Superior iPhone SE Upgrades May Arrive, Including AI-Powered Capabilities
The iPhone SE is Long Overdue for an Upgrade – But Be Prepared for a Price Hike
The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max have all been released, but one member of Apple’s smartphone lineup is still waiting for an upgrade – the iPhone SE. By many estimates, the iPhone SE is overdue for an upgrade, but new leaks suggest that a refresh could bring a substantial price hike with it.
According to PhoneArena, renowned leaker Revegnus1 has suggested that the rumored fourth-generation iPhone SE could cost $499 in the US, a $70 increase from the current price of $429. However, when you look at the list of possible upgrades coming with the rumored refresh, this price hike starts to make a little more sense.
One of the key upgrades expected in the iPhone SE 4 is support for Apple Intelligence, as posited by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in August. Even with the price hike suggested by Revegnus1, the iPhone SE 4 would be the cheapest entry point for Apple Intelligence in Apple’s entire product lineup.
The iPhone SE 4 would be a modernized version of the current third-generation iPhone SE, which was released in 2022 with 4GB of RAM and the iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chipset inside the design of the iPhone 8. The new iPhone SE would likely use the design of the iPhone 14, with a full-length notched OLED display, Face ID, and USB-C connectivity.
Closing the Distance
Releasing an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone SE would track with Apple’s recent efforts to close the distance between its regular iPhone and iPhone Plus and the ultra-premium iPhone Pro and Pro Max. Apple equipped the base-model iPhone 15 with the Dynamic Island and a 48MP main camera, and with the standard iPhone 16 shipping with the Action Button, Camera Control, and all the specs needed to run Apple Intelligence, the gap is even narrower this year.
An iPhone SE featuring this year’s A18 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and Apple Intelligence would, in theory, offer a very similar software experience to the iPhone 16. However, it’s likely that Apple would differentiate the two models with design and hardware features – we wouldn’t expect to see the more recent Action Button and Camera Control make it to the iPhone SE, though we’ve previously heard that the Dynamic Island could be present.
The Current iPhone SE
Until then, the current iPhone SE is still the best budget iPhone. For more on the latest iPhones, check out our iPhone 16 review, iPhone 16 Plus review, iPhone 16 Pro review, and iPhone 16 Pro Max review.
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