iPhone SE 4 to Complete Apple's Switch to OLED Across iPhone Lineup

[Lounge vibes 05]

Are you a potential iPhone SE buyer? If so, I'd understand your comment
But really, I doubt Apple will put the latest processor in the SE as well.

It's what they did in 2016, 2020 and 2022, the last 3 SE's use the processor from the latest flagship iPhones.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

They’re not going to release a better phone than the iPhone 14 at a lower price point.

with one less camera than the 14, likely less 5G bands than the 14, plus the fact that it's expected to be around 100 more than the current SE...

 

[xpxp2002]

This really starts to ask the question: what is the point of the regular iPhone?

Corporate buyers. There are still millions of "company phones" that businesses buy to provide to staffers where they pay for the phone and service, like on-call employees or sometimes just as a company perk.

From the consumer side, the Pro and Pro Max models handily outsell the lesser models each year. But companies generally aren't springing for Pro/Pro Max unless it's for the C-level executives. The base model is a good mid-tier option that isn't "cheaping out" with the SE, but also not hitting four-digit price territory. The base model phones ought to have a little more longevity compared to the SE, too, just by nature of having more modern components.

 

[Filero]

All today smartphones have almost two main cameras. Only a $500 iPhone has one camera. I much prefer dual main cameras and side TouchID than an expensive and useless FaceID. But I understand that making the $1,000+ iPhones far less sexy.

 

[cdsapplefan]

No way Apple releases a iPhone SE 4 in January and have it interfere with holiday sales for the iPhone 16 lineup 📱

They will announce it in March and release it in early April or May by then the iPhone 16 sales would have settled in.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple is not about to sell iPhones 16 with a heavy(!) focus on AI only to put it all on sale in Q1-Q2 2025 with some <$799 iPhone 14 clone while Apple is still pushing heavily for 16 and 16 Pro because of AI. And also offering the non-AI capable 15/15 Plus starting at $699.

Apple has spent too much in r&d on 15 and 16 to cannibalize them with an OP SE 4.

8GB AI SE 4 is not happening.

SE 4 will only access Apple Inteligence with a monthly subscription service or not at all. SE 4 is not going to out-spec iPhones 15/15 Plus on any other spec than SoC.

Giving the buyer OLED, Face ID, USB-C and a bigger. 6.1" display and bigger battery is value enough to sell a new $429-$499 SE 4.

ignoring the fact that Apple's AI runs on the 650 M1 MBA from 4 years ago and the M1 iPad Air that can be found for under $400…
and the $500 Mac Mini…

 

[Ctrlos]

with one less camera than the 14, likely less 5G bands than the 14, plus the fact that it's expected to be around 100 more than the current SE...

Nobody really misses the wide angle camera when panorama is a thing and there cant be anyone ever put off buying a phone because it supported less 5G bands. Even at £500 you'd be allegedly getting AI, more RAM, USB-C and the action button for £100 less than the iPhone 14. No way, Jose.

 

[Ctrlos]

You are disregarding the other expensive components that will be missing from the new SE.
Only one single camera, no Dynamic Island, and my guess is (just like the new iPads) it will have limited 5G bands.
As for the chip, the SE *always* has used the same chip as the newest iPhones, so this is unlikely to change

But we're comparing it to the iPhone 14, its nearest Apple competitor.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The law actually says that smartphones and tablets sold “by the end of 2024” onwards should all be equipped with USB-C ports. So while pre-iPhone 15 models will still work fine and be repaired, technically they can no longer be sold in the EU.

Long-awaited common charger for mobile devices will be a reality in 2024 | News | European Parliament

Following Parliament’s approval, EU consumers will soon be able to use a single charging solution for their electronic devices.

www.europarl.europa.eu

Only applies to phones and tablets that are new 2025 releases.
it does not count for devices already being sold.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Nobody really misses the wide angle camera when panorama is a thing and there cant be anyone ever put off buying a phone because it supported less 5G bands. Even at £500 you'd be allegedly getting AI, more RAM, USB-C and the action button for £100 less than the iPhone 14. No way, Jose.

I think the new SE will be missing satellite messaging, too..

 

[MrCrowbar]

Honestly, all I want at this point is an iPhone 13 mini, lil bit thicker (for battery and minimising the camera bump) and a possibly a zoom lens.

 

[cjsuk]

The differentiation between the base iPhone, the SE and the Pro are getting tighter.

 

[Ctrlos]

Well, the current SE sells for £429 and iPhone 13 - for £599. If you count in all the rumoured SE2025 upgrades over SE2022 (a bigger OLED screen, more RAM = Apple Intelligence), Apple could easily bring the prices to £500-550 zone. People might complain at the beginning and then will still go and buy them. Remember that over the years iPhone prices have been growing steadily and people would just follow, using their carriers subsidies or Apple’s own upgrade programmes when available.

The assumption is that the iPhone 14 will reduce to £599 next week in line with past years. If the rumoured SE above came in at £500 they would never sell any 14 models. For a £99 saving you'd lose the Ultrawide but gain A18, AI, USB-C and the Action Button. Nobody would buy an outdated Lightning model over that. Panorama subs for the UW lens.

Maybe the SE will get a reveal next week and Apple will ditch the 14 as well?

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Nobody really misses the wide angle camera when panorama is a thing and there cant be anyone ever put off buying a phone because it supported less 5G bands. Even at £500 you'd be allegedly getting AI, more RAM, USB-C and the action button for £100 less than the iPhone 14. No way, Jose.

you're acting as if any of these things are exclusively Pro and expensive, which they are not.
AI is coming to every Mac from the last 4 years, no matter if they were $650 or $12000.
AI is also coming to older iPads.
it is clearly not something Apple is restricting to low end devices, and is likely to be included on everything, from SE to Pro Max, going forward.
the action button is just a button, it isn't that special.
more people care that the SE will have a worse camera, a worse battery, less cool color options, no dynamic island.
also, USB-C is not an upsell, it literally has to be on everything new going forward.

 

[Ctrlos]

iPhone 14 is going to be $599 starting next month.

The new SE is bound to be cheaper to produce, because according to rumors it will share the same ‘base’ manufacturing lines along with other iPhones.

They’re also going to skimp on some features, like the removal of cameras.

It’s safe to say that the new SE will retail min. $499, max $599.

Thats my point. $99 less and you gain USB-C, A18, AI and the Action Button. Nobody would be dumb enough to buy the 14.

 

[one more]

Only applies to phones and tablets that are new 2025 releases.
it does not count for devices already being sold.

Incorrect, any smartphone sold in the EU after 28 December 2024 must have a USB-C port:

EU sets December 28th, 2024, deadline for all new phones to use USB-C for wired charging

Say bye to the iPhone’s Lightning port, in the EU at least.

www.theverge.com

This seems to imply they cannot continue selling any Lightening models past that date?

 

[Ctrlos]

you're acting as if any of these things are exclusively Pro and expensive, which they are not.
AI is coming to every Mac from the last 4 years, no matter if they were $650 or $12000.
AI is also coming to older iPads.
it is clearly not something Apple is restricting to low end devices, and is likely to be included on everything, from SE to Pro Max, going forward.
the action button is just a button, it isn't that special.
more people care that the SE will have a worse camera, a worse battery, less cool color options, no dynamic island.
also, USB-C is not an upsell, it literally has to be on everything new going forward.

Perhaps I'm not being clear in my assertions. Lets break it down:

A £$500 SE4 gets you: iPhone 14-esque design, no UW camera (replacable by Panorama), the more ubiquitous USB-C, AI, A18, The Action button. This is a great deal.

A £$600 iPhone 14 gets you: slower processor, no AI, outdated Lightning and an extra camera.

Why would anybody buy the iPhone 14 when the SE4 is on paper a much better phone for £$100 less??

My point was the rumours are surely nonsense. Apple isn't going to willingly undersell their own model. There has to be an upgrade path. Either the 14 will go in the bin with the 13 next week or the SE4 will be a single camera USB-C iPhone 14 for £$450-500

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Thats my point. $99 less and you gain USB-C, A18, AI and the Action Button. Nobody would be dumb enough to buy the 14.

this has always been the case with the SE line.
It always has used the same chip as that years flagship, it usually receives the same feature set as that years base, going all the way back to 2016 when the first SE was sold alongside the 6 and 6S and was better than the 6 in pretty much every way, even though it was less expensive.

 

[gphome]

Thats my point. $99 less and you gain USB-C, A18, AI and the Action Button. Nobody would be dumb enough to buy the 14.

I agree, I think the 8GB ram requirement for AI, and the plateauing of primary camera performance, is going to make the SE4 a REALLY strong option now it will have Face ID and a OLED screen.

I think that's why they gave the base iPhone the new capture button, to make it stand out from the SE4. That would have 100% been a Pro only feature normally

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Incorrect, any smartphone sold in the EU after 28 December 2024 must have a USB-C port:

EU sets December 28th, 2024, deadline for all new phones to use USB-C for wired charging

Say bye to the iPhone’s Lightning port, in the EU at least.

www.theverge.com

it is literally in the headline.
"New" phones.
not current phones already on the market in the EU.
just new phones.
only new phones.as in, phones introduced after Dec 28. not phones from before, but after.

 

[cicalinarrot]

If it doesn't have the dumb gimmick island, I can't buy it.
Basically, you have to pay more to unlock some software that makes notifications finally acceptable.

 

[Ctrlos]

I agree, I think the 8GB ram requirement for AI, and the plateauing of primary camera performance, is going to make the SE4 a REALLY strong option now it will have Face ID and a OLED screen.

I think that's why they gave the base iPhone the new capture button, to make it stand out from the SE4. That would have 100% been a Pro only feature normally

Especially as it will have the same power as the 15 Pro Max too.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Hard to make a definitive statement about it, because basically since 2007 Apple has always continued selling previous gen models.

That said, the article makes sense and based on all the rumours surrounding iPhone 16 and iPhone SE 4, it wouldn’t be surprising.

The iPhone SE 4 is also rumoured to use the same chassis as the iPhone 16. Right now, Apple has to maintain a lot of different production lines (iPhone 8-line, iPhone 12-line, iPhone 13/14-line and iPhone 15-line).

If they go ‘exclusively’ with 16 chassis, they can drop all these lines which will save a lot of money. In addition, now there’s a wide range of A- and M-chips still across a wide array of products. They can basically shut down all pre-A18 chip productions if they move the new base iPad 11, iPhone 16 and iPhone SE 4 to A18.

Initially, that might be more expensive, but maybe the cost per unit is actually cheaper: they can place one big order for just the A18 chip (plus maybe some small variants), instead of a smaller A18 order + A17 Pro order + A16 order + A15 order + A14 order (which they are doing today with their current line-up).

Regardless, even if they keep the iPhone 15, they can drop all those other older lines as well.

Again, I think they’re moving to the ‘iPad strategy’ as that’s been a commercially more succesful strategy where people tend to choose for a more expensive model.

Budget, ‘Air’, ‘Pro’. = SE4, 16, 16 Pro.
And maybe keep the iPhone 15 around unofficially, through carriers and third party retailers.

SE4 will use the iPhone 14 chassis.. iPhone 16 will be 6.3", SE4 will be 6.06" or 6.1".

 

[Populus]

Either the 14 will go in the bin with the 13 next week or the SE4 will be a single camera USB-C iPhone 14 for £$450-500

The SE 4 will likely be an iPhone 16 with a single camera, the iPhone 14 body, and without the capture button. And yeah, Apple will probably stop selling the 13 and 14 series altogether, along with the great SE 3.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

erhaps I'm not being clear in my assertions. Lets break it down:

A £$500 SE4 gets you: iPhone 14-esque design, no UW camera (replacable by Panorama), the more ubiquitous USB-C, AI, A18, The Action button. This is a great deal.

A £$600 iPhone 14 gets you: slower processor, no AI, outdated Lightning and an extra camera.

Why would anybody buy the iPhone 14 when the SE4 is on paper a much better phone for £$100 less??

My point was the rumours are surely nonsense. Apple isn't going to willingly undersell their own model. There has to be an upgrade path. Either the 14 will go in the bin with the 13 next week or the SE4 will be a single camera USB-C iPhone 14 for £$450-500

you are deliberately ignoring history.
yes, the new SE, and this goes for 2016, 2020, 2022 and 2025, is usually a better value than the older phones Apple keeps around.
the first SE from 2016 was less expensive than the iPhone 6 from 2014, but it had a newer processor, an extra GB of RAM, 4K recording compared to the 6 which could only do 1080P, and received updates from iOS 9 to 15, while the 6 only went from 8 to 12.
the first SE was better and more up to date... and was also $100 less.
Same in 2020, the SE2 was only $399 while the XR was $599, but the SE had a newer chip, night mode in the camera, and other internal improvements it's more expensive brother in the XR did not.

so this shouldn't be that unbelievable.