Comparing the iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a may feel like a leap of faith, since neither smartphone is expected to arrive until early next year. Still, the upcoming iPhone SE and Pixel A-series models could help redefine what we expect from mid-range smartphones, so the rumored launches of both smartphones have raised some expectations. I can understand why it would cause this.
Pixels are already somewhat capable these days, as Google’s annual upgrades introduce new AI features to a wide range of users who don’t want to pay for Pixel flagships. The current Pixel 8a is a great example, leveraging Google’s Tensor G3 chipset to support many of the same AI features that Google introduced with the Pixel 8 series in 2023. Add to the great cameras that Google packs into its A-series devices, and you can see why the Pixel 8a is considered the best budget phone under $500. We expect the Pixel 9a to build on that momentum when it arrives in 2025.
I wouldn’t make that claim about the current iPhone SE. The iPhone SE hasn’t been updated in two years, and it’s really starting to show its age. However, things could change next year, with the iPhone SE 4 potentially replacing the iPhone SE in 2022. Apple’s cheapest iPhone could potentially include a new design, improved camera, and even support for Apple Intelligence, all of which could make it a stronger competitor to Google’s iPhone. Pixel A series smartphone.
We’ve heard some rumors about the iPhone SE 4, but relatively few rumors about the Pixel 9a. But there’s still plenty of time to get an early look at how the comparison between iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a will settle.
iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a release date and price
Some people expected the iPhone SE 4 to arrive this year, maintaining the two-year upgrade cycle that Apple introduced by launching the iPhone SE 2022 two years after its predecessor. That didn’t happen, and the current consensus is that the iPhone SE 4 will be released next year, with Bloomberg’s Mark Garman citing a possible release date in early 2025. We believe this means March, as Apple traditionally releases models around that time.
After sporadic launch dates during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Google appears to have settled on a release pattern for its A-series phones, with new releases around the Google I/O conference in May. Mobile phones appear as announcements or announcements. Release by phone. For example, the Pixel 8a was announced just before this year’s Google I/O event.
That may change with Pixel 9a. Early rumors suggest that the phone could be launched in March, as Google is considering bringing forward the A-series release schedule. It may be a deliberate move that such a move coincides with the rumored release date of the iPhone SE.
As for pricing, we won’t see any concrete rumors until next year. The iPhone SE currently costs $70 less than the $499 Pixel 8a, but early rumors suggested that the iPhone SE 4 could have a similar price increase to the current Pixel price. As for Google, it kept the Pixel 8a at $499, but raised the prices of other smartphones such as the Pixel 9. It’s unclear whether that cost increase will also affect 9a.
iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a design and display
It’s almost certain that the iPhone SE 4 will debut with a new look. The current SE continues to feature an iPhone 8-style design with a large bezel that houses the Touch ID sensor below the 4.7-inch LCD panel. To say the look is dated is an understatement.
Instead, there are rumors that Apple is looking to the iPhone 14 as design inspiration for the iPhone SE 4. That means the surrounding bezels are less noticeable and the Touch ID sensor replaces Face ID as the unlock method. phone. The rumor states that the iPhone SE 4 will use a notched display as Apple will keep the Dynamic Islands feature exclusive to its flagship phones.
The leaked renders also hint at a new look for the Pixel 9a, although it’s not as radical as the rumored iPhone SE overhaul. Renderings of the upcoming phone show that the camera bar that Google has used since the release of the Pixel 6 is gone, in favor of just a pair of horizontally aligned lenses in a more compact oval arrangement. It’s a look that appears to mimic the more compact camera setup Google used for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
According to Android Headlines, the Pixel 9a is 2mm taller and 1mm wider than the Pixel 8a. It’s unclear if that means any changes to the size of the phone’s display, or if it means Google will once again use a 6.1-inch OLED panel. If the iPhone SE 4 switches to a new design, the screen size will almost certainly change, with most rumors assuming a 6.1-inch screen size.
Another display rumor is that Apple is ditching the LCD panel altogether and using an OLED screen on the iPhone SE 4. This will follow the Pixel A series phones, which also feature OLED panels. However, Google is likely to stick to a 120Hz rate for its mid-range smartphones, so the Pixel 9a should still outperform the iPhone SE 4 when it comes to display refresh rates. Apple is not expected to extend fast-refresh displays beyond iPhone Pro models until the iPhone 17 launches next fall.
The same Android Headlines report claims that the Pixel 9a will launch in Obsidian, Porcelain, Pony, and Iris. These latter two colors are different from the Pixel 8a’s color options. We haven’t heard any rumors about iPhone SE 4 colors yet.
Camera comparison between iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a
Cameras are an important factor in iPhone vs. Pixel comparisons, but we haven’t heard much about Google’s potential Pixel 9a plans at this point in the rumor cycle. The Pixel 8a is largely unchanged from its predecessor, but the lack of hardware improvements didn’t exclude the device from our list of best camera phones. The Pixel 9 introduced a 48MP ultrawide sensor, so such changes could spill over to the next A-series devices as well.
At the moment, the potential camera changes of the iPhone SE 4 are brought into sharper focus. While it’s unlikely that Apple will add a second rear camera to its entry-level phones, one rumor suggests that the only rear camera that Apple introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro, and in recent years also on the iPhone 15. It is said that there is a possibility of adopting an expanded 48MP sensor. If that’s true, you’d imagine the iPhone SE 4 would have nearly 2x optical zoom by cropping full-resolution shots.
The big question surrounding the iPhone SE 4 is whether the model will support night photography — a feature not found in previous SE products. We believe the answer is yes, especially considering the AI-powered features we’ll discuss in a moment.
iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a performance and battery life
If Apple sticks to the pattern of past iPhone SE releases, the iPhone SE 4 will feature the same silicon used in the entry-level flagship model released last fall. The next phone will then use the A18 system-on-chip found in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
This has major implications for iPhone SE 4, some of which are discussed in the next section. In terms of performance, the iPhone 16 consistently outperforms the best Android smartphones in Geekbench 6 tests for overall performance, but falls behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered devices in graphics tests. Nevertheless, you would expect the iPhone SE 4 to perform significantly better than other mid-range devices in its price range. This is because these phones tend to have lower silicon performance.
Google typically uses the silicon it introduced in its flagship Pixel a few months ago, so it’s likely that the Pixel 9a takes the same approach that Apple takes with its midrange devices. . For the Pixel 9a, that means the new Tensor G4 chip. While it’s unlikely to close the performance gap with the iPhone SE 4 and its A18 silicon, it will allow the Pixel 9a to match the AI capabilities found in Google’s current flagships.
Both the A18 and Tensor G4 chipsets have superior power management features, and phones with these new chips last longer than their predecessors in our battery tests. This is especially important for Google’s Pixel phones, which have struggled to keep pace with competitors’ phones. However, all Pixel 9 devices outperform average smartphone performance in battery tests, so we expect big things when the Pixel 9a arrives.
Similarly, both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus lasted longer than their predecessors. The iPhone 16 Plus also features on our list of best cell phone battery life. These all bode well for the iPhone SE 4’s ability to last a long time on a single charge.
There’s another potential hardware change worth mentioning, as the iPhone SE is rumored to include Apple’s first in-house modem. (Currently, Qualcomm supplies modems for Apple’s phones.) Although it seems unlikely that Apple would use its lowest-cost phones to introduce such a critical component. , we’ll see if there’s any basis to that rumor.
AI features on iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a
iPhone SE 4 is configured to use the A18 chipset, so it has on-device power with support for Apple Intelligence features. Bloomberg’s Garman reported that Apple’s new phones should come with Apple Intelligence.
As of this writing, Apple Intelligence has not officially debuted on the iPhone 16 and the two iPhone 15 Pro models that can support it. Instead, the initial features will remain in public beta, with new writing tools, a photo cleanup feature, a redesigned email inbox, and a more advanced Siri assistant all coming as part of the iOS 18.1 update. We expect these features to arrive on the iPhone SE 4, along with additional Apple Intelligence features that Apple will roll out in future updates.
Still, the iPhone SE 4 may still be inferior to the Pixel 9a in terms of AI. In recent years, AI-powered features have become Google’s calling card, even in mid-range phones. Just as past A-series models have inherited features from previous smartphones, the Pixel 9a is expected to offer many of the features currently found in Pixel 9 models.
This includes photo editing tools like Add Me, which lets you seamlessly merge two photos and insert another person into a group shot, and Pixel Studio, which creates images from text prompts. Other Pixel 9 additions likely to be part of the Pixel 9a toolkit include the ability to search content in screenshots, lists created in Google Keep via prompts, and access to the Google Gemini chatbot. access (although free Gemini Advanced access may continue to be limited). Pixel 9 Pro model).
Outlook for iPhone SE 4 and Google Pixel 9a
There’s still a few months left until the rumored early 2025 launch of the iPhone SE 4 and Pixel 9a, so there’s plenty of time for more rumors to surface regarding these upcoming smartphones. Still, it appears that in addition to camera performance, AI capabilities will also be a key area where the two phones can truly differentiate.
Both the iPhone SE 4 and Pixel 9a are expected to have a new look when they launch next year. But it’s the new features that truly determine which mid-range phones are better than others.
