The iPhone SE has had an odd lifecycle trajectory. For someone watching from the outside, it would seem Apple doesn’t know, or rather, hasn’t been able to figure out what to do with it. There is good reason for this. A “low-cost” iPhone may seem like a brilliant idea on paper, but it is extremely hard to pull off in the real world. You can’t do it without a few compromises and Apple as a brand, isn’t known for many compromises.
The SE, which is short for special edition, is a line of relatively affordable iPhones made from recycled parts. The first iPhone SE was launched in 2016. There have been only two more since then. The second generation came after four years. The iPhone SE 3—which is also the current version—after two, in 2022. The iPhone SE 4 has been a long-time coming, too. It will reportedly drop on February 11. Apple isn’t making a big noise about it which given its history is not very surprising.
And yet, it raises a very important question. Why isn’t there more excitement around it? A competing Pixel 9a, even though it has set itself for the same promise and eventual disappointment, is one of—if not—the biggest talk of the town. One of the reasons, perhaps is that Google has been both consistent and persistent with launching these phones, sales figures and even reputation be damned. A Pixel 9a—which is pure speculation for now, might we add—is all but certain to come sometime this year, maybe not in as many markets—as an SE—but it will come without fail.
The iPhone SE in 2025 could be the harbinger of change, though, says the optimistic in me. Sheer excitement is what made me fire up the iPhone SE 3 over the weekend, just to catch up. Even though it is—now—dated beyond epic proportions, still, it brought a smile on my face. You know why? As soon as I turned it on, iOS 18.3 was ready for installation. It doesn’t do many fancy things like the newer iPhones, including Apple Intelligence, but that is hardly the point. The iPhone SE from 2022 is running the same core OS (operating system) as the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max and that, dear readers, is what sets it apart from most “entry-level” smartphone from those days. But I digress.
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to bring the first major redesign to the line-up since its very inception doing away with a yesteryear classic for a more modern-day look and feel. Online reports suggest that Apple is looking to tap the iPhone 14 for inspiration in which case, it might discontinue the original which it continues to make and sell in markets like India. It’s a great strategy since it helps reduce cost of developing fresh ID, the benefits of which have greater chance to come to buyers considering the budget pricing (alternatively, it could help with margins, giving Apple more reason to continue with the category).
It is highly unlikely that Apple Intelligence wouldn’t make an appearance although in what form and feature set, that remains to be seen. Word on the street is that the new iPhone SE will be powered by the A18, the same chip inside the iPhone 16 (the iPhone 16 Pro models have a “pro” variant of the same chip), while Apple’s AI mandate could bump up the RAM from 3GB to 8GB. As is the nature of these things, the 64GB base configuration is likely to be retired, in this generation for a more generous 128GB.
5G is a given but in this generation, Apple could finally switch to a custom modem—and not use Qualcomm—which in essence, is a big step, and proves that this category has room to experiment with new and future tech that can then pass onto more powerful and pricier Apple products. The SE is anyway seen as an excellent platform to play around with iOS among nerds. Only now, it seems Apple is ready to reciprocate the feeling.
Either way, the iPhone SE 4 is super critical for Apple since it’s coming after a relatively lull holiday period in its home market. The reason why it’s so critical is that Apple—despite what’s going on in the US—has been doing very well in emerging markets, particularly in India and the iPhone SE, as a product line, fits well here. If response to the newer iPhones is anything to go by, the SE will be expected to fly off the shelves given its low-price barrier and the proverbial lure of the coveted Apple brand.
