The iPhone SE 4, also known as iPhone 16E, is likely just a month or two away from its debut. Apple should unveil the next-gen mid-range iPhone model by March at the latest, at which point the iPhone SE 4 should easily become a must-have device for budget-conscious iPhone buyers.
Like previous iPhone SE models, the 2025 variant will recycle older iPhone designs and parts. But it’ll also feature the best possible hardware Apple can offer. That’s what makes the iPhone SE 4 so appealing.
From the front, it’s expected to look a lot like the iPhone 14, while the back will have a single-lens camera like the iPhone XR and other iPhone SE models. On the inside, Apple Intelligence will force Apple to give the iPhone SE the same chip as the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, along with 8GB of RAM. The latter is an upgrade we might not have seen inside an iPhone SE-branded device in a world without AI.
With all that in mind, the iPhone SE 4 deserves a name like iPhone 16E, which anchors it to the iPhone 16 series that launched in September.
This brings me to the newest iPhone SE 4 leak that puts an unexpected spin on the phone’s design. Dummy units have started appearing online, giving us a look at the handset’s purported design in real life. In an interesting twist, the dummy model looks a whol lot like Apple’s beloved iPhone 4 from way back in 2010.
The iPhone 4 was a spectacular device. It remains one of my favorites to this day. Apple brought back the iPhone 4 design lines with the iPhone 12 series, tweaking it with every new generation since. Even the iPhone 16 looks like a larger iPhone 4. But all of these phones feature at least two cameras on the back.
Looking at the pictures Sonny Dickson posted on X, my first impression was that I was witnessing a more modern take on the iPhone 4. Also, since these are photos, the actual size of the iPhone SE 4 isn’t obvious. In real life, the iPhone SE 4 will be as large as the iPhone 14 and its successors. It won’t be a small handset like the iPhone 4 was.
The dummy units might give us two colors Apple will offer to iPhone SE 4 buyers: black and white. I wouldn’t be surprised if the handset also came in a red option like previous SE models.
That single-lens camera on the back should feature a 48-megapixel sensor similar to what Apple used for the primary lens of the iPhone 16 phones. On the front, the iPhone SE 4 will have an all-screen display with a notch at the top instead of the Dynamic Island. There won’t be a Touch ID button on this SE model, something the pictures do not show.
The second image in the tweet gives us a look at the phone’s left side. The dummy unit features a traditional mute switch, the usual volume rockers, and a SIM card slot. Some rumors say the phone will have an Action button instead of a mute switch, which might still be true. Dummy units don’t have to be accurate all the time.
We don’t have images showing the bottom side to confirm the presence of a USB-C port. But we don’t need them. It’s not like Apple will go back to Lightning ports, not when such phones can’t be sold in Europe.
Speaking of sales, the iPhone SE 4’s price is rumored to be around $500. That’s a great starting price for buyers on a budget or for people purchasing an iPhone for a teenager or older adult who isn’t that experienced with iPhones. Also, I’m sure I’d have no problem using an iPhone SE 4 as my daily driver, but we’ll cross that bridge if I ever get there.
