Three Biggest Questions About the iPhone SE 4

[MacRumors]

While we already have some clear indications about what to expect from the fourth-generation iPhone SE, there are three major questions looming over the device at the current time.

Chinese site MyDrivers and and leaker Jon Prosser believe that the iPhone SE is set to move to an iPhone XR-like design in its next incarnation, which would involve eliminating the Home button and adding a "notch" cutout at the top of the display. The change seems likely since Apple's "SE" products have always used the designs of older devices.

The iPhone SE is likely to launch after the release of 2023's iPhone 15 lineup. The two standard iPhone 15 models are expected to feature the A16 Bionic chip from this year's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, so it seems plausible that the iPhone SE could also get this chip – especially since the current iPhone SE already contains the A15 Bionic chip.

The device is not expected to launch until 2024, and insightful display analyst Ross Young recently said that Apple is mulling over multiple decisions related to the next-generation iPhone SE.

Display Size

According to Young, Apple is considering displays between 5.7-inches and 6.1-inches in size from two different suppliers for the fourth-generation iPhone SE. It is worth noting that the iPhone XR, the device that the next-generation iPhone SE is purportedly based on, featured a 6.1-inch display. Moreover, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said that Apple was working on an iPhone SE with this exact display size.

Fourth-generation iPhone SE concept render by Ian Zelbo based on purported leaked information​

Both the 5.7- and 6.1-inch display sizes have been rumored in the past, and Apple not yet making a final decision explains why we continue to hear about two different panel sizes.

Display Technology: LCD or OLED?

In his most recent report on the matter, Young said that the 5.7- to 6.1-inch displays being considered by Apple feature LCD technology, just like the current iPhone SE, but the company is also weighing up simply opting for a 6.1-inch OLED display, the likes of which have been offered on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13.

Fourth-generation iPhone SE concept render by Ian Zelbo based on purported leaked information​

The iPhone X launched in 2017 as the first OLED iPhone, and ever since the launch of the iPhone 12 in 2020, all of Apple's main iPhone models feature OLED displays. OLED display technology is more expensive than LCD, but it delivers better efficiency, "true" blacks, high contrast, and high dynamic range. It is possible that OLED panels have come down in price sufficiently for Apple to use them for the iPhone SE, which is positioned as an entry-level device, especially as it is not set to launch for over a year.

Touch ID or Face ID?

In moving to an all-screen design like the iPhone XR, there would presumably no longer be space for a capacitive Touch ID Home button in the iPhone SE's bottom bezel, so Apple seemingly has no choice but to offer a Touch ID Side button, under-display Touch ID technology, or Face ID.

The Touch ID button on the iPad Air​

Multiple reports, including information from MyDrivers and Ming-Chi Kuo, suggest that Apple is planning to add a Touch ID Side button to the iPhone SE. The latest iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini models feature Touch ID integrated into their Top buttons, but no iPhones offer this functionality yet. As Apple's cheapest iPhone offering and to keep costs down, the iPhone SE has never had Face ID technology, sticking with a capacitive Touch ID Home button like older iPhone models. As such, it would make sense for the iPhone SE to be the first iPhone model to gain the newer Side button-style Touch ID implementation.

Since, according to Young, the iPhone SE is expected to feature a notch at the top of the display, it is also possible that it could bypass Touch ID and adopt Face ID instead. In 2024, Face ID will be seven years old, meaning that enough time may have passed to justify tricking the technology down to an entry-level device. Since not even flagship iPhone models offer under-display Touch ID technology as yet, this seems like the most unlikely option for Apple to introduce to its cheapest iPhone model. The authentication technology Apple will choose for the fourth-generation iPhone SE may become clearer if more information about the device emerges in the coming months.

Article Link: Three Biggest Questions About the iPhone SE 4

 

[Pearple]

This is ridiculous.

I am still waiting for a new iPhone mini and my hopes of a new mini SE are now gone. Why doesn't Apple give us a choice? Why do we get offered 10 different models in phablet size and not a singe small one, that can conveniently be operated by one hand?

And if people say, "not enough sales" or "I don't want one", then I just simply do not care about your nonsense. The first mini sold like hot cakes, but people buy the mini because they have other things in life going on so they don't replace the phone every year. And if you don't want a small phone, FINE, you have already enough options to choose from. Why not giving millions of customers the CHOICE of having a small one?

 

[stinkhorn9]

This is ridiculous.

I am still waiting for a new iPhone mini and my hopes of a new mini SE are now gone. Why doesn't Apple give us a choice? Why do we get offered 10 different models in phablet size and not a singe small one, that can conveniently be operated by one hand?

And if people say, "not enough sales" or "I don't want one", then I just simply do not care about your nonsense. The first mini sold like hot cakes, but people buy the mini because they have other things in life going on so they don't replace the phone every year. And if you don't want a small phone, FINE, you have already enough options to choose from. Why not giving millions of customers the CHOICE of having a small one?

I find my SE acceptable in terms of size - but only because you can double-tap the home button and bring everything within reach in order to continue to use the thing one-handedly. Anything bigger than that? Nah. The Mini already removes that function, I believe, and is no smaller. *Sigh*

 

[maerz001]

What about a SE mini ?

 

[sorgo †]

This is ridiculous.

I am still waiting for a new iPhone mini and my hopes of a new mini SE are now gone. Why doesn't Apple give us a choice? Why do we get offered 10 different models in phablet size and not a singe small one, that can conveniently be operated by one hand?

And if people say, "not enough sales" or "I don't want one", then I just simply do not care about your nonsense. The first mini sold like hot cakes, but people buy the mini because they have other things in life going on so they don't replace the phone every year. And if you don't want a small phone, FINE, you have already enough options to choose from. Why not giving millions of customers the CHOICE of having a small one?

I’m sure it isn’t helpful to you but I love my 13 mini Fingers crossed there is a third mini model sometime within the next five years

But for reals, both the 13 mini and SE 2022 are excellent little devices each with its own strengths—you can’t go wrong between them. And both, having the A15, should be performant for years to come.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I have a feeling the SE model will represent the iPhone Mini factor in 2023.

 

[user1234]

Please Apple go LCD. All of us who can't use OLED without eyestrain, headaches and migraines will need something to upgrade to from our iPhone 11 before software support is dropped.

 

[Sebosz]

This is ridiculous.

I am still waiting for a new iPhone mini and my hopes of a new mini SE are now gone. Why doesn't Apple give us a choice? Why do we get offered 10 different models in phablet size and not a singe small one, that can conveniently be operated by one hand?

And if people say, "not enough sales" or "I don't want one", then I just simply do not care about your nonsense. The first mini sold like hot cakes, but people buy the mini because they have other things in life going on so they don't replace the phone every year. And if you don't want a small phone, FINE, you have already enough options to choose from. Why not giving millions of customers the CHOICE of having a small one?

Why are you waiting for a new mini? What’s wrong with the current one (13 mini)?

 

[sdragon]

I keep waiting for them to bring the touchID power button from my iPad to an iPhone... c'mon already...

 

[Wiesławo]

Until the release of SE4, all new models will not have a notch, but an island. The technology is one thing, but what really sets the SE apart (and affects the price) is the visual language. SE, regardless of the technology, will receive the old design. The iPad Air received a new, almost twin to the iPad Pro, so differentiation through TouchID was crucial. It will be a coin toss.

I do not believe in OLED and 5.7 ". XR is the perfect model for adaptation. A single camera, not as sexy as the X / XS body. 5.7 "in the XR housing would mean monstrously large frames and senseless costs. It's better to give a cheap, already developed LCD, a new processor, a single eye camera and you can sell.

 

[AndiG]

An iPhone with TouchID would be awesome and people would queue up to get one - so Apple won’t create one. It would eat up the other iPhone sales.
But basically the iPhone SE will use older and already existing technology. The iPhone SE isn’t made to test new tech. So it‘ll have FaceID and a notch.

 

[MichaelQ]

Nah. Everything you wrote here is wrong.

iPhone SE4 will be same as this one, updated chip, with USB C.

It’ll sell a shirt load.

 

[Schnegg]

Don't just sell phablets. Bring back the product grid. Sell the older generations to hit lower price points or make an unapologetically plastic SE if you have to.

	Consumer​	Pro​
Small	iPhone Mini	iPhone Pro Mini
Medium	iPhone	iPhone Pro
Large	iPhone Max	iPhone Pro Ultra Mega Max Bionic

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

This is ridiculous.

I am still waiting for a new iPhone mini and my hopes of a new mini SE are now gone. Why doesn't Apple give us a choice? Why do we get offered 10 different models in phablet size and not a singe small one, that can conveniently be operated by one hand?

And if people say, "not enough sales" or "I don't want one", then I just simply do not care about your nonsense. The first mini sold like hot cakes, but people buy the mini because they have other things in life going on so they don't replace the phone every year. And if you don't want a small phone, FINE, you have already enough options to choose from. Why not giving millions of customers the CHOICE of having a small one?

No for-profit company cares about giving consumers choices unless it aligns with increased profits:

Apple has split its former one-iPhone fits-everyone smartphone into a “value ladder” of products that both serve to offer something for different wallets but also, more importantly, works to incentivize consumers to buy more due to how brazenly low value the budget and mid tier options are compared to the high end ones.

The product you’re suggesting is absolutely possible. But it would break the value ladder due to the combo of high and low end specs and pricing.

Apple won’t do it.

If Apple did what you suggest then it would be going against its primary goal for SEs, balancing profits with just enough value to have consumers still buying.

An XR/11 SE4 upgraded to the latest SoC and not a lot of other upgrades besides 5G and better wireless fits the SE formula.

 

[Unami]

Really, I don't care about faceID or touchID or OLED or LCD. Imho it should be pocketable, useable with one hand and affordable.

They better have something cheaper than the current SE for people to buy in the upcoming economical low.

 

[danny842003]

No for-profit company cares about giving consumers choices unless it aligns with increased profits:

Apple has split its former one-iPhone fits-everyone smartphone into a “value ladder” of products that both serve to offer something for different wallets but also, more importantly, works to incentivize consumers to buy more due to how brazenly low value the budget and mid tier options are compared to the high end ones.

The product you’re suggesting is absolutely possible. But it would break the value ladder due to the combo of high and low end specs and pricing.

Apple won’t do it.

If Apple did what you suggest then it would be going against its primary goal for SEs, balancing profits with just enough value to have consumers still buying.

An XR/11 SE4 upgraded to the latest SoC and not a lot of other upgrades besides 5G and better wireless fits the SE formula.

I just disagree that the mode tier is low value. I’ve not been able to justify the top tier since the 8 came out.
I have the money I’ve just never found it an enticing proposition.

 

[joehohoho]

This is ridiculous.

I am still waiting for a new iPhone mini and my hopes of a new mini SE are now gone. Why doesn't Apple give us a choice? Why do we get offered 10 different models in phablet size and not a singe small one, that can conveniently be operated by one hand?

And if people say, "not enough sales" or "I don't want one", then I just simply do not care about your nonsense. The first mini sold like hot cakes, but people buy the mini because they have other things in life going on so they don't replace the phone every year. And if you don't want a small phone, FINE, you have already enough options to choose from. Why not giving millions of customers the CHOICE of having a small one?

Totally agree!

While I appreciate the mini sales weren’t as high as apple expected, they still represent probably tens of millions of people that prefer that size handset (me included) who they will be alienating altogether if these rumours are to be believed.

I’ll hold on to my 13 mini as long as I can but if there’s no “small” iPhone replacement in the next few years they’ll lose me as a customer who’s been an iPhone user since the 3G…

I’m theirs to lose.

 

[joehohoho]

I find my SE acceptable in terms of size - but only because you can double-tap the home button and bring everything within reach in order to continue to use the thing one-handedly. Anything bigger than that? Nah. The Mini already removes that function, I believe, and is no smaller. *Sigh*

You mean to bring the screen half way down to reach the top easier? You can do that on the 13 mini by swiping down on the bottom of the screen. Is actually easier than double tapping the home button…

 

[danny842003]

Totally agree!

While I appreciate the mini sales weren’t as high as apple expected, they still represent probably tens of millions of people that prefer that size handset (me included) who they will be alienating altogether if these rumours are to be believed.

I’ll hold on to my 13 mini as long as I can but if there’s no “small” iPhone replacement in the next few years they’ll lose me as a customer who’s been an iPhone user since the 3G…

I’m theirs to lose.

But where are you going to go? Are any of the ‘good’ androids going to have that form factor? I know there’s cheaper stuff but it hardly feels like a worthwhile trade off.

 

[G3Blue]

I’m rocking an iPhone SE 2022 with iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case.

Finally had enough of eye strain with oled iPhones. Sucks Apple discontinued the battery case but new ones pop up on eBay from time to time.

 

[stinkhorn9]

You mean to bring the screen half way down to reach the top easier? You can do that on the 13 mini by swiping down on the bottom of the screen. Is actually easier than double tapping the home button…

Ah, I didn't know that! (Never strayed beyond iPhones with home buttons to date )

 

[CyberBob859]

I’m rocking an iPhone SE 2022 with iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case.

Finally had enough of eye strain with oled iPhones. Sucks Apple discontinued the battery case but new ones pop up on eBay from time to time.

I used the iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case when I had my SE 2. It worked well. Another advantage of keeping old designs around - the older accessories that you may have still work.

That being said - I'm not using an SE 2 (or an iPhone 7 from my employer) anymore and I have two iPhone 7 Smart Battery Cases (one Red and one Black). If anybody is interested in them, message me.

 

[HouseLannister]

Don't just sell phablets. Bring back the product grid. Sell the older generations to hit lower price points or make an unapologetically plastic SE if you have to.

	Consumer​	Pro​
Small	iPhone Mini	iPhone Pro Mini
Medium	iPhone	iPhone Pro
Large	iPhone Max	iPhone Pro Ultra Mega Max Bionic

Probably never going to get a Pro Mini. People who want the smallest and lightest phone aren’t going to get it with stainless steel frames and triple camera arrays. Small doesn’t need to equal cheap (a future mini should be marketed at a reasonable/attainable price, not necessarily “budget”), but you can’t have small and load all the best features in. The weight and battery life would suffer too much.

I think it might be too late for Apple to reverse course and make a mini for 2023, but what if they got the message and started working on a 2024 mini now?

My ideal phone would be take the current 13 mini, up the display to 120hz Pro Motion (but skip AOD), move to a single camera, (but make it the 48 MP main with the 2X crop “zoom”), and use any space you saved doing that for more battery. If that comes out in 2024, it should be a A17 (one gen behind the pros, which would be A18 that year) and USB-C. Maybe by then TouchID under display would be a reasonable biometric alternative, but I am happy with the notch as-is. 2024 price? Umm… starting at $799 for 256 GB? (Just stop with 128 already)

 

[Shirasaki]

Unless general public don’t buy iPhone as their only computer, but buy iPhone for phone, iPad for tablet and Mac for computer thing, and section their uses based on the advantage of said product, mini will not come back after iPhone 13 mini being discontinued.
People want iPhone to do everything. iPhone mini can‘t satisfy most people’s need to watch video and play games nicely on their phone. That’s just the reality Sadly.

 

[philipglamb]

(To me) it makes sense for Apple to use side Touch ID on the SE, similar to the new iPad. (Cost, design, technology).

Given that most people wrap their iPhones in a case, I wound be interested to see what type of cut out in the case Apple would come up with, so that the case doesn’t interfere with the ID experience.

That probably seems stupid, but I could see that being problematic.