iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

[Reason077]

The SE 4 won't have an "always on" screen

That sounds like a terrible feature that I'd turn off anyway.

The screen won't be as bright, perhaps, and an Apple Cellular/Mobile chip.

Yes it will certainly have a different screen. But oooh, Apple cellular chip, finally?! That will be very interesting and will be a significant production cost saving for Apple. Will be very interesting to see how it performs.

 

[Reason077]

I don’t think there will be an SE at all. The regular iPhone (non pro) already uses last year’s tech. The only SE that makes sense would be 6s or 11.

It makes sense if Apple can make a new model that costs them less to produce, by sharing more parts with other mass-produced models (economies of scale) and switching to new, lower-cost parts like the rumored Apple cellular chip.

 

[one more]

This is the one variable that isn't discussed too much. If the iPhone 13 128Gb currently retails at $599 on the Apple website, we can expect the 14 to drop into that price point after the 16 drops.

If the SE4 basically does everything the 14 does but with a faster A18 CPU then why not sell it for the same $599 in March 2025 while discontinuing the 14 half way through its final year as an official Apple SKU?

But that kind of move leaves the iPhone 15 as the red headed stepchild in the middle of the range with an A16, unable to access Apple Intelligence although it would have a U2 chip for precision device location while the SE4 might not have U2, or even U1.

It would make things neater if Apple were planning to update the entire lineup with a 14SE and 15SE, everything stays the same but it's got an A18 CPU with suitable binning - eg, lose a GPU for 15SE, and down clock with U1 chip on top for 14SE.

And they keep making the SE 2022 for another year until the 14SE just drops down into its spot next year. 🙂

Or it could get even more radical, with Apple dropping everything, except iPhone 16, iPhone 15 and this new SE2025?

 

[The Game 161]

The perfect second phone for most of us.

why would you need two iPhones?

 

[deevey]

I’m all for a new mini.

But with all(!) rumors pointing towards some kind of 6.1” iPhone 14 or iPhone 16 rehash, why is anyone holding out hope for a new <6.1” iPhone?

We’re even seeing rumors of Apple adding a few half or while inches to the standard and Pro iPhones.

Doesn’t that indicate that Apple is seeing more consumers wanting larger iPhones over smaller ones?

Sure, there’s a very vocal demand for a new mini, or mini Pro on Reddit and here.

But I don’t see this reflected in what people in the real World are running around with.

Conversely, browsing second hand shops and sites like eBay, I’ve been seeing tons of minis collecting dust as their owners upgraded to something bigger, and nobody seems to want to buy one altogether, new or second hand.

Many people bought the SE because it was

a) Cheap
b) Touch ID
c) Extremely Pocketable and as close to the size of their 5/6/7 as possible.
d) Can run all up-to-date apps.

Lots of folk I know are blown away with the compact size of the mini and the fact it's a full featured phone when they see mine. Some were unaware of its existence and others had never seen one except in name (even iPhone owners) as:

a) the company they work for bought it
b) it was not shown to them at time of purchases.
c) No difference in price on contract price between the "Bigger" phone (which is obviously better).

 

[deevey]

Well, for one thing, the SE 4 will have fewer CPU & GPU cores than the iPhone 16, much like MacBook & iPad Airs are downmarket.

Why would it? Historically the SE has not had reduced performance vs current models, just reduced features.

 

[boak]

Why would it? Historically the SE has not had reduced performance vs current models, just reduced features.

It will happen. Just look at iPhone 13 vs 13 Pro. Apple will make use of chip binning, given recent history.

 

[sublunar]

Why would it? Historically the SE has not had reduced performance vs current models, just reduced features.

Valid point historically but we are trying to rationalise why an SE4 with eye catching 6.1” screen and potentially Face ID would not steal sales from an iPhone 16.

however, there is recent precedent in binning between iPhone 13 and 15. Use of previous generation CPUs with extra core for pro models which get rolled down to next generation non pro.

The iPad mini 6 uses a lower clocked A15 than in standard iPhones.

It’s known that A17pro has yield issues in part behind the relative high price of the cpu, it’s not known if this affects supply but I think we would have heard if there were issues getting enough 15 Pros built.

And with A18 being built on a similar 3nm process it would stand to reason that Apple may be able to make use of those CPUs that can’t sustain high enough clock speed or have a failed gpu - they will have enough data from the A17pro experience to see if this is viable.

With enough data apple could then deliberately use fully working A18 CPUs and clock them down or deactivate a gpu core to meet demand.

They would have maybe 6 months lead time to build a stockpile of usable CPUs from the ones that don’t make the grades and if A18 yields are good then no harm in neutering good ones to fit demand for lower iPhone models.

 

[Cirillo Gherardo]

But yet Apple does, selling the same phone for what, the 5th year running - except with a bigger notch. Okay.

What amazes me is, you're free to post this nonsense flame baiting crap on this site to your hearts content and won't get banned. But if someone were to rise to the bait to point what you are, they'd be instantly banned. This site has MAJOR content moderation problems.

 

[Dark_Omen]

Apple should bring back a fingerprint reader on the iPhone. The fingerprint reader can be under the display or imbedded within a button on the side, similar to what the iPad Air has on it.

Face ID is annoying to say the least. There should be a choice between the two.

 

[mikeschr]

I think the best way to delineate between this and a 16 (aside from launching probably 6 months later) is putting TouchID on the power button and doing without FaceID.

It will have cost Apple potentially more to put TouchID on the iPad Mini 6 (or iPad Air 4) power button rather than just put a FaceID module in it but a 6.1" SE priced phone might even get Android folks to switch.

That way it's a massive upgrade for previous SE owners and non FaceID phone owners (Xs Xr and prior) but anyone who has an iPhone 11 and up (with FaceID) would have to go to a 15 or 16 to keep FaceID.

I doubt most consumers will care too much about the CPU (look at the last 2 generations of iPhone using 'old' CPUs) - they WILL notice screen size and, secondarily, TouchID or FaceID. They may also take note of the potential of Apple re-using iPhone 14 or 15 cameras with the SE4 - if the 15 is continuing to be on sale we could see Apple re-using the 14 cameras if they plans to do dual cameras just so the comparison tables will have something to compare side by side in ladder upgrades.

The difference here is that A16 can't do Apple Intelligence, A17Pro costs too much to make (especially for a cheap phone), while A18 can do Apple Intelligence and Apple could get cost effectiveness from economies of scale and using binned A18s with deactivated cores or down clocked.

I find TouchID so much more convenient than FaceID, this would make it almost automatic that I would switch.

 

[gavroche]

I wouldn't call it pent up demand (for this rumoured design) when the only similarities are price point and name. Big, cheap phone will sell well, but anyone looking for a refresh of their small phone will have zero options from Apple.

I just ordered an SE 3 (half off from t-mobile) because I love its form factor, and it’s becoming quite clear that the 4 will be similar in name only. Sad. It’s like the iPad mini update I gave up waiting on.

 

[brofkand]

What amazes me is, you're free to post this nonsense flame baiting crap on this site to your hearts content and won't get banned. But if someone were to rise to the bait to point what you are, they'd be instantly banned. This site has MAJOR content moderation problems.

Okay, you tell me. The average user has an iPhone 11 Pro Max and is going to upgrade to the 16 Pro Max this fall. What will they notice is different, besides the huge notch?

 

[lazyrighteye]

I never had an opportunity to try the Touch Bar, but I thought it was a good idea and was frustrated they didn't roll it out as an option for desktop keyboards.

Touch Bar was Apple's toe-dip effort to ease their massive user base in to an eventual all-glass MacBook. Somehow, we couldn't even handle the crazy concept of brining actual functionality to Function keys. 🙄

 

[paradox00]

There's pent-up demand for a small phone. I just lost my iPhone 13 mini in the ocean. Instead of buying a new iPhone from Apple like I normally would in this case, I'm going to used electronics shops to find another 13 mini.

I know someone who did the same. Not sure what I'll do when my 13 mini kicks the bucket.

 

[The1Biz]

I know someone who did the same. Not sure what I'll do when my 13 mini kicks the bucket.

Same here. I don't want a big phone, or AI, or a Pro camera.

Just give me a small, usable phone with a browser.

I'm using it until it's dead. After that, I hate Google and I'm not liking where Apple is going. Graphene OS? Lineage?

Or I give up smartphones and go with a Nokie feature phone.

 

[Atog]

Lots of folk I know are blown away with the compact size of the mini and the fact it's a full featured phone when they see mine.

Yes but only on Forums. Irl mini phones proved to no be a good selling phones. I used to have mini 12 and 13 and now I’m using 14pro and would not go back to mini. It feel too tiny even though I’m not tiktok user still glued to my phone and I use phone mainly as a pda+phone thing.

 

[ghanwani]

Same here. I don't want a big phone, or AI, or a Pro camera.

Just give me a small, usable phone with a browser.

I'm using it until it's dead. After that, I hate Google and I'm not liking where Apple is going. Graphene OS? Lineage?

Or I give up smartphones and go with a Nokie feature phone.

The problem with anything that is not iOS or Android is finding apps. I could probably make do with a clunky web interface for many things (e.g. proton drive, Yelp), but I am dependent on WhatsApp for connecting with friends and relatives all over the world. I don’t have a problem paying for a world plan but the other party would have trouble reaching me. Also in many, dare I say most, cases WhatsApp audio connection is better than phone system, and WhatsApp txt is way more versatile than SMS txt.

 

[deevey]

Yes but only on Forums. Irl mini phones proved to no be a good selling phones. I used to have mini 12 and 13 and now I’m using 14pro and would not go back to mini. It feel too tiny even though I’m not tiktok user still glued to my phone and I use phone mainly as a pda+phone thing.

And yet it's got a far bigger screen than the current SE that people currently buy. It would fill two markets (small/cheap) rather than cannibalizing sales by going big & cheap.