The first renders of Apple’s iPhone SE (fourth generation) have leaked courtesy of the somewhat reliable Jon Prosser. These renders show a device that’s reminiscent of the now discontinued but immensely popular iPhone XR, with the company moving away from the small iPhone to a more standard size. Apple’s next iPhone SE should make its debut in 2024, according to other reports.
Apple’s iPhone SE has often used the chassis of older iPhones. The initial SE looked a lot like the iPhone 5, while the 2020 and 2022 iPhone SE had the iPhone 8’s design. Now, Apple is reportedly moving to more modern iPhones, banishing the home button, and bringing in the notch.
The notched iPhone design, although divisive at first, has grown into something that’s immediately identifiable as Apple. The all-screen design similarly is also more modern and usable for media consumption and productivity. Though the SE looked to be the company’s quintessential small phone, Apple was always going to upscale the phone; it was just a matter of time.
Though Prosser’s record can be a little spotty, this report lines up with other sources — including Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young and Ming-Chi Kuo, who say the next iPhone SE’s display is pegged as a 6.1-inch one. It’s not clear what the internals would be, though it is likely that Apple will outfit it with the same as the non-pro iPhone 14 based on previous SE releases. So, expect an A15 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel camera, and a moderately sized battery.
As for a release date, Apple’s iPhone SE can’t be accused of being on a predictable schedule. The first SE debuted four years before the second; the third came just two years after. Analysts have pinned this SE as coming in 2024, but plans could always change in the interim.