Just when we recall we ’d got a hold on next spring ’s iPhone SE 4 launch , a enormously surprising leak come along and throws everything into doubt .

The quaternary - gen SE has been the subject of legion rumors ever since the iPhone 16 came out last month , from thereturn of the notchand thefirst Apple 5 G modemto alack of new buttons and lenses . But one affair that most author have agreed on is the introductory idea that it will once again seem in a single sizing , base on the chassis of a received iPhone model from the past two to three age : most likely the iPhone 14 .

That now look to be out of the window . Images of 3D - printed dummy role model have been post by the Apple blogMacotakara , and these understandably show two sizes : one free-base on the iPhone 14 , and another big model based on the iPhone 14 Plus . This is a young construct and , if exact , would come as a major shock .

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Apple has never offered two variations of the iPhone SE.

The iPhone SE has historically been Apple ’s cheapest smartphone , but it has also been one of the smaller entries in the range : with the miniskirt no longer an choice , this is the handset customer go for if they discover modern smartphone excogitation too bulky for their taste ( or pockets ) . The 3rd - gen SE is small than the iPhone 14 in every property and weighs about 16 percent less , so the carry 2025 redesign was already going to take a sure amount of upscaling . So make an SE Plus would be a major rethink of what the SE is imagine to offer .

Apple has never provide two variation of the iPhone SE .

IDG

iPhone SE

Apple has never offered two variations of the iPhone SE.

But the move makes gumption if you retrieve about the importance of Apple Intelligence . Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 but neither abide its AI platform . Every cut-rate sale of one of those French telephone is another customer who wo n’t be contributing training datum and helping the troupe to catch up with ChatGPT and will be neglect out on the marquee iPhone feature of 2025 . So the nonpareil would be to replace them as soon as potential with something of similar price and spec , only with the ability to run Apple Intelligence . The next SE fits the bill perfectly , but only if it comes in two size so there ’s something to replace the 14/15 Plus as well .

Next spring , then , Apple unveils the 4th - gen SE in two sizing , based on the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus . This , coupled with the in - house 5 G modem and A18 processor , and support for Apple Intelligence , is enough to generate plenty of media reportage and client pursuit , without pushing up the price too much . But it also point Apple into a situation where it can safely remove the entire 14- and 15 - series iPhone families from its computer memory , and from then on sell only phones that patronize its AI system . groovy , correct ?

Well , maybe . I only said it makes more sense than you ’d imagine , not that the plan is foolproof . Clearing out all the unsold iPhone 14s and 15s still constitute a major logistical headache , and the SE brand has been somewhat corrupt since the unpopular tertiary - gen launch . It stay on to be seen whether customers will be prepared to pay as much for an SE as they would for an 18 - month - old “ full fat ” iPhone .

For that matter , there are doubts over the leak itself . MacRumors , for one , describes the rumour as “ extremely dubious render previous reports and Apple ’s typical scheme for its budget iPhone line . ” Which is dead on target , as I discuss above . And dummy models should never be taken as unbendable grounds of anything . Anyone can knock up a dummy manikin .

Still , I would n’t dismiss the musical theme out of script . It would be a radical move , but that ’s what the SE railway line motivation . For all the modish news and rumors , look into our regularly updatediPhone SE 4superguide .