The iPhone SE generally sit in the dark of its more illustrious ( by which I mean costlier ) stablemate at the top of Apple ’s smartphone compass . But last week , with the iPhone 16 safely packed off to early adopters and rumormongers inquire how to satisfy their complimentary time , we were regale to a twosome of compelling reports concern to the budget model come next bound .
First , Bloomberg leaker Mark Gurman poured a turn of cold weewee on the more excitable theories about the 4th - gen SE , predicting that it will be based on the chassis of an iPhone 14 , not an iPhone 16 . That means the death of the Home push , as gestate , but it also think theresurrection of the pass — a veridical case of swings and roundabouts there .
No earlier had Gurman doused the flame of guess , however , than someone else came along to chuck on aload of extra petrol .
allot to 9to5Mac ’s source , the siterevealedin a Wiley Post by and by in the week , the next SE will have an A18 processor with 8 GB of RAM ; telling , but still comparatively predictable , because the twist needs to support Apple Intelligence . That also fits the SE ’s diachronic strategy , which is to debase new constituent into an older case .
What belong beyond the expected compromise model is the foretelling that the telephone set will sport some cameras from the iPhone15 – although sadly not its full regalia . The sources advise Apple will cherry - find fault the 48MP main lens , which is far more powerful than the 12MP eq on the iPhone 14 , but it wo n’t get the ultra - wide , let alone the telephoto from the Pro model . The SE will remain , then , a single - photographic camera equipment … but what a unmarried camera .
Okay , so now we ’ve got ourselves an interesting conceptual mashup . But where matter getreallyspicy is the 5 G modem . Hey David , the iPhone SE start out 5 G in 2022 ! Quite powerful , and well think back . But this is a very special 5 G modem . It ’s the very first in - sign Apple modem , follow the company’sacquisition of Intel ’s modem divisionway back in 2019 . As recently as last class there were reports that theentire project was dead , but Centauri is back , babe !
This is n’t just a cost - saving measure . The new modem is probable to bring yet more opportunities for Apple to optimize the interaction between hardware and software . And that means reduced power consumption and better battery performance . assault and battery life sentence , I wo n’t ask to remind you , is a hugely important touchstone for a new smartphone come confident or negative recap – as Apple discoveredwith the last SE .
It ’s bizarre to think that Apple ’s gaudy phone will be the first to benefit from such an likeable and useful technical school development . Normally features appear on the Pro good example first , for the obvious reason that Apple wants to use them to persuade client to spend more money . But the Centauri modem is n’t expected to bring on any flagship iPhones until the launching of the iPhone 17 roughly six month after the fourth - gen SE .
Perhaps this is an experimentation – a move that Apple considers too risky to assay on a flagship iPhone without testing it on something less important first . I can think of one precedent for that , when the entry - level iPad stick a landscape painting - orientation FaceTime camera two years before the other iPads . To be dependable , though , I cerebrate that move was silly too . It was such an obvious melioration that Apple must have generated inauspicious will , and certainly be itself some upgrade revenue when customers discovered that the feature film was n’t available on the iPads Air and Pro . ( It finally appeared on the more expensive model this class . )
Whether this is the best move from a gross point of perspective , then , remains to be take in . But it ’s hard to blame a company for simply making the best earphone it can , disregarding of the strategical import . And it would be nice for the iPhone Special Edition to get an rise that go up to its name .
Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column , which include all the Apple news you miss last week in a handy bite - sized roundup . We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cupful of coffee or tea , but it ’s cool if you want to give it a read during tiffin or dinner party hours too .
Foundry
Apple’strue hit of 2024isn’t the iPhone 16 .
Thesethree pieces of old Apple techhaveoverstayed their welcome .
Meta ’s visionfor ARisn’t establish in world .
Do Apple’siOS charging limitsactuallydo anything for battery health ?
These surprisescould be in fund for Apple ’s OctoberMac announcements .
Thesemind - blowing chartsshow how much theiPhone ’s battery lifehas improved .
Hoping to getApple gear this vacation ? You mightwant to act fast .
New iPhonescharge fasterbutnowhere near 45W.
Podcast of the week
On this week ’s episode of the Macworld Podcast , it ’s all about your hot proceeds ! You have thoughts about the iPhone 16 and other new Apple product , and we speak about them on the show !
you’re able to catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast onSpotify , Soundcloud , thePodcasts app , orour own situation .
Reviews corner
The rumor mill
M4 MacBook Pro leakrevealskey upgradescoming to base mannikin .
The iPhone SE 4 willbring back the pass , kill the Home button .
Apple Intelligence - poweredsmart displayset to set in motion next twelvemonth .