First iPhone SE Cases Start Appearing With Conflicting Designs

Last week, we saw some conflicting designs for what the upcoming 4-inch iPhone 5se or SE might look like, based on information obtained from case manufacturers. With less than three weeks to go before the device's introduction, we're now seeing the first actual "iPhone SE" cases surface online, although it's clear these companies have yet to nail down just what the phone will look like.

iphone_5se_case_1

iPhone 5se/SE case with iPhone 5s-like design including power button on top

As revealed in images obtained by MacRumors, distributors offering "iPhone 5se" cases for bulk purchase are carrying cases of both rumored designs, which include one very similar to the iPhone 5 or 5s design with the power button on the top and another more like the iPhone 6 design with rounded edges and the power button on the side.

iphone_5se_case_2

iPhone 5se/SE case with iPhone 6-like design including power button on side

Early case leaks have historically been fairly accurate indicators of new iPhone designs, though there have been a few notable exceptions. With two distinct case designs still floating around this close to the iPhone SE's launch, it's clear there is still confusion over just what Apple intends to release.

Yesterday, we published our own take on one way to reconcile the conflicting rumors, combining a curved-edge front glass panel that has been a consistent feature of iPhone 5se/SE rumors with a metal chassis that has a bit of the iPhone 5s design aesthetic including glass antenna windows at the top and bottom of the device's back.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Leak Video

Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Unboxing Video Reveals These Four Upgrades

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:10 pm PDT by
An alleged unboxing video for an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The video was later linked to on social media platform X by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It is possible that this is the same MacBook Pro box shown in photos that were shared by leaker ShrimpApplePro in late September, as he claimed that this MacBook Pro...
M4 Real Feature Red

Gurman: Apple to Launch First M4 Macs and Potentially iPad Mini 7 on November 1

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:40 am PDT by
Apple will announce several new M4 Mac models around the end of October, with the company planning to launch at least some of them as soon as Friday, November 1, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple will launch a new M4 version of its low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, as well as higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models...
space black mbp

Apple Potentially Facing Worst Leak Since iPhone 4 Was Left in a Bar

Monday October 7, 2024 3:03 pm PDT by
Alleged photos and videos of an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip continue to surface on social media, in what could be the worst product leak for Apple since an employee accidentally left an iPhone 4 prototype at a bar in California in 2010. The latest video of what could be a next-generation MacBook Pro was shared on YouTube Shorts today by Russian channel Romancev768, just...
top stories 5oct2024

Top Stories: iOS 18.1 Coming Soon, October Apple Event Rumors, and More

Saturday October 5, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
It's hard to believe we're already into October with the iPhone 16 launch behind us, but there's lots more still to come from Apple this year on both the hardware and software fronts. We're still expecting a number of Mac and perhaps some iPad updates in the very near future, while Apple Intelligence features are set to begin rolling out with iOS 18.1 and related operating system updates....
Generic iOS 18

Apple Plans to Release iOS 18.1 With Apple Intelligence on October 28

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:18 am PDT by
Apple intends to launch iOS 18.1 with the first set of much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features on October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman says the release date is arriving this month later than initially expected, as Apple is reportedly taking extra time to ensure a smooth rollout and prepare its AI cloud...
watchos 11 vitals

Apple Watch Users Report Vitals App Detecting Illness Before Symptoms Appear

Monday October 7, 2024 5:34 am PDT by
Apple's new Vitals app for watchOS 11 appears to be impressing some users with its ability to detect potential illness days before symptoms manifest, according to recent reports on Reddit. The Apple Watch app, which analyzes key health metrics measured during sleep over the last seven days, appears to be providing early warnings of impending sickness for at least some Apple Watch wearers...
Prime Big Deal Days Hero 3

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Friday October 4, 2024 10:43 am PDT by
Amazon is hosting another Prime Day event this year, called Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and offering shoppers the first chance to save on holiday shopping from a major retailer. Similar to the first Prime Day, it will last for two days (October 8-9) and you can already find a large selection of early deals across Amazon's storefront, covering savings on tech, clothing, video games, groceries, and...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.0.1 With Touch Screen Bug Fix and More

Thursday October 3, 2024 2:22 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the...
maxresdefault

Two Weeks With the iPhone 16 Pro Max

Friday October 4, 2024 12:04 pm PDT by
Now that it's been two weeks since the iPhone 16 models were released, we've been able to spend enough time with the new devices to share a more in-depth review on their performance, battery life, feature set, and more. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've been testing the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, but the gap between the Pro models and the standard iPhone 16...

Top Rated Comments

smacrumon Avatar
112 months ago
Protruding camera, terribly obvious antenna lines, no 3d touch will mean no upgrade from my 4s, a time when good clean design principles actually mattered to Apple. I will wait another two more years or change brand.

Customers collectively pay Apple billions of $ to make decisions about products that exceed design standards in every way across many criteria. It's not acceptable for Apple to continue to release products that are unresolved and feature compromises such as that seen in the iPhone 6/6s.

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
112 months ago
Protruding camera, terribly obvious antenna lines, no 3d touch will mean no upgrade from my 4s, a time when good design principles actually mattered. I will wait another two more years, or change brand.
I jumped from 5s to 6S+. Best decision of my (iPhone) life. I thought that I would've never loved it, now I can't live without it.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ValO Avatar
112 months ago
Protruding camera, terribly obvious antenna lines, no 3d touch will mean no upgrade from my 4s, a time when good design principles actually mattered. I will wait another two more years, or change brand.
There are lots of people like this.
They don' t even like the design of the 5/s.
" back in de old days".......

I think the 4s was great for its time, I loved the design. But when I got hold of the stealth black iPhone 5, I never looked back.
The 4s looks dated now, really...
Try something new, you could grow to like it...
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WaxedJacket Avatar
112 months ago
This is news? A case? Not the phone itself... but a CASE?
The case sheds some light on the form factor of the physical phone.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iZac Avatar
112 months ago
Either Apple have been baiting leakers with incorrect/varied specs, or they're releasing two 4" phones - a 6s mini and a new 'budget' 5 series.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Scrip Avatar
112 months ago
My personal preference is to carry a smaller device.

I use an iPad mini for more in depth work which isn't much larger than 6s+.
Isn't much larger?

Ummmm...



:D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)