iPhone SE 4 Case Leak Suggests Device May Not Feature Action Button

Serial leaker Sonny Dickson has shared an image on social media purporting to show a case designed for Apple's unannounced iPhone SE 4. The case aligns with most rumors about the device, expected to launch in the spring, but there is one difference.

Rumors have suggested that the iPhone SE 4 will have a design similar to the iPhone 14, featuring an all-display design with Face ID instead of Touch ID, a 6.06-inch display, OLED display technology instead of LCD, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera located in a horizontal oblong bump, an Apple-designed 5G modem, 8GB RAM, a notch, and perhaps a multi-purpose Action button to replace the mute switch.

Most of the rumored design changes align with what can be seen in the image. However, if you look closely, there's a cut-out on the side above the location of the volume controls that appears to be an opening for a physical mute/silent switch. It's possible that the case manufacturer has left a cutout simply because they don't know if the button will be present or not. But given that Apple suppliers are expected to begin ramping up mass production of the device this month, it could be that Apple has chosen not to add an Action button, despite the fact that all iPhone 16 models inherited the button from 2023's iPhone 15 Pro models.

Some users may consider the lack of a programmable Action button a deal breaker, but we're betting most iPhone SE buyers wouldn't care. In our own online poll conducted earlier this year, half of iPhone 15 Pro users who participated said they forgot the Action button was even there, while many said they had it set to function essentially as a mute/silent switch replacement. The results suggest the button is popular with a more niche cohort of power users (i.e., not the kind of customers most likely to be interested in a ~$500 iPhone).

There's a small possibility that the more affordable iPhone SE 4 could be released ahead of the Lunar New Year in January 2025. However, all three previous iPhone SE models were announced in March over the years, so a spring 2025 release seems most likely.