GB: $449/£469
- 256GB: $549/£569
iPhone SE (1st generation, 2016):
- 32GB: $399/£379
- 128GB: $499/£449
However, the iPhone SE is supposed to be cheap compared to other iPhones, and we’d be surprised to see the price increase too much with the next generation, even with more rumors of upgrades. The latest rumors claim that the 4th generation iPhone SE could start at $499, still far cheaper than any other new iPhone Apple is selling.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that the next model is meant to help Apple compete with low-end Android phones in China, so a low price would be necessary to achieve that plan.
iPhone 4 SE design: What will the next iPhone SE look like?
Is the iPhone SE getting a delayed design refresh? Rumors suggest we could see a move away from the iPhone 8 chassis to something more like modern iPhones with Face ID and a full-screen display.
That could be good or bad news, depending on your point of view. Some people prefer the Home button as a means of interacting with their iPhone, for some older people and those who are less dexterous, having a physical button is helpful.
No Home button probably means a notch – and it’s a notch rather than the dynamic island. In terms of overall appearance, the iPhone SE is likely to resemble the iPhone 14.
A July 2024 rumor suggested that Apple will change course with the iPhone SE 4 and instead use the same body as the iPhone 16, making it a true budget version of the latest iPhone lineup.
If Apple chooses to use the chassis of the iPhone 16 instead of the iPhone 14, it may allow the best alignment of two camera lenses for voice videos for Vision Pro. But that would mean the iPhone SE would have two cameras on the back instead of just one as it currently does. It would also make it difficult to distinguish between the models, pushing some users who might otherwise consider the iPhone 16 to buy the iPhone SE 4 at a lower price.
iPhone SE 4 specs: Will Apple Intelligence be supported?
iPhones this year are all about Apple Intelligence AI features, which first arrived with iOS 18.1 in the fall and will continue to get new features in iOS 18 updates. One of the biggest new features, a massive expansion of Siri capabilities, is set to be released in iOS 18.4 around the same time the iPhone SE 4 would be released.
Processor and RAM: To run Apple Intelligence, an iPhone requires an A17 Pro or A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. There is some expectation that the iPhone SE 4 can meet these requirements. It is common for the iPhone SE to have the same processor as the latest non-Pro iPhone, but skimp on other features to differentiate itself, so we expect the iPhone SE 4 to have the A18 processor.
Aside from the processor and RAM requirements, we may see some other internal changes, including the following:
Modem: The iPhone SE 4 may be the first iPhone to feature Apple’s own 5G modems (codenamed Sinope). It will offer sub-6 support but no mmWave, and lower performance than Qualcomm’s best 5G modems but better power efficiency.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Apple is also switching to its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, codenamed Proxima. Rumor has it that this chip will actually appear first in an updated HomePod mini and Apple TV, but there’s a chance it could be used in the iPhone SE 4.
Storage: With the iPhone 13 series moving to a baseline of 128GB (and the 14 series handsets following suit), it is hoped that the new iPhone SE can do the same, as 64GB is no longer enough for most users, especially as system files takes up more than 10 GB (and you can add a multi-gigabyte Apple Intelligence model to it).
There are no good rumors one way or the other about the minimum storage for the iPhone SE 4, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was 64GB.
USB-C: We expect the iPhone SE 4 to have a USB-C port for charging, as all new iPhones do, and IP68 water resistance. The current SE is one of the last remaining Apple devices that still has a Lightning port.
Camera(s): One of the defining features of the iPhone SE is a single camera on the back. This is unlikely to change, although if the new iPhone SE adopts the chassis from an iPhone 14 or 16, it is possible. The latest rumors suggest a single 48-megapixel camera, which would at least give the iPhone SE 4 a good 2x “optical zoom” mode, using the middle 12MP of the sensor that the iPhone 16 does.
Action button: An alleged leak of an iPhone SE 4 case shows a cutout for the mute switch instead of an action button, and of course there will be no camera control button – if the iPhone SE 4 had these features, there would be little reason for anyone to buy one iPhone 16!
iPhone SE 4: Will the new iPhone SE use Touch ID or Face ID?
The latest rumors say that the new iPhone SE will have Face ID with a notch (not dynamic island) similar to an iPhone 13 or iPhone 14. This means that Touch ID, which has been a staple of the SE line since the debut, will go away.
iPhone history
The iPhone 16 series and iPhone SE 3 are the current generation models available from Apple. In addition to this SE 4 model, we also expect the iPhone 17 to launch in 2025. Below, you can find links below to our reviews of all iPhone models, including the latest generation. Learn about all the new Apple products coming this year and when the next Apple event is. You might also want to check out our advice on when is the best time to buy a new iPhone, our iPhone buying guide and our comparison of every iPhone available to buy today.
- Original iPhone (2007) review
- iPhone 3G (2008) review
- iPhone 3GS (2009) review
- iPhone 4 (2010) review
- iPhone 4s (2011) review
- iPhone 5 (2012) review
- iPhone 5c (2013) review
- iPhone 5s (2013) review
- iPhone 6 (2014) review
- iPhone 6 Plus (2014) review
- iPhone 6s (2015) review
- iPhone 6s Plus (2015) review
- iPhone SE (1st Gen; 2016) Review
- iPhone 7 (2016) review
- iPhone 7 Plus (2016) review
- iPhone 8 (2017) review
- iPhone 8 Plus (2017) review
- iPhone X (2017) review
- iPhone XR (2018) review
- iPhone XS (2018) review
- iPhone XS Max (2018) review
- iPhone 11 (2019) review
- iPhone 11 Pro (2019) review
- iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) review
- iPhone SE (2nd generation; 2020) review
- iPhone 12 (2020) review
- iPhone 12 Mini (2020) review
- iPhone 12 Pro (2020) review
- iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) review
- iPhone 13 (2021) review
- iPhone 13 mini (2021) review
- iPhone 13 Pro (2021) review
- iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) review
- iPhone SE (3rd Gen; 2022) Review
- iPhone 14 (2022) review
- iPhone 14 Plus (2022) review
- iPhone 14 Pro (2022) review
- iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) review
- iPhone 15 (2023) review
- iPhone 15 Plus (2023) review
- iPhone 15 Pro (2023) review
- iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) review
- iPhone 16 & 16 Plus review
- iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max review