iPhone SE 4: Samsung and Google will hate the $500 flagship-killer that Android users will love

Personally, I thought (Apple being Apple) this was Cupertino’s way of recycling older hardware parts for a profit – not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, since none of the aforementioned theories are verifiable, I suppose we should stick to the third and safest one, which is that the iPhone SE is simply Apple’s answer to the best budget and affordable Android phones – a $400 iPhone for those who don’t want to pay $800-1,200 to become part of team iOS.Fast forward to today, the iPhone SE 3 looks exactly like the iPhone SE 2 from 2020, which itself was an iPhone 8 with the latest at the time Apple chip. In other words, the tradition of recycling (really) old iPhone parts continues, making the SE lineup feel rather stagnant – especially compared to some $400-500 Android phones available on the market today.

But it seems now the alleged iPhone SE 4 is finally about to do something to change that! And depending on how you look at it, this phone might be one of the most exciting upgrades we’ve seen in a while. I even think it could be one of the best selling phones of 2024. That’s if… it comes out in 2024.

Here’s what to expect from Apple’s first true flagship-killer iPhone according to the latest leaks and rumors.

iPhone SE 4 – possibly the best value iPhone ever could make some Galaxy, Pixel and OnePlus phones look less impressive

According to leaskter Unknownz21, the new iPhone SE should look almost the same as the iPhone 14. This means Face ID should finally replace the ancient (but beloved by some) Touch ID home button, while the leakster also says we should expect USB-C, a single rear camera, and even the same Action button expected to debut on iPhone 15 Pro in September. Apart from that, a different leak suggests the iPhone SE 4 will use an OLED display, just like iPhone 14.

With tall his early information on hand, and some educated guessing based on Apple’s general strategy for differentiating iPhone models, here’s a quick specs breakdown of the iPhone SE 4. Take this with a pinch of salt…

• iPhone SE 4 display: 6.1-inch, 60Hz OLED display with a notch cutout (identical to iPhone 14)
• iPhone SE 4 camera: Single 12MP rear camera and a 12MP front camera with 4K video recording
• iPhone SE 4 battery and charging: ≥ 3,000 mAh battery, USB-C charging port, wireless charging support
• iPhone SE 4 performance and storage: Apple A16 Bionic chip (6GB RAM); 128GB, 256GB storage options
• iPhone SE 4 extra features to expect: IP67 dust and water protection, Action button
• iPhone SE 4 price: $529 starting price (explained further into the article)

The “boring” but reliable iPhone SE 4 could outsell every Android phone on the market and get millions of Android users to switch to iPhone

Now, if the above mentioned specs make the iPhone SE seem like a “killer deal”, that’s because it really could be. Apple is coming for Android, and the more modern looking iPhone SE 4 could finally persuade even the most loyal Android users to switch teams.If you ever considered buying an iPhone, or upgrading from an old model but couldn’t because of how expensive current iPhones are, the alleged iPhone SE 4 will undoubtedly attract your attention, while putting Android alternatives like the vanilla Pixel flagship, Nothing Phone, and Galaxy FE in a tricky position.

Don’t get me wrong, Android’s $400-600 flagship-killers will have enough extra features to attract certain users who care enough about a 120Hz refresh rate display and an ultra-wide-angle camera. But frankly… Apart from those two features, I don’t see how Android phones in this price range will be able to compete with the alleged iPhone SE 4.

iPhone SE 4: Why $529 is the perfect price for the first flagship-killer iPhone in history

Now let’s get back to the price of the iPhone SE 4, because this will (undoubtedly) be what makes or breaks Apple’s alleged flagship-killer.

Although some tipsters expect the iPhone SE 4 to cost $599, I’d argue this is an overestimate, since it would bring the iPhone SE too close to the $799 iPhone 15 (of course if the iPhone 15’s price doesn’t go up this year).

This leaves us with two alternatives. The first one is that the iPhone SE 4 will cost as much as the current iPhone SE, which starts at $429. I can immediately tell you that this is virtually impossible, considering the upgrades, the inflation, and Apple’s unconditional love for… profit.

The second, and most likely possibility (in my opinion) is that the iPhone SE 4 should cost exactly $100 more than the current iPhone SE, or $529. Considering all the hardware upgrades and most notably the completely new design, this price seems fair while it’d also set the iPhone SE far apart from the iPhone 15, which I expect to start at $799.

Apple’s iPhone SE 4 might seem “too good to be true” but Apple knows exactly how to keep the price low

Finally, here’s the $500 question I know many of you might be asking… How is Apple going to make an iPhone SE that essentially looks like an iPhone 14 (only with one less camera on the back) for nearly $300 less?

The truth is that while the iPhone SE 4 is indeed expected to look like an iPhone 14, in reality, there are so many different areas where Apple could cut costs when making the iPhone SE 4. In fact, the only real upgrades to the iPhone SE 4 compared to the iPhone SE 3 could very well be the new chassis, the new display, and the Face ID sensors.