The iPhone 16 series is another incremental update, leaving iPhone enthusiasts hoping for something truly innovative from Apple in 2025. Apart from the main iPhone 17 series next year, Apple is also expected to refresh the SE series in spring.

According to supply chain rumors, the iPhone SE 4 is tentatively scheduled for release in spring 2025.

The star feature of this new device isn't just its compact size and affordable price, but the inclusion of Apple's in-house 5G modem, marking a milestone in iPhone history and eventually replacing Qualcomm's modems.

Notably, Apple's in-house 5G modem is entirely manufactured by TSMC, potentially offering greater stability and performance than Qualcomm's X70/X72 modems made by Samsung.

Moreover, the iPhone SE 4 itself is highly anticipated.

The iPhone SE 4 marks the first time the SE series introduces a notch display, ushering Apple into the era of full-screen devices. This design significantly enhances the usability of SE models, finally keeping pace with current trends.

The device will also feature Face ID for facial recognition, making the iPhone SE 3, released in 2022, the last iPhone to sport a front-facing Home button with Touch ID.

The display is OLED, another first for the SE series, matching the 6.1-inch size of the iPhone 13/14 standard models for a noticeable improvement in visual quality.

It's worth noting that Apple has reportedly placed orders for OLED screens with BOE in China and LG in South Korea for the upcoming iPhone SE 4.

Regarding battery capacity, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to align with the iPhone 16 standard model at around 3561mAh.

Unfortunately, like the iPhone 16 standard model, the SE 4 will not feature a high refresh rate display, supporting only 60Hz.

Apple has been generous with the processor choice, equipping the iPhone SE 4 with the latest A18 chip, enabling it to support Apple Intelligence like the iPhone 16 series. Consequently, the iPhone SE 4's RAM will also be upgraded to 8GB, good news for consumers.

Interestingly, due to Apple Intelligence's hardware requirements, the upcoming iPhone SE 4 will "almost certainly" come with 8GB of RAM, compared to the 4GB RAM in the current iPhone SE 3. Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max support Apple Intelligence, as these features require at least 8GB of RAM, while the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have only 6GB.

Camera-wise, the iPhone SE 4 will sport the same 48MP main camera and 12MP front camera as the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.

However, it lacks an ultra-wide or telephoto lens, so the marketing focus might emphasize its 2x optical zoom capability.

Pricing-wise, based on the previous iPhone SE 3, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to start at around $3500-$4000, with storage options starting at 128GB and extending to 256GB and 512GB.

Finally, the iPhone SE 4 might launch before the Lunar New Year in January 2025, although previous SE models have been released in March, so a March 2025 unveiling is also possible. This would make it the most cost-effective A18-powered Apple device to date.

Apple is expected to release this phone in spring 2025, priced around $459, making it accessible to a wider audience. However, 5G modem development requires extensive time and effort for fine-tuning, so the iPhone SE 4's communication performance in China will require further testing upon its arrival.

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