While Apple is currently focused on the iPhone 16, which will be released in September, fans of the company's lower-priced SE series should look to spring 2025, when the iPhone SE 4 is expected to arrive However, according to a new Weibo leak, the two have more in common than expected

“The SE4's back cover process is the same as the regular version of the 16,” writes Fixed Focus Digital (machine translated via Weibo) This leaker is relatively unverified at this time, but we have made several predictions about the iPhone 16's colors before, so we should have more accurate information soon

If this prediction is accurate, it is interesting because the iPhone SE 4 was initially expected to use the improved iPhone 14 housing From a manufacturing efficiency standpoint, it would make sense for Apple to share the iPhone 16 chassis Still, if it is “exactly the same” as Fixed Focus Digital suggests, it suggests the possibility of unexpected camera upgrades

Like its predecessor, the iPhone 4 SE was expected to have a single camera lens to cut costs However, leaked information suggests that the iPhone 16 chassis will have room for two cameras, one mounted above the other for spatial video recording suitable for Vision Pro

Does this mean that the next iPhone SE could also have two cameras? We should not rule it out After all, the new SE is expected to be the most significant upgrade in the series to date, inheriting many of the hand-me-downs from its more expensive siblings, including Face ID, a 48MP camera, USB-C charging, and action buttons There is some talk that the notch will be replaced by an OLED screen and dynamic island, but there is reason to be skeptical

However, this may all be wishful thinking, as the second camera will increase costs and Apple is reportedly trying to keep the starting price under $500--especially since compatibility with a $3,500 mixed reality headset is unnecessary for a budget smartphone if it seems to be The enclosure could be filled in a different way, or Fixed Focus Digital may have the wrong end of the stick

Rieker adds that “shipping is expected around the end of September,” but this is ambiguous We certainly do not expect Apple to announce the iPhone SE 4 along with the iPhone 16 this September Perhaps the leaker means that the first shell is expected then, destined to be used for early adopter iPhone 16 devices

The wait for the new iPhone SE has been long There was a four-year gap between the first and second generations, which came out in 2016 and 2020, respectively The third generation, the 2022 iPhone SE, is still a decent buy, but the best budget phones are starting to highlight their limitations, so we look forward to what Apple will bring in 2025