The iPhone 16 is now available, and as one would expect from Apple after 17 years of making smartphones, Apple has once again produced an excellent smartphone

But what awaits on the front end is something cheaper and potentially less vulnerable Apple hasn't refreshed the iPhone SE series since 2022, and we expect big changes in 2025 to bring the budget range fully up to speed So should you wait? Below is a comparison of the iPhone 16 and iPhone SE 4

The iPhone 16 is already available for purchase, starting in September 2024, starting at $799 if you are fine with 128GB of storage, while 256GB and 512GB versions are available for $899 and $1,099 respectively

If you want something physically larger, there is also the iPhone 16 Plus Other than the larger 67-inch display (and consequently heavier battery), the specs are the same Prices range from $899 to $1199 for the same storage capacity

Pricing and availability of the iPhone SE 4 is still undetermined, but rumors strongly suggest “early 2025,” possibly spring based on past releases

The 2022 iPhone SE started at $429, but the 2025 version may be priced higher, with an MSRP starting at $499 Given the upgrades we are about to introduce, this may still prove optimistic

Many people may have shied away from the previous iPhone SE thanks to its somewhat dated design With the proliferation of phones with edge-to-edge displays, the SE remains a throwback to the 2010s with thick bars at the top and bottom of the screen; it is the only iPhone without Face ID and the only one with a fingerprint reader

The iPhone SE 4 appears to be based on the iPhone 14 design That means a 61-inch edge-to-edge display with minimal bezels (a major upgrade from the previous model's 47-inch panel) and, yes, finally Face ID

In short, the iPhone SE 4 is more like the iPhone 16

However, the iPhone 16 still has its advantages Most immediately noticeable is the dynamic island, where the Face ID camera array has been moved away from the bezel and is nicely treated as part of the UI The SE, on the other hand, will bring back the notch for the camera array

The iPhone SE also appears to bring back the mute switch rather than introducing programmable action buttons There is also no indication that the lower-priced version will have dedicated camera controls

Not only does the new SE look like a more modern iPhone, it may rival the iPhone 16 in important internal specs

In the past, the iPhone SE has matched its more expensive siblings in terms of the processor used, with the latest 2022 model having the same A15 chipset as the iPhone 14 If the same thing happens in 2025, the iPhone SE 4 will have the same A18 silicon as the iPhone 16 This would not only be frighteningly fast, but would open the door to all the AI tricks in Apple Intelligence

Given that most current iPhones cannot run Apple Intelligence due to RAM limitations, it may seem unlikely, yet Bloomberg's Mark Garman says the upcoming iPhone SE will indeed support some form of it support That suggests the iPhone SE 4 will feature at least 8GB RAM - that's double the 4GB in the current SE

Perhaps the most exciting improvement, however, is the screen technology being installed While previous SE devices have stuck with LCD panels, 2025 will apparently be the year Apple adopts OLED for its least expensive iPhone This means more accurate colors, deeper blacks, and perfect contrast

However, don't expect 120Hz ProMotion support But even without that, the iPhone 16 and iPhone SE 4 appear to be a perfect match on the inside

With one major exception, however

The iPhone 16 has two cameras: a 48MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide lens While there is no telephoto lens, pixel binning allows for a good 2x zoom, and the improved 12MP ultra-wide lens allows for macro photography for the first time

Meanwhile, the SE has stuck to a single-camera lens for all three model changes so far, and that is likely to continue for the 2025 model year

The good news, however, is that this lens is also expected to be a 48MP lens, which should hopefully allow for 2x zoom without a dedicated telephoto lens Nevertheless, those who really value the flexibility of multiple cameras will have to look for something more expensive

We led our iPhone 16 review with the tagline “No more Pro envy,” as Apple has narrowed the feature gap between the regular iPhone and its Pro sibling

If all the rumors about the iPhone SE 4 come to fruition, the cheapest model may have a similar tagline No more outdated designs, an OLED screen and internal specs that rival any of the best phones you can buy

Assuming all these rumors are correct, there is one potential bottleneck: we're hearing $499, a $71 price increase from the 2022 model, which sounds optimistic given all the upgrades we're seeing

But if Apple can achieve that price point, or close to it, we'll have a new champion at the top of the list of best budget phones in 2025