Reportedly, Barclays analyst Tom O’Malley and his team recently visited Asia to meet with tech manufacturers and suppliers. In their research note, they “confirmed” that the fourth-generation iPhone SE, featuring an Apple-designed 5G modem, is set to launch near the end of Q1 next year. This timeline points to a potential announcement in March, much like the launch of the iPhone SE 3.
Plus, the mention of the 5G modem further strengthens the idea that it will be part of the device. Apple has been developing its own 5G modem since 2018 to reduce its dependency on Qualcomm. However, due to certain limitations, Apple extended its agreement with Qualcomm until 2026. So, for now, only a few devices, including the rumored iPhone 17 Air and the upcoming SE model, are expected to feature the in-house modem.The iPhone SE 4 is expected to come with several upgrades over its predecessor. First off, it might feature a larger 6.1-inch OLED display. While I’m all for the adoption of OLED, the bigger screen isn’t exactly my favorite change. Still, 6.1 inches isn’t too bad.
Under the hood, the phone is likely to be powered by the latest A18 chip, the same one found in the regular iPhone 16. It’s also rumored to have 8 GB of RAM, which, if true, would align with the minimum specs needed to support Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suite of AI features.
Video credit – Apple
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to take design cues from the iPhone 14. However, it’s likely to once again feature just a single rear camera, which could be a 48 MP one this time around. As for the battery, rumors suggest it will match the iPhone 14’s battery, which means a bump from the iPhone SE 3‘s 2018mAh to a more substantial 3279mAh in the SE 4.If these rumored upgrades are true, I believe the iPhone SE 4 could be a solid option for anyone wanting a new iPhone without spending too much. Especially if the price stays the same, as some rumors suggest. And March 2025 indeed seems like the most likely time for Apple to unveil its budget-friendly device, so keep an eye out for more details as we get closer to the release.