No Sign of iPhone SE 4 With Touch ID Side Button 'Actually in the Pipeline'
Despite years of rumors, there is reportedly no sign of a fourth-generation iPhone SE model featuring Touch ID integrated into the Side button.
In a recent edition of his newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who often reveals accurate insights into Apple's plans, said while he can envision a new iPhone SE with a Touch ID button on the side, he hasn't "heard anything about that actually being in the pipeline."
The latest iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini models feature Touch ID integrated into their Top buttons, but no iPhones offer this functionality yet. As Apple's cheapest iPhone offering and to keep costs down, the iPhone SE has never had Face ID authentication, sticking with a capacitive Touch ID Home button like older iPhone models. As such, it would make sense for the iPhone SE to be the first iPhone model to gain the newer Side button-style Touch ID implementation.
Chinese site MyDrivers and and leaker Jon Prosser believe that the iPhone SE is set to move to an iPhone XR-like design, which would involve eliminating the Home button. The change is likely since Apple's "SE" products so far have always used the designs of older devices. Moving to an all-screen design, there will no longer be space for a capacitive Touch ID Home button in the device's bottom bezel.
Multiple reports, including information from MyDrivers and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggest that Apple is planning to add a Touch ID Side button to the iPhone SE.
Display analyst Ross Young now expects a fourth-generation iPhone SE to launch in 2024, featuring a 6.1-inch LCD display and a notch. The size of the fourth-generation iPhone SE's notch is not yet known, but it seems plausible that it could be narrower than it was on the iPhone XR if it does not contain components like a dot projector for Face ID because the device features Touch ID.
While Apple refreshed the iPhone SE earlier this year to add an A15 Bionic chip and 5G connectivity, rumors suggest that a larger iPhone SE is still planned for launch in 2024. Given Gurman's latest information, it is now difficult to tell whether the device will actually feature a Touch ID Side button.
Popular Stories
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall.
At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in a new orange color, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman made the claim in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, adding that the new iPhone 17 Air – replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – will come in a new light blue color.
We've heard multiple rumors about a new iPhone 17 Pro color being a shade of orange. The ...
Apple today announced its "Awe Dropping" iPhone-centric event, which is set to take place on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There are a long list of products that are coming, but we thought we'd pull out five feature highlights to look forward to.
That Super Thin iPhone - Apple's September 9 event will see the unveiling of the first redesigned iPhone we've had in years, ...
Apple will hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, according to an announcement that went out today. The event will start at 10:00 a.m., with select members of the media invited to attend.
At the September 2025 iPhone event, Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, which includes an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. It...
Apple's logo for its upcoming September 9 event hints at two rumored iPhone 17 Pro features, including new color options and a vapor chamber cooling system.
Of course, this is all just speculation for fun, as we count down the final days until the event.
New Colors
Last month, Macworld's Filipe Espósito reported that orange and dark blue would be two out of the five color options...
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022 other than a shift from Lightning to USB-C, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will launch AirPods Pro 3 later this year, and apart from new features like heart rate monitoring, we're also expecting a few design changes.
The fourth‑generation AirPods offer useful clues to Apple's design cues for ...
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should be unveiled in a few more weeks, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman corroborated a rumor that iPhone 17 Pro models will be "available in an orange color."
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are...
