New iPhone SE 4 case leak hints at major design upgrade

With the iPhone 16 finally here, rumors have been steadily pouring in for Apple’s next line of iPhones. While Apple hasn’t updated its iPhone SE range since 2022, odds are 2025 could be the year we see the new iPhone SE 4. A new leak from Apple tipster Sonny Dickson shed some light on what updates Apple has in mind, including whether the Camera Control Button or Action Button found on the best iPhones could make an appearance.

Over the weekend, Dickson shared on X an apparent photo of the iPhone SE 4’s case, which is expected to launch next spring. Though it doesn’t show the device itself, it does offer some clues about what to expect from Apple’s next-gen budget smartphone.

The case has a flat back panel with a cutout for the rear camera that appears slightly larger than that of the iPhone SE 3, which could mean the iPhone SE 4 packs two cameras, a first for the series. The iPhone SE 4 is already expected to take design cues from the iPhone 14, becoming the first of Apple’s budget “Special Edition” iPhones to nix Touch ID for Face ID and the notch, so it’s possible it could take another page from the iPhone 14 and add an ultrawide camera to its array.

Previously the iPhone SE 4 was tipped to feature the Action Button that debuted on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max before making its way to all iPhone 16 models this year. In a bit of a letdown, the iPhone SE 4 case only shows a cutout for the mute switch, which was replaced by the Action Button. Also absent is a cutout for the new Camera Control button introduced with the iPhone 16 line, a recessed tactile switch that makes it easy to snap pictures and record video in an instant.

That being said, there’s still plenty to be excited about with the iPhone SE 4. Rumor has it this bargain phone will pack 8GB of RAM and Apple’s A18 chip, which would open it up to Apple’s suite of AI-powered features, Apple Intelligence. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has also suggested that Apple Intelligence on the iPhone SE 4 is a very strong possibility. We’ve seen AI capabilities supported on budget phones before, such as with Google’s Pixel 8a, but it would still be a significant move for Apple to bring its suit of AI features to its most affordable device. The iPhone SE 4 is also tipped to replace its aging LCD screen with a shiny new 6.1-inch OLED display and switch out Apple’s proprietary port for USB-C.

This budget phone could be in for a price hike, though. The iPhone SE 3 launched at $429 back in 2022, but with the new tech and addition of Apple Intelligence, we expect the iPhone SE 4 to come in at around $500. That would still cement its position as a budget phone given the $899 starting price of the iPhone 16.

Of course, all of this remains conjecture for now. We’re still early in the iPhone SE 4’s rumor cycle, so you can expect the leaks to keep pouring in as the calendar gets closer to the anticipated spring launch.

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