New iPhone SE 4 Case Leak Hints at Upgraded Design for Next iPhone(0)

With the iPhone 16 finally here, rumours about Apple's next-generation iPhone continue to swirl. While Apple hasn't updated the iPhone SE line since 2022, 2025 could be the year we see a new iPhone SE 4. The latest leak from Apple insider Sonny Dickson reveals what updates Apple is planning, including whether a camera control button or action button will be present on the best iPhones.

Over the weekend, Dickson shared on X an apparent photo of the iPhone SE 4's case, which is expected to launch next spring. Though it doesn't show the device itself, it does offer some clues about what to expect from Apple's next-gen budget smartphone.

The case has a flat back panel with a cutout for the rear camera that appears slightly larger than that of the iPhone SE 3, which could mean the iPhone SE 4 packs two cameras, a first for the series. The iPhone SE 4 is already expected to take design cues from the iPhone 14, becoming the first of Apple's budget "Special Edition" iPhones to nix Touch ID for Face ID and the notch, so it's possible it could take another page from the iPhone 14 and add an ultrawide camera to its array.

Previously, the iPhone SE 4 was tipped to feature the Action Button that debuted on last year's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max before making its way to all iPhone 16 models this year. In a bit of a letdown, the iPhone SE 4 case only shows a cutout for the mute switch, which was replaced by the Action Button. Also absent is a cutout for the new Camera Control button introduced with the iPhone 16 line, a recessed tactile switch that makes it easy to snap pictures and record video in an instant.

That said, there's still a lot to be excited about with the iPhone SE 4. Rumours suggest that the cheap phone will come with 8GB of RAM and Apple's A18 chip, which will power Apple's range of AI features, Apple Intelligence. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said that Apple Intelligence on the iPhone SE 4 is very likely. We've seen cheap phones support AI features before, such as Google's Pixel 8a, but it's still going to be a big move for Apple to bring its range of AI features to its most affordable device. The iPhone SE 4 is also expected to replace its ageing LCD screen with a new 6.1-inch OLED display, and swap Apple's proprietary port for USB-C.

This budget phone could be in for a price hike, though. The iPhone SE 3 launched at $429 back in 2022, but with the new tech and addition of Apple Intelligence, we expect the iPhone SE 4 to come in at around $500. That would still cement its position as a budget phone given the $899 starting price of the iPhone 16.

Of course, all of this is still speculation at this point. We're still in the early stages of the iPhone SE 4 rumour cycle, so you can expect leaks to keep coming as the calendar gets closer and closer to the expected spring release.