It's been a long time coming, but according to the latest leaks, the iPhone SE 4's design will be significantly different from the 4th generation iPhone SE dummy unit leaked by a Weibo user, the least expensive phone in Apple's lineup, revealed that it may feature a more modern design based on the iPhone 14.

More than two years after the iPhone SE (2022) was released, Apple offered a more budget-friendly alternative to more expensive options like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. However, considering all the fierce competition we are seeing among the best budget smartphones, it is almost impossible.

The leaked iPhone SE 4 dummy unit comes after a render we saw last month purportedly showing a refreshed design, injecting much-needed interest for Apple. iPhone Flip reports indicate that it has been delayed much longer. Given that having the iPhone SE 4 released first could give Apple more time to develop a foldable phone. Here is what we can infer from this dummy device.

The iPhone SE 4 dummy more clearly shows that Apple will eventually do away with Touch ID altogether on the iPhone. The notch has notches for the IR illuminator and camera to activate Face ID, which also means that the bezel along the bottom of the iPhone will be thinner. At the same time, previous and current iPhone SE owners will be forced to adopt new gestures to access Control Center.

This major design change could also pave the way for another new feature, Dynamic Island. While previous rumors have hinted at this possibility, it is difficult to be sure whether it will actually happen with the leaked dummy unit; Dynamic Island is useful not only for delivering notifications in a more practical way, but also for its inclusion of Live Activities.

Apple initially reserved Dynamic Island for the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max models, but later made it standard on all iPhone 15 models. We do not know if Apple will include Dynamic Island on the iPhone SE 4, as adding it could increase the price.

We are excited that Apple may expand spatial video recording by including it in more iPhone 16 models, but it seems unlikely that the iPhone SE 4 will be included in that list. This is because there is only one notch left on the back of the dummy for the camera and LED flash. (Spatial video would require shooting video with both the main lens and the ultrawide camera at the same time.)

This omission is tough because other budget smartphones are adopting dual-camera setups and it is becoming more common, but the iPhone SE 4 is said to be getting a larger 48MP camera that can effectively give telephoto capability. We've already seen it in the iPhone 15's main camera by utilizing pixel binning to provide optical quality at 2x zoom - so Apple could be doing the same for the iPhone SE 4

and finally, dummy The unit also gives us the left edge of the phone including a notch for a volume control and possibly a mute switch. Apple effectively removed this button from the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max and replaced it with an Action button, but it is unlikely that Apple will include this new button on the iPhone SE 4. For now, rumors suggest that this feature will be included on all iPhone 16 models. It will actually be placed on the same side as the power button and could serve as a launcher for the camera and on-screen shutter for taking photos and videos. The dummy unit does not appear to have a notch for this purpose.

Two years (2022) have already passed since the launch of the iPhone SE, but Apple still has time to announce and launch the cheapest iPhone yet WWDC 2024, which will take place from June 10 to June 14, will be the perfect opportunity to officially launch the iPhone .