Forget the iPhone 16. Apple has something better

Updated on July 21st, revealing new design details for the upcoming iPhone SE.

With the launch of Apple Intelligence, Apple is ready to enter the world of AI-first smartphones, and while the iPhone 16 Pro will be the flagship product, Tim Cook and his team intend to ensure that the iPhone 16 delivers on the same promise. But there’s a better iPhone on the way, one that offers Apple’s loyal consumers value for money, new hardware, and the power of artificial intelligence… the next-generation iPhone SE.

The iPhone SE has always been popular, offering the benefits of Apple’s ecosystem and hardware in a smartphone at an attractive price point. The first iPhone SE based on the iPhone 5S design in 2016, the second iPhone SE based on the iPhone 8 in 2020, and the third iPhone SE based on the iPhone 8 design but with the same chipset as the iPhone 13 at the time in 2022 set the tone.

Given that prices for the Pro iPhones continue to rise, the 2025 iPhone SE will likely be just as popular as the previous model — maybe even more so than the previous one.

In terms of specifications, it will likely have the iPhone 14 form factor, but smaller than the vanilla and Pro models, which many will welcome. After all, not everyone wants a giant smartphone. With a three-year gap between this SE and the previous iteration, we can expect it to include many of Apple’s hardware improvements. There could be a larger 48MP main camera, a notched display for the first time on the SE, and the same fast-charging battery technology we expect from the iPhone 16.

The biggest improvement may be in the display: Previous SE models had a cheaper, less vivid LCD panel, but the 2025 version should also have an OLED display.

Update: Sunday, July 21st.

The iPhone SE’s design has always been reminiscent of previous models, but it’s managed to stay relatively fresh thanks to Apple’s iterative design process, which means few major changes to the design.

9to5Mac reports that the iPhone SE design will have a modern look and may mirror the same back design as the iPhone 16. The new iPhone SE will come with key identifying features such as vertically stacked cameras and a notched screen.

“…in other words, the backs of the two devices may be nearly indistinguishable. This isn’t too surprising, as CAD renders earlier this year showed the upcoming iPhone SE 4 would be the largest SE model yet, with a form factor largely similar to the iPhone 14.

There’s also something important to consider: the iPhone 16’s twin camera lens arrangement has been changed to a portrait-style arrangement to enable it to record stereoscopic video when held landscape, suitable for playing in 3D with Vision Pro. Apple is looking to roll this out to the iPhone 16 family, and it would make sense that the upcoming iPhone SE would be part of that effort as well.

The iPhone 16, by its very nature, is a device that has had to make compromises thus far. Apple has been putting the latest and greatest technology it has available into its Pro models, with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max coming this year. It’s always been a balancing act between keeping the iPhone 16’s specs high enough that it’s considered a good enough iPhone, while still leaving room to create demand for the more expensive Pro models.

Previously, this meant using the previous generation Axx chipsets, reducing consumer storage options, and keeping memory specs as low as possible, but this is no longer the case as supporting generative AI requires the latest Apple Silicon, large amounts of memory, and the ability to do as much processing as possible locally on the device.

For the iPhone SE to support Apple Intelligence, it will need to have the same base specifications as the iPhone 16, especially in terms of Apple Silicon. The iPhone SE has had the same chipset as the mainline before, and it’s likely to happen this generation as well.

After all, if AI is the future, Apple Intelligence must be ubiquitous. And to be ubiquitous, it needs to be supported in the iPhone SE.

There are also questions about the timeline for generative AI. Apple Intelligence, as the flashy branding goes, was previewed at last month’s Worldwide Developers Conference and will play a role in iOS 18. But while iOS 18 will be available to the public when the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro launch in September, the key AI components aren’t due to arrive until the first quarter of 2025.

While the Apple community may be hoping for an “AI boom” in sales of the iPhone 16, one of the first AI-enabled iPhones, there are no signs in the supply chain that Apple plans to increase its order book. If Apple is waiting until Q1 2025 to start the revolution, it may be better to wait until then to see what shape that revolution will take.

If you want more power and the full capabilities of the iPhone platform, you’ll want to choose the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max. There’s not much point looking at other iPhones. If you want the most bang for your buck, the iPhone SE is a better value than the iPhone 16. Apple Intelligence has been delayed, so there’s no real advantage to buying your next iPhone before then.

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