A more expensive iPhone SE may be coming, which could even support Apple Intelligence
The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are all here, but there’s one more device in Apple’s smartphone lineup that’s still waiting for an upgrade.
Many are saying it’s high time for an iPhone SE upgrade, but new leaks suggest a refresh could come with a hefty price hike. PhoneArena reports that “famous leaker” Revegnus1 has suggested that the rumored fourth-generation iPhone SE could cost $499 in the US, a $70 increase from its current price of $429 (£429 / AU$719).
However, when you look at the list of potential upgrades accompanying the rumored refresh, this price hike starts to make a little more sense.
The most important of these upgrades is support for Apple Intelligence, as stated by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in August. Even with the price increase suggested by Revegnus1, the iPhone SE 4 would still be the cheapest entry point for Apple Intelligence across Apple’s entire product lineup.
The next-cheapest device with Apple Intelligence functionality would be the 11-inch iPad Air at $599 / £599 / AU$999, and the second-cheapest iPhone with Apple Intelligence would be this year’s iPhone 16 at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.
A revamped iPhone SE priced at $499 would put it on par with Google’s Pixel 8a, which also retails for $499 (£499 / AU$849). It would pose a serious challenge to Samsung’s budget-friendly flagship, the Galaxy S23 FE, which retails for $599 (£599 / AU$899).
When Apple Intelligence releases the iPhone SE 4, we expect it to come with either the A17 Pro or A18 chipset and 8GB of RAM, closing the specs gap between the SE and the base iPhone 16.
The current, third-generation iPhone SE was released in 2022, packing 4GB of RAM and the iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chipset into the iPhone 8’s design, including a home button with Touch ID.
We’re expecting the fourth-generation iPhone SE to use the iPhone 14’s design, featuring an all-OLED display with a notch, Face ID and USB-C connectivity, though opinion is divided on whether this will actually be the case. An or two cameras.
Shortening the distance
The launch of an iPhone SE with Apple Intelligence capabilities would fit into Apple’s recent efforts to bridge the gap between the regular iPhone and iPhone Plus and the ultra-premium iPhone Pro and Pro Max.
Apple has equipped the base iPhone 15 with Dynamic Island and a 48MP main camera. The standard iPhone 16 will ship with the Action Button, Camera Control and all the specs needed to use Apple Intelligence when it launches in October. This year, the gap is even smaller.
An iPhone SE with this year’s A18 chipset, 8GB of RAM and Apple Intelligence would theoretically offer a very similar software experience to the iPhone 16.
In this case, it’s likely that Apple will differentiate the two models based on design and hardware features. We don’t expect to see the more recent Action Button and Camera Control on the iPhone SE, though we have previously heard that Dynamic Island could be present.
Of course, the above is still based on rumors and leaks. It is up to Apple to confirm any updates, price increases or specification improvements for the iPhone SE in due time.
Until then, the current iPhone SE is still the best budget iPhone. For more on the latest iPhones, check out our iPhone 16 review , iPhone 16 Plus review , iPhone 16 Pro review , and iPhone 16 Pro Max review.
