Published On: Thu, Jan 9th, 2025

New cheap iPhone SE could launch sooner than expected after new leak


It has been nearly three years since Apple released the third and latest version of the iPhone SE, the company’s cheapest smartphone option. This iPhone SE launched in March 2022, and rumours have been circulating about a fourth-gen sequel, with most whispers pointing to a release sometime in the first half of 2025.

The first three iPhone SE models from 2016, 2020 and 2022 have been announced in March, April and March respectively, so given the new version is said to be coming soon, Apple was considered likely to stick to the March or April date to give it about six months gap from Setpember 2024’s iPhone 16 release and six months before the expected iPhone 17 in September 2025.

But, now that we’ve arrived in 2025, a new rumour has emerged that predicts the new iPhone SE 4 could be unveiled as soon as this month.

MacRumors has reported on a private account on X with a decent track record of accurate Apple leaks saying two new devices, ‘V59’ and ‘J481’ will be released along with the free software update iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.

It’s thought among Apple sleuths that the V59 is the new iPhone SE, and J481 is a new entry-level iPad.

Given, says the publication, that iOS 15.3, 16.3 and 17.3 were all released in January of the past three years, iOS 18.3 is likely to come out before February. So, if the leaker behind the X account is right, the iPhone SE 4 could be launched before the end of January.

It’s thought Apple might have decided to bring the iPhone SE 4 release forward from its previously expected March release thanks to the recent introduction of USB-C regulations in the EU. This has meant Apple has been forced to stop selling any devices that still use the Lightning port, which includes the 2022 iPhone SE.

Without an SE on the market, Apple could be losing customers who don’t want to spend big on an iPhone 15, which is the cheapest available from Apple in the EU. UK iPhone shoppers can still get their hands on the 2022 iPhone SE thanks to, well, Brexit.

The new iPhone SE is set to ditch the older design of the current SE, finally laying the legendary Home Button to rest. The SE 4 is rumoured to have a similar design to the iPhone 14 but with a USB-C port, 6.1-inch OLED screen and one single 48-megapixel camera.

The current SE sells in the UK from £429. It would be very welcome if Apple was able to sell the SE 4 for the same price, as it would undercut the £799 iPhone 16, £699 iPhone 15 and even the £599 iPhone 14 by some distance.

We’ll be keeping a keen eye on iPhone SE 4 rumours to bring you the latest on the imminent return of Apple’s cheapest iPhone.



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