When to Expect the iPhone SE 4 or So-Called 'iPhone 16E' to Launch

[geta]

Ok ok enough bickering

Can we get back to the real discussion here…

How can the proposed SE and the iPhone 15 exist at the same time? The SE will have superior processing + memory because it will run Apple “Intelligence”. But it should come in at a lower price point than the iPhone 15. So what other educated guesses can we make about the new design?

- One camera
- No other buttons besides volume + lock (and these may not be mechanical any more)
- no mechanical silent switch?
- no wireless charging? (All aluminum back)
- ???

Some of these are a stretch but I’m really trying to imagine how they lower the cost + differentiate from the 15.

You'll have to wait few more months to find out.

 

[Chuckeee]

So what other educated guesses can we make about the new design?

1st generation unproven Apple modem.

 

[SammyG7]

1st generation unproven Apple modem.

I understand that but I don't think this will be a consideration for most customers.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Ok ok enough bickering

Can we get back to the real discussion here…

How can the proposed SE and the iPhone 15 exist at the same time? The SE will have superior processing + memory because it will run Apple “Intelligence”. But it should come in at a lower price point than the iPhone 15. So what other educated guesses can we make about the new design?

- One camera
- No other buttons besides volume + lock (and these may not be mechanical any more)
- no mechanical silent switch?
- no wireless charging? (All aluminum back)
- ???

Some of these are a stretch but I’m really trying to imagine how they lower the cost + differentiate from the 15.

We cannot say that without knowing what an iPhone 16E will be. If we have to follow rumors, 15 and 16E cannot exist at the same time. Maybe the iPhone 16E will be much different from what we are expecting.

1st generation unproven Apple modem.

We don’t know if it will be worse or better than current generation modems.

 

[EsTriFee]

I suppose the modern successor to the 5 1/4" floppy is the USB flash drive, which can hold a jillion times more data, is a jillion times faster, is smaller, and is more durable. You'd have to be a complete idiot to prefer the former.

Can we honestly say that Face ID is much better than Touch ID? ... Actually, is it any better at all?

I've never owned a phone with Face ID but I'm constantly seeing people around me being forced to enter their PINs because Face ID has failed in whatever particular situation they were trying to use it in.

While I can go for weeks without having to enter my phone password with Touch ID...

As someone that does climbing... and so touchid on the macbook 75% decides that my fingers arent mine... I'm very happy with faceid. Also having all notifications hidden/locked before i glance over and it unlocks to see if it's anything important. The only more annoying thing is using apple pay because you have to activate it first before tapping where as before i could just tap my phone holding the finger over the touchid... but half the time i'll pay with the watch (which also needs to be confirmed first ..) anyway so i'll take that over the other cases

 

[zarmanto]

... How can the proposed SE and the iPhone 15 exist at the same time? The SE will have superior processing + memory because it will run Apple “Intelligence”. ...

Good question. Historically, Apple has shown no hesitation to discontinue a previous year's models when they release new models, wherein those older models do not fit readily into the new lineup. Take a look at the current official lineup on their website as an example:

iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max
iPhone 16/16 Plus
iPhone 15/15 Plus
iPhone 14/14 Plus
iPhone SE

Each of those tiers represent a targeted price bracket -- but did you notice what you don't see in that lineup? The 15 Pro/Pro Max and the 14 Pro/Pro Max. Those had basically been superseded by the performance of a newer (and cheaper) model.

Likewise, if the new SE (or whatever it ends up being called) meets expectations, we could potentially expect additional older models to be discontinued accordingly. This is what happened with the introduction of two of the three previous SE models: The 1st gen SE coincided with the discontinuation of the 5/5s and the 2nd gen SE coincided with the discontinuation of the 8/8 plus. (The history of the 3rd gen SE seems to have been a bit of a complex outlier.)

 

[geta]

Good question. Historically, Apple has shown no hesitation to discontinue a previous year's models when they release new models, wherein those older models do not fit readily into the new lineup. Take a look at the current official lineup on their website as an example:

iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max
iPhone 16/16 Plus
iPhone 15/15 Plus
iPhone 14/14 Plus
iPhone SE

Each of those tiers represent a targeted price bracket -- but did you notice what you don't see in that lineup? The 15 Pro/Pro Max and the 14 Pro/Pro Max. Those had basically been superseded by the performance of a newer (and cheaper) model.

Likewise, if the new SE (or whatever it ends up being called) meets expectations, we could potentially expect additional older models to be discontinued accordingly. This is what happened with the introduction of two of the three previous SE models: The 1st gen SE coincided with the discontinuation of the 5/5s and the 2nd gen SE coincided with the discontinuation of the 8/8 plus. (The history of the 3rd gen SE seems to have been a bit of a complex outlier.)

They already discontinued the SE3 and the 14/14 Plus in Europe.

 

[Chuckeee]

They already discontinued the SE3 and the 14/14 Plus in Europe.

But that was driven by the lighting port and EU regulations although I suspect that is a preview of what will happen everywhere once the SE4/16E/SE2025 is released.

 

[SammyG7]

I think we could be in for a surprise. Like a discontinued 15 Pro, a higher priced SE, or a new phone that is not really an SE at all.

 

[zarmanto]

I think we could be in for a surprise. Like a discontinued 15 Pro, a higher priced SE, or a new phone that is not really an SE at all.

As noted in my earlier comment, the 15 Pro has already been discontinued in favor of the 16 Pro -- but perhaps you meant the discontinuation of the 16 Pro. Of course, that would precisely match up with Apple's history; the 16 Pro is fully expected to be discontinued in favor of the 17 Pro when Apple announces the new 17-series product lineup in the fall. If you're trying to suggest something else entirely, you'll need to elaborate a bit further.

Your other observations would not be surprises, as they match up to existing rumors and expectations.