Now that the iPhone 16 lineup has been released to customers, you may be thinking about the next iPhone. But it’s not the iPhone 17, and it’s not even a year away…
Barring any delays, the next iPhone should actually be the iPhone SE 4. This iPhone is scheduled to be released next spring, so there are about six months left until it arrives. This is the first update to the iPhone SE in three years, and perhaps the biggest improvement since the iPhone SE’s launch.
New design, better display
Apple has been particular about the design of the iPhone 8 since the iPhone SE 2 in 2020. Its design still features a 4.7-inch LCD display, rounded edges, and a home button. However, the next iPhone SE should break away from that situation…
Instead, we’re expecting a design similar to the iPhone 14, with a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, flat-edge design, Face ID, and a smaller notch at the time. However, it is expected to have a single camera instead of the iPhone 14’s dual camera.
Display analyst Ross Young says the iPhone SE 4 should share the same 6.1-inch OLED panel as the iPhone 14, supplied by both BOE and LG Display.
USB-C
Unlike the iPhone 14 and the current iPhone SE, Apple is expected to ditch the Lightning connector with the iPhone SE 4.
This is primarily due to EU regulations that require all devices with charging ports to switch to a unified connector (USB-C).
Apple transitioned to USB-C with its iPhone 15 lineup last year, and the upcoming iPhone SE will be the last iPhone to make the transition. If you purchase an iPhone SE, you’ll soon be able to charge your phone using the same cable you use for your iPad or laptop.
better camera
Apple’s next iPhone SE will likely feature the same 48MP rear sensor as the iPhone 15, a big step up from the iPhone 8’s 12MP sensor in the iPhone SE 3.
The iPhone SE 4 will likely share the same 12MP selfie camera as the iPhone 15, which is an even bigger step up from the iPhone SE 3’s 7MP selfie camera.
apple intelligence
According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Garman, the next iPhone SE will likely support Apple Intelligence and be equipped with an A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. This is a little surprising, but it seems like Apple wants to make Apple Intelligence available to as many people as possible, even on the cheapest new iPhone.
As a reminder, Apple Intelligence introduces a ton of new features, including writing tools, photo cleanup, source characters, image playgrounds, notification summaries, and all-new Siri.
Apple’s first modem
The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to include the first in-house modem that Apple has been working on for years. Apple acquired Intel’s old modem business in 2019 with the aim of developing its own modem and moving away from Qualcomm.
We exclusively reported earlier this week 9to5 mac Apple plans to ship its first in-house 5G modem, codenamed Centauri, in the iPhone SE 4. This modem also handles Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.
Qualcomm’s 5G modem is one of the most expensive components in the iPhone, so it’s no surprise that Apple is trying to move away from modems. This could be one of the main factors behind the iPhone SE 4’s very low starting price, despite being the very latest iPhone.
iPhone SE price
According to rumors, the next-generation iPhone SE could be more expensive and cost $499. But considering the fact that this is a very modern iPhone for under $500, it’s still a pretty decent price.
Apple currently sells the iPhone 14 for $599, so the fact that you can get its latest version for even less would be quite a bargain. Apple will likely discontinue the iPhone 14 after the release of the next iPhone SE, and the iPhone lineup could look like this:
- iPhone SE: $499
- iPhone 15: $699
- iPhone 15 Plus: $799
- iPhone 16: $799
- iPhone 16 Plus: $899
- iPhone 16 Pro: $999
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: $1199
This will be a fairly unified iPhone lineup with USB-C on every iPhone. It would certainly be a little strange if the cheaper iPhone SE had Apple Intelligence support while the more expensive iPhone 15 didn’t. So I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple discontinued that phone.
Are you excited about the next-generation iPhone SE? Let us know in the comments.
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