I like phones that don't pretend to be something they are not, like the iPhone SE 3. It's not trying to fit in with other phones that were released in 2022, even though it features the speedy A15 Bionic chip. Its LCD screen, thick bezels and Touch ID nestled in the front are a clear admission that it's not meant for those used to flagship phones.
At the expense of sounding superficial, the iPhone SE 3's design is almost repulsive. A design like this belongs in the pre-2020s.
The iPhone SE 3 has a design only a mother could love. | Image Credit - PhoneArena
And if you assumed that the phone's low price of $429 was enough for people to overlook its shortcomings, you were wrong. According to carrier store check-ins and supply chain reports, it struggled so much that Apple had to cut back on production.
Is the iPhone SE 4 going to be any better?
Kind of. According to the latest from Bloomberg, the iPhone SE 4 will have an iPhone 14-like design with thin bezels and an OLED screen. It is expected to support Apple Intelligence, which implies it will be powered by the A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, which are the minimum requirements for Apple's artificial intelligence features.
This suggests that the iPhone SE 4 will not look as out of place in front of the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup as the iPhone SE 3 does compared to the iPhone 15.
But will it be good enough?
Apple is good at differentiating products. I think the only thing that the iPhone SE 4 will have going for it is a faster chip. In every other way, it will be remarkably inferior to Apple's flagship phones.
The iPhone SE 4 will be the odd one out in Apple's phone lineup with a notch instead of the Dynamic Island. | Image Credit - PhoneArena
For starters, even though the phone will get an OLED display, it will still be stuck with a notch. Apple's recent flagships have transitioned to the Dynamic Island, a shape-shifting, pill-shaped indicator system.
Also, if the design is going to be based on the iPhone 14, I doubt it will feature the Action button. While the Action button isn't exactly a must-have feature and changes introduced with iOS 18 make it redundant, it's still a part of the new design identity. On top of that, the iPhone 16 series is rumored to feature a camera-focused Capture button. This means iPhone SE 4 buyers will be missing out on two buttons. This would be enough to give anyone a bit of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
Previous rumors said that the phone would have a single-camera system without the Night mode. So not only will you not be able to capture photos of faraway objects or fit more of a scene into the same frame, but your low-light pictures will also be hit or miss.
iPhone SE 4 won't be the huge upgrade everyone is expecting it to be
While the iPhone SE 4 might be a huge overhaul over the iPhone SE 3, I am afraid it will stand no chance against other 2025 phones, which is when it is expected to be released. Whether or not you buy the iPhone 16 will depend on your wallet, but one thing is for sure: Apple will leave enough features out of the iPhone SE 4 to make you yearn for its pricier models.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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