New iPhone SE and iPad 11 Launch Timing Allegedly Revealed by Leaker

[MacRumors]

A new iPhone SE and an iPad 11 might be coming very soon.

In late December, a private account on X with a track record of leaking accurate iOS-related information said devices codenamed "V59" and "J481" will be released alongside iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously reported that "V59" is a new iPhone SE, and that "J481" is a new entry-level iPad.

iOS 15.3, iOS 16.3, and iOS 17.3 were all released in late January over the past three years, so iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 will likely be released later this month if that trend continues. If so, that means the new iPhone SE and iPad 11 could also be released this January, assuming that the leaker is accurate about these releases being coupled.

As requested, we have not linked to the leaker's private account, but they have proven to be a reliable source over the past few years.

All three iPhone SE models released to date were announced in March or April over the years, so a January announcement of an iPhone SE 4 would be earlier than usual. Another rumored name for the device is iPhone 16E.

There is one potential reason why it would make sense for the new iPhone SE to launch this January. Apple recently stopped selling the current iPhone SE with a Lightning port in the EU, due to a USB-C regulation there. The new iPhone SE is expected to have a USB-C port, and by releasing it this month instead of in March or April, Apple would be getting the iPhone SE back on sale in the EU a few months sooner.

The new iPhone SE is said to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14. Rumored features for the device include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a newer A-series chip and 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, and the first Apple-designed 5G modem. It is not entirely clear if the device will have an Action button, which debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Apple announced the current iPhone SE during an online event in March 2022. The device looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. In the U.S., the iPhone SE currently starts at $429, but at least a slight price increase seems probable for the next model.

As for the iPad 11, it has been said that the device should support Apple Intelligence. That means it would have a newer A-series chip compared to the iPad 10, and an increased 8GB of RAM, to power those features. At this point, no major design changes have been rumored for the device. Apple announced the iPad 10 in October 2022.

Gurman recently said new MacBook Air models would be announced before the new iPhone SE and iPad 11, so perhaps the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air will receive their rumored upgrade to the M4 chip this month as well.

Update: In a follow-up social media post, Gurman said these alleged iPhone SE 4 launch details are "completely untrue."

Article Link: New iPhone SE and iPad 11 Launch Timing Allegedly Revealed by Leaker

 

[StuBeck]

I just bought an M3 MBA based on the previous statements that new ones weren't getting released until Q2 at the earliest, so I'm expecting this means M4 MBA's will be released tomorrow.

 

[macaddiict]

I'm holding on to the last shreds of hope this won't have OLED.

Apple's blinking OLED/microLED screens cause me vision problems and make my eyes feel weirdly dry and focusing difficult, so I'm stuck on an SE2 and eventually Android if the entire lineup goes to OLED.

 

[Plutonius]

Good to know.

I plan on getting a new SE 3 before the SE 4 comes out.

The SE 3 is Apples remaining smaller phone.

 

[Slix]

Waiting to see what the new SE is like before I finally decide, but I want to get a new phone eventually to upgrade my SE 2nd gen.

I just realized that if I get a new phone and it has 8GB of RAM in it, I will have nearly tripled my RAM in my iOS device every upgrade with my upgrades over the years. XD

128MB > 256MB > 1GB > 3GB > 8GB(?)
iPod touch 2nd > iPod touch 4th > iPod touch 6th/iPhone 6 > iPhone SE 2nd

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Given that 18.4 won’t be released until April, according to Apple‘s own statements relating to European Apple Intelligence availability, this isn’t saying much.
All this says is that the new SE and iPad 11 will be released around the time that 18.3 is the latest publicly available firmware.
Assuming it actually is released in January, that could mean in January, anytime in February or anytime in March.
Not exactly useful information if you ask me

 

[Godspeed8230]

I guess we shall SEe.

 

[navaira]

I just bought an M3 MBA based on the previous statements that new ones weren't getting released until Q2 at the earliest, so I'm expecting this means M4 MBA's will be released tomorrow.

Can you still return it? If yes, when does your return window close? That will give us the specific date (one day later!)

 

[nathansz]

Rumored features for the device include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a newer A-series chip and 8GB of RAM

This all sounds great, if only it were a little bit smaller.....

 

[poematik13]

Solid phone for $500, it might actually put a dent in the budget android market

 

[JosephAW]

Well if they get rid of the home button the phone it should be smaller, my GF is still using the first generation SE, she doesn’t want anything bigger.
I guess android doesn’t have any small phones 🙄

 

[Spock]

I'm holding on to the last shreds of hope this won't have OLED.

Apple's blinking OLED/microLED screens cause me vision problems and make my eyes feel weirdly dry and focusing difficult, so I'm stuck on an SE2 and eventually Android if the entire lineup goes to OLED.

I think that most decent Android phones are all OLED now.

 

[pappl]

I still hope for a small iPhone SE = iPhone mini format. Our kids all use iPhone minis and SE. They have small hands and this will not change for more years.
There has to be a small iPhone for small hands.
🙌

 

[Kar98]

I wouldn’t mind upgrading my 9th gen iPad to something with USB-C and 🍏I…

 

[klasma]

I just realized that if I get a new phone and it has 8GB of RAM in it, I will have nearly tripled my RAM in my iOS device every upgrade with my upgrades over the years. XD

128MB > 256MB > 1GB > 3GB > 8GB(?)
iPod touch 2nd > iPod touch 4th > iPod touch 6th/iPhone 6 > iPhone SE 2nd

Yeah, I don’t get why people say that Apple is stingy on RAM if you can regularly triple the RAM on each upgrade.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I still hope for a small iPhone SE = iPhone mini format. Our kids all use iPhone minis and SE. They have small hands and this will not change for more years.
There has to be a small iPhone for small hands.
🙌

I unfortunately think you will be left disappointed.
If Apple were returning to the mini size, there would definitely be news about it.
There’s not been any news about it.

 

[klasma]

Given that 18.4 won’t be released until April, according to Apple‘s own statements relating to European Apple Intelligence availability, this isn’t saying much.
All this says is that the new SE and iPad 11 will be released around the time that 18.3 is the latest publicly available firmware.
Assuming it actually is released in January, that could mean in January, anytime in February or anytime in March.
Not exactly useful information if you ask me

The reasoning that currently there’s no SE on the market in the EU does make sense though.

 

[klasma]

I still hope for a small iPhone SE = iPhone mini format. Our kids all use iPhone minis and SE. They have small hands and this will not change for more years.
There has to be a small iPhone for small hands.
🙌

Babies are trained on iPads nowadays, shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[v0lume4]

Well if they get rid of the home button the phone it should be smaller, my GF is still using the first generation SE, she doesn’t want anything bigger.
I guess android doesn’t have any small phones 🙄

Not to my knowledge. :-( The previous gen Asus Zenfone was the smallest that I knew of, and they massacred the Zenfone with the latest generation (it's huge now). Sad.

edit - The SE3 (I own one) is still a solid device and you might could find a lightly used one at a steal.

 

[Devyn89]

Another thing that might contribute to the timing of the SE release in January is Samsung is releasing the S25 series at the end of the month.

 

[brofkand]

Good to know.

I plan on getting a new SE 3 before the SE 4 comes out.

The SE 3 is Apples remaining smaller phone.

The SE 3 will likely remain available for quite a while, particularly through prepaid carriers. If you buy one from a Verizon-owned prepaid carrier like Tracfone, it gets unlocked automatically after 60 days.

 

[brofkand]

Babies are trained on iPads nowadays, shouldn’t be a problem.

Babies are given iPads before they learn to walk it seems, which is horrific.

 

[ellpee]

So why didn’t Gurman’s “sources” know these products were being released in January? Oh that’s right I forgot, he was just speculating like everyone else and hoping he gets it right. Tomorrow Bloomberg will “report” their “sources” confirm what the leaker here is saying

 

[stevemiller]

Whelp I guess I got hosed again with the 8gb ipp, given the only way to upgrade ram was tied to an $800 storage increase, and now it’ll have the memory of a base model iPad less than a year later. (Yes it runs fine now, but I hit the same situation on the ipp 9.7” with kneecapped ram. 2 os updates and it was choppy as hell).

 

[sublunar]

Surely they’d launch the SE4 after the results call on the 30th. The first Tuesday after that is February 4.

And surely it all depends on when that iOS version gets launched too.