Apple’s budget-friendly iPhone SE series is known for borrowing designs from older iPhones. The original took after the iPhone 5s, and the 2020 and 2022 models sported the iPhone 6-8 chassis. Now, it seems the SE is ready for another upgrade, with leaked metal dummy revealing an iPhone 14-inspired design.
iPhone SE 4 metal dummy, via: GSMArena
This marks a significant leap forward for the SE line. For the first time, it will feature a modern OLED display, likely identical to the iPhone 14’s with a wide notch and FaceID replacing the traditional TouchID home button. This aligns with the recent shift towards FaceID, even in iPads. While the notch might be wider on phones compared to iPads due to space constraints, it’s a clear improvement over the chunky bezels of the 2022 SE.
Despite the iPhone 14 influence, the SE 4 is expected to have a single-lens camera system, a departure from the dual lenses on the iPhone 14. This keeps costs down, with the last single-lens iPhone being the 2018 iPhone XR. Interestingly, there’s no sign of the rumored “Capture Button” on the side, which is expected to debut on the iPhone 16. However, the familiar Ring/Silent switch remains.
Leaks from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in 2022 predicted a 2024 release for the iPhone SE 4. However, recent reports suggest a possible delay to 2025. On the other hand, the existence of case maker dummies points towards a potential 2024 launch after all.
