When to Expect the iPhone SE 4 to Launch

Over two and a half years have passed since Apple released the current iPhone SE, so the device is due for an update. Below, we recap the latest rumors about the next-generation iPhone SE, including potential features and launch timing.

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

Timing

The latest word comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter last month, he said he expects the next iPhone SE to launch in the spring of 2025. All three existing iPhone SE models were announced in March over the years, so it seems likely that the fourth-generation model will also be introduced in March next year.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and the technology publication The Information also previously claimed that the next iPhone SE will launch in the first quarter of 2025, so that timeframe has been corroborated by multiple sources. The Information said that Apple suppliers would begin ramping up mass production of the device in October.

Features

The current iPhone SE starts at $429 in the U.S. with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM. The device's key features include a 4.7-inch LCD display, A15 Bionic chip, Touch ID, 5G support with a Qualcomm chip, a single 12-megapixel rear camera, and a Lightning port.

The next iPhone SE is rumored to have an iPhone 14-like design with the following features:

  • 6.1-inch OLED display
  • A18 chip
  • Face ID
  • USB-C port
  • Action button
  • Apple-designed 5G chip
  • A single 48-megapixel rear camera
  • 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence

Gurman believes the next iPhone SE will likely be priced in the $400 to $500 range, so the device would remain a lower-cost option in Apple's smartphone lineup, despite gaining a larger display and a more modern set of features.

Update — September 2024:

Japanese publication Nikkei Asia has since also reported that the iPhone SE 4 with an OLED display will be released in 2025.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...
amazon black friday

Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More

Sunday November 23, 2025 7:12 am PST by
Black Friday deals have begun, and Amazon is one of the best places you can find steep discounts on numerous products this week. We've already collected all of the best Apple-related deals you'll find at Amazon (and other retailers) in our Apple Black Friday Deals post, so below you'll find other discounts on devices like Anker accessories, Beats headphones, video games, TVs, and more. Note:...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...

Top Rated Comments

Phone Junky Avatar
16 months ago

Maybe once this is finally released, the Mini Clan will stop complaining for at least seventeen seconds. I'm not holding my breath though.
Why would they? With a 6.1“ display, it’s anything but ‘mini’.



Attachment Image
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jdblas69 Avatar
16 months ago
Releasing too close to iPhone 16 launch will risk biting into the sales of the 16 series. Assume why a delay
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chuckeee Avatar
16 months ago
The SE series phones are all about being the most inexpensive iPhone. It was about reuse of some older Apple production elements with some current Apple production hardware. It was never about small, notch-less, Touch ID. Those elements only got included since they came from recent Apple hardware “that was still lying around.

The 6.1” screen was obvious since that is the smallest screen from RECENT Apple iPhone.

The only real surprise is the brand new Apple 5G modem for the SE4. Cannot help that it’s a trial run and I find that scary
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FineWoven Avatar
16 months ago
That's actually a fairly decent set of features for $500 and in a design that's just a couple years old
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
16 months ago

The next iPhone SE is rumored to have an iPhone 14-like design with the following features:

- Apple-designed 5G chip
That's an automatic no buy for me. Not going to be Apple's guinea pig.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
16 months ago

I have a feeling there will be no more iPhone SE. They probably have all these plans floating around but when they do the math, it just won't add up and the plans will end up getting shelved. They'll just sell the 2 year old iPhone for a lower price.
They would lose market share to Android if they did. One data point from here ('https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insights/new-iphone-se-5g-open-mid-end-segments-across-key-regions/'): “According to Counterpoint Research’s Smartphone Model Share Tracker, Q4 2021, the 4G iPhone SE 2020 accounted for 12% of Apple’s total iPhone unit sales from its launch in Q2 2020 to Q4 2021 – with Japan and US the biggest markets for the device globally.”

With the SE4 being a more attractive form factor than the SE2/3 for many, I would expect more cash-strapped consumers to buy it that would otherwise buy an Android phone.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)