If you’ve been hesitant to upgrade your technology due to the iPhone 16’s shocking price tag, we finally have some good news.
Leaked images suggest that Apple’s new low-cost iPhone SE 4 could be on the way soon.
Images shared online show the first case designed for the wallet-friendly smartphone and hint at some major design changes.
If the rumors are true, the next-generation iPhone SE could arrive early next year, priced around £419 ($429 US).
However, leaks suggest that the lower-end iPhone will not be upgraded with action buttons or the new camera controls from the iPhone 16 Pro.
A leaked image shows the case for the upcoming iPhone SE 4. Apple’s next line of “low-cost” smartphones could arrive as early as next year
This leak was shared by Sony Dixon, a well-established and usually reliable Apple tipster.
The photo shows a plain black case with “Apple iPhone SE 4 Full Matte Black” written in Chinese.
Case designs are often leaked before the launch of new phones, as manufacturers are provided with initial size and shape specifications.
If these images are correct, they suggest that the SE 4 won’t deviate too much from the SE 3’s design.
This case suggests that the rear camera bump is the same size and in the same position as the previous model.
iPhone SE 3 (pictured) will be available in 2022 starting at £419 ($429 US) and available in a wide range of colors.
Similarly, the cutouts for the mute switch and charging port are in the same location as the raised areas for the volume and power buttons.
Leaked images suggest that the iPhone SE 4 will likely miss out on some of Apple’s biggest design changes.
iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models feature an “action button” in place of the traditional mute switch.
This is a customizable button that can be programmed to activate several different shortcuts.
On Apple’s official case, this button is covered by a raised bump like the one above the volume button, rather than a cutout section.
The lack of a raised bump suggests that the iPhone SE 4 will likely retain the mute switch above the new action button.
Similarly, the leaked images do not show the cutout that allows access to the “camera controls” found on the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Unlike the official iPhone 16 case (pictured), these leaked cases don’t have the raised “action button” bump that every iPhone has had since the iPhone 15. This suggests that the old mute switch is likely still in place
The case also lacks a cutout to access the “camera controls” added to the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max (pictured)
Rather, previous leaks suggest that the biggest update to the iPhone SE 4 will be screen changes.
Released in March 2022, the SE 3 was one of the last iPhones to feature a home button at the bottom of the screen.
However, the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to be the first in the series to do away with Touch ID and the home button in favor of Face ID.
That would make the iPhone SE 4 much more similar to the iPhone 14 with a notch at the top of the screen to house the front-facing camera.
It’s also certain that the SE 4 will feature a USB-C charging port, which is present on all iPhone 15 models and later, rather than the lighting charger currently used on the SE 3.
Further leaked designs suggest that the new phone will feature a 6.1-inch display, which is significantly larger than the iPhone SE 3’s 4.7-inch display.
Previous leaks (pictured) suggest that the iPhone SE 4 will have a 6.1-inch display, a USB-C charging port, and a single primary camera on the back.
These leaked renders suggest that, like more recent models, the iPhone SE 4 will ditch the home button and Touch ID in favor of Face ID.
However, it’s unclear whether this next generation of budget smartphones will benefit from Apple’s biggest recent change: Apple Intelligence.
This suite of AI products was scheduled to arrive with the launch of iPhone 16 earlier this year, but customers are still waiting for most of the flagship features.
It has been suggested that the iPhone SE 4 will have 8GB of RAM and Apple’s A18 chip, which could handle AI tasks.
However, we will have to wait and see if this phone is compatible with the Apple Intelligence feature.
Of course, the most important detail of a “budget” iPhone is the price.
The iPhone SE 3 had a starting price of £419 ($429 US price), which, while not cheap, was significantly cheaper than many smartphones on the market.
The iPhone SE 4 will almost certainly switch from the Apple Lighting Cable charger (left) to the USB-C charger (right) that has been standard on iPhone models starting with iPhone 15 (stock image)
Even with the most expensive hardware, the SE 3 can cost up to £579.
For comparison, the cheapest model of the Google Pixel 9 starts at £799 (US price $799).
Apple has not yet announced SE 4 pricing, but analysts have suggested the launch price could remain close to SE 3 pricing.
The iPhone SE 4 will then be the only iPhone available for under £500.
Apple may announce a new iPhone SE model at a spring event rumored to be on or around March 8th.
However, Apple fans will have to wait a little longer to know more as nothing has been confirmed yet.
MailOnline has contacted Apple for comment.
