Apple could be plotting a surprise iPhone launch this week. That's according to reliable industry insider Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who believes the fourth-generation iPhone SE — the most affordable smartphone in the Apple Store — will be announced within days.
Apple hasn't sent out invitations to an event at its spaceship-like headquarters in Cupertino, California. If the timeline suggested by Mark Gurman — who has an almost-infallible track record — is accurate, we're likely to see the new iPhone SE announced in a press release.
This would be a similar approach seen with the announcement of the refreshed iMac, redesigned Mac Mini, and more powerful MacBook Pro last autumn. These three devices, powered by the new M4 system-on-a-chip, were announced in a series of prerecorded videos and press releases published over the course of a week.
The launch would mark the first new SE-branded handset in three years. For those who don't know, the iPhone SE lineup has always combined cutting-edge chipsets and cameras with older case designs. "SE" stands for Special Edition.
From the outside, these handsets might look a little behind the times, but the internal components ensure Apple is able to support these budget iPhone models for years with the latest iOS updates.
For example, iOS 18 — the feature-packed new iteration of the iPhone operating system — is available to install as a free download for those with a second-generation iPhone SE, which was first launched back in April 2020.
According to the latest whispers, Apple isn't planning to ditch its winning formula with the next iPhone SE.
The next entry into the iPhone SE lineup will move away from the current iPhone 8-inspired exterior towards an iPhone 14-style case design. While this is still an ageing look, it nonetheless marks a dramatic shift for the iPhone SE lineup as it'll be the first time that Apple's budget-conscious option ditches the Home Button.
With the iconic circular button gone, the new iPhone SE will have enough room to squeeze in a modern 6.1-inch OLED display, marking a significant upgrade from the current model's 4.7-inch LCD screen.
Of course, the Home Button wasn't just for navigation since it doubled up as a fingerprint scanner, so the upcoming iPhone model will need to implement Face ID technology to unlock the handset and authenticate contactless payments.
The handset is expected to come in just two colours — black and white — according to another reliable tipster, Majin Bu. Under the bonnet, the new handset will be powered by Apple's latest A18 chip (the same custom-designed processor found inside the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus) paired with 8GB of RAM, sources with knowledge of the incoming handset have claimed.
Compared to the iPhone SE currently available in the Apple Store, the camera system will be boosted to a 48-megapixel main sensor — a substantial improvement over the current 12-megapixel offering.
According to whispers from inside the secretive Apple HQ, the next iPhone SE will rely on the same camera sensor as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. On the front, video calls and selfies will be handled by a 12-megapixel sensor.
The device will support Apple Intelligence features, marking the first time these capabilities will be available on an SE model. Apple Intelligence arrives with a slew of new AI-fuelled features, including the ability to generate never-before-seen emoji in WhatsApp, summarise reams of texts in a physical book using your camera viewfinder, adjust the tone of your writing with a few clicks, and more.
It also redesigns voice assistant Siri, which is now characterised by a swirling rainbow glow that circles the border of the iPhone screen.
Battery capacity is expected to be 3,279mAh, with USB-C charging set to replace the Lightning port, bringing the device in line with EU regulations.
While the third-generation iPhone SE costs £429, its successor is widely-tipped to start from £499. This would position it well below the iPhone 16 (£799), iPhone 15 (£699), and even the iPhone 14 (£599).
The competitive pricing strategy comes as Apple faces pressure in the EU market, where it can no longer sell the previous iPhone SE due to its Lightning port.
According to Mark Gurman, while we're likely to get our first glimpse of the fourth-generation iPhone SE this week, sales of the affordable new handste won't start until the end of the month.
If you want to catch a glimpse of what these rumoured changes to the next iPhone SE would look like — popular case manufacturer Spigen has seemingly confirmed many of the details by sharing (and then deleting) product images of a new case for the fourth-generation SE its website.
The official images showed a smaller smartphone with a notch in the display and single rear camera, matching earlier rumours about the handset's design. The leaked photos showed the device housed within Spigen's official cases, clearly displaying the iPhone SE's new design language.
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Spigen's premature listing also confirmed the official name will be "iPhone SE (4th gen)", putting to rest speculation about a potential rebrand to "iPhone 16E". The case images revealed an additional button placement on the left-hand side, possibly for camera functionality.
"[iPhone SE 4] will modernise its lower-cost model in a bid to spur growth and entice consumers to switch from other brands," Gurman said. The launch comes as Apple faces increased competition in the mid-range smartphone market, with numerous rival devices expected to be announced at the Mobile World Congress tradeshow in Barcelona next month.
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