Whether you’re buying your first iPhone or upgrading your current model, the iPhone 16 should be at the top of your list. Apple Intelligence is the reason. It may not be available at this time, or you may not like or want genAI. But Apple Intelligence is here to stay, and it’s only going to get better. I’m sure in the next few years we’ll start using some of it and taking it for granted. That’s why it makes perfect sense to buy one of the four iPhone 16 models, especially if you plan to keep your new iPhone for three to four years.
However, we also know that the iPhone 16 might look boring. And with the cheapest model starting at $799, it may be too expensive for many people. Again, there are alternatives to the iPhone 16 that are much cheaper and can support Apple Intelligence. That is the much-rumored iPhone SE 4, which is expected to be released in the next few months.
Although there is no firm release date yet, we are starting to see more iPhone SE 4 case leaks, suggesting that the product is real and will be released soon.
Leakes said the iPhone SE 4 could be released in early 2025. This timing makes sense for the iPhone SE series, which typically launches in the first half of this year. But Apple may do something different this year and start selling the iPhone SE 4 much earlier than expected. It could be released in January instead of March or April, and that’s an exciting prospect.
By then, Apple will have already released at least two major iOS 18 updates that bring some Apple Intelligence features to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16. Unlike the iPhone 16 series, iPhone SE 4 launches with Apple Intelligence already installed. .
Incidentally, the iPhone SE 4 will reportedly look similar to the iPhone 14, with a notch at the top instead of the pill-shaped dynamic island. But the iPhone 16’s hardware, including the A18 chip and 8GB of RAM, will be rock solid. We’re also hoping the base storage will increase to 128GB, but that’s just wishful thinking for now.
The iPhone SE 4 should have a USB-C port on the bottom instead of Lightning, and a single camera on the back. The latter is a necessary compromise for Apple to keep prices down.
The other compromise concerns the buttons. The phone must have a mute switch instead of an action button. Additionally, camera controls introduced with the iPhone 16 will not be included.
The image above, shared by Apple leaker Sonny Dickson on X, appears to confirm some of the design details of the iPhone SE 4. It features a horizontal camera cutout that accommodates just one rear-facing lens. The case does not have a cutout for the camera control button. However, we would like to point out that not all iPhone 16 cases come with cutouts for the new buttons.
Finally, the alleged iPhone SE 4 case has an opening for a mute switch. At this point, I think Apple will either use both buttons on their cheaper phones, or neither button.
Admittedly, this is all speculation at this point. But we’ve seen this dance before. New cases and screen protectors for unreleased iPhones typically leak months before a product launches. This case is probably accurate. I’d also like to note that Sonny Dickson is mostly right about the Apple leaks.
On a separate note, let me address the elephant in the room. The iPhone SE 4 will look similar to the iPhone 14, so it’s likely that it will support screen protectors made for the latter. However, not all cases at home will fit. Or, if you do, there will be a large cutout on the back that exposes some of the glass. After all, the iPhone 14 has two cameras placed diagonally on the back.
With that in mind, I think the iPhone SE 4 launch should be rapidly approaching. But don’t expect it to hit stores any sooner than early 2025. Apple will likely want to sell more expensive iPhone 16 phones in the Christmas quarter rather than the iPhone SE 4, which is likely to be the best seller, especially at its starting price. Under $550.
