The iPhone SE was once one of Apple’s most popular products.
And now, the budget smartphone looks set to finally get its first big refresh in almost three years.
Leaked video and photos have given tech lovers their best glimpse of what is claimed to be Apple’s next-generation budget smartphone.
Shared by reliable Apple leaker Majin Bu, they appear to show what is either a real iPhone SE 4 or a very convincing dummy model.
Before you get your hopes up for huge changes, the leak suggests Apple will be playing it safe and sticking closely to the single-camera design of the iPhone SE 3.
It also appears that Apple is sticking with one widely hated feature.
Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that the model opts for the older ‘notch’ design rather than the more modern Dynamic Island.
On X, one furious commenter wrote: ‘The fact that they would use a notch in 2025 is diabolical’.
Leaked images reveal what the iPhone SE 4 might look like, giving fans their first glimpse of the next-generation budget smartphone
A veteran Apple leaker who goes by the name Majin Bu, shows what is either a real iPhone SE 4 or a convincing dummy model produced for manufacturing phone cases
However, Apple fans were furious to discover that the iPhone SE 4 would feature a notch rather than the newer Dynamic Island
Apple’s SE smartphones are budget alternatives to the increasingly expensive iPhone models.
Compared to the £1,599 ($1,599 in the US) iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone SE was relatively affordable when it was released in 2022 for just £419 ($429 US Price).
While it has now been almost three years since Apple’s last update to this popular range of smartphones, new leaks suggest that an update could be close.
In a post on X, Majin Bu shared a video of himself holding a previously unseen iPhone model with the caption: ‘Here’s what the iPhone SE 4 looks like.’
The leaker followed up with a series of close-up images showing a black and white model iPhone SE 4 model compared to a pink iPhone 16.
These posts show that the iPhone SE 4 might be close to the iPhone 16 in size but will use only a single rear camera compared to the iPhone 16’s two.
Additionally, the video clearly shows that the supposed iPhone SE 4 will swap out Apple’s Lightning Cable port for a USB-C.
This change was not unexpected since including a standardised USB-C charging port is now a requirement for sale in the EU.
This leak is the first clear confirmation that the iPhone SE 4 will feature a USB-C charging port rather than a Lighting Cable port
Compared to the iPhone 16 (pink) the leaked iPhone SE 4 (white) will be about the same size but will only have one rear camera compared to the two on the iPhone 16
Yet the most controversial detail is that the iPhone SE 4 appears to keep the much older ‘notch’ design.
The notch is the small cutout at the top of older iPhone models which houses the front-facing camera and front speaker.
In more recent iPhone models, starting with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, this has been replaced with the Dynamic Island.
Rather than taking up space like the notch, the Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped cutout which can display notifications and information.
Leaving out the Dynamic Island suggests that the design of the new iPhone SE 4 will be much closer to the iPhone 14 than the iPhone 16.
Although it is difficult to see in the video, Majin Bu confirmed in a separate post that the iPhone SE 4 would indeed come with a notch.
He wrote: ‘The new iPhone SE 4 will feature a 60hz OLED screen with a 6.06 inch notch and will be equipped with the action button, will you buy it?
On social media, Apple fans were outraged that this newer model would be released with such an ‘outdated’ design feature.
Majin Bu confirmed that earlier reports that the iPhone SE 4 would have the Dynamic Island were misled. The leaker claims that the new model will be released with a notch instead
One commenter wrote: ‘They couldn’t even give them Dynamic Island at least?’
‘It’s the cheap model. Of course it’ll have a notch,’ added another.
Another asked: ‘Why would it be a notch in 2025? Makes no sense for the fact that the rest of the iPhone lineup will have Dynamic Island.’
Another interesting detail of this supposed leak is that it suggests the new iPhone SE 4 will feature the Action Button.
The Action Button was first introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and replaced the mute switch with a button that can be reprogrammed for multiple functions.
Rumours and leaks have gone back and forth over whether the iPhone SE 4 will include this new feature.
Recently, a dummy model used for designing phone cases was shared on X by veteran leaker Sonny Dickson.
This model appeared to show that the iPhone SE 4 would not have the action button but would instead keep the older mute switch.
On X, furious commenters lamented that the iPhone SE 4 would not feature the Dynamic Island
One commenter complained that Apple ‘couldn’t even give them Dynamic Island’
Another commenter said it made ‘no sense’ for the iPhone SE to miss out on a Dynamic Island when this is not the standard for the other iPhone models
These leaks also suggest that the new budget iPhone will feature the Action Button rather than the mute switch as earlier rumours had claimed
However, the latest post clearly shows an Action Button just like the one found on the iPhone 15 Pro, suggesting the button could be included.
Apple is yet to confirm the release date for this next-generation budget smartphone but it is expected to be released between April and May this year.
Given that the iPhone SE 3 was released in March 2022, the newer model isn’t expected any earlier in the year.
The price of the new model is yet to be confirmed but, as Apple’s budget offering, we can expect it to be significantly lower than that of the standard iPhone lineup and very likely under £1,000 ($1,220).
Apple has been contacted for comment.
THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system.
2023: Apple brought back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands.
2024: Apple makes its first steps into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence. The features are not all released at once with many delayed until the following year.
