Gurman: New iPhone SE To Launch ‘In The Coming Days’
Once again, we’re hearing reports that Apple’s next-generation iPhone SE, colloquially dubbed the “iPhone SE 4,” could be arriving sooner than expected. However, this time, the report comes from a reliable source — and one that, ironically, had previously insisted we wouldn’t see it until March or April.
In early January, a reportedly reliable leaker claimed the new iPhone SE would launch by the end of the month. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman quickly refuted that claim. Gurman didn’t necessarily challenge the leaker’s information but merely suggested they had drawn the wrong conclusions.
The initial report said that the iPhone SE would launch with iOS 18.3, suggesting it would arrive at the same time as Apple’s software update. Gurman clarified that his sources said this merely meant that it would launch with iOS 18.3 installed — meaning it would come before Apple releases iOS 18.4, which is expected in April.
Now, Gurman is walking back that statement based on new information that says the iPhone SE could arrive “as early as next week.”
Apple Inc. plans to unveil a long-anticipated overhaul of the iPhone SE in the coming days, a move that will modernize its lower-cost model in a bid to spur growth and entice consumers to switch from other brands.
Mark Gurman
As with most iPhone releases, the new model may not go on sale until later this month, but Apple is expected to announce it in advance to give customers time to pre-order it. This also ensures that Apple can stem the tide of any leaks that will undoubtedly happen once the new model stock begins showing up in stores.
“Apple is unlikely to hold a launch event for the device,” Gurman adds, suggesting that it will be slipped out more quietly via a press release instead.
In addition to information from his usual sources, there are several other signs that a refresh is imminent, including dwindling stock of the current iPhone SE. Stockpiles of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are also said to be running low, suggesting Apple could use the opportunity to phase out those models early. If Apple followed its usual schedule, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus would be put out to pasture in September when the iPhone 17 lineup debuts.
Apple already phased out the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE in most of Europe at the end of December to comply with the European Union’s requirement that all smartphones use USB-C connectors. This deprived EU customers of lower-cost iPhone models, which could be partly why Apple is preparing to launch the new iPhone SE earlier than anticipated.
Further, since the new iPhone SE will be a near-clone of the Phone 14, it’s easy to see how Apple might discontinue those models to simplify its lineup. The iPhone SE 4 will lack the second ultra-wide camera of the iPhone 14, but it will compensate for that by packing in the latest A18 chip with 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, plus a USB-C port.
Beyond those differences, it’s expected to have the same specs as the iPhone 14, including an OLED display, Face ID, and, most likely, a notch on the front display (there have been some dissenting opinions on that, but most of the reliable sources remain on “Team Notch”).
Apple currently sells the iPhone 14 starting at $599 for 128 GB of storage. The 2022 iPhone SE starts at $429 for 64 GB, while a comparable 128 GB version sells for $479. In today’s storage economy, we’d certainly hope that Apple doesn’t plan to reintroduce a 64 GB model, and reports have suggested that the base price might jump to $499, likely for 128 GB. That will make the two-year-old iPhone 14 a hard sell at only $100 more for a device with a three-year-old A15 chip. Factor in the Lightning port, and the iPhone 14 would be put in a very awkward position in the lineup.
Gurman adds that the iPhone SE will likely be announced around the same time as the Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds, which could come as early as Feb 11 and are expected to be the first earbuds developed by Apple with a built-in heart rate monitor, beating out Apple’s on-brand AirPods. While those may be the only products we see in February, Apple is expected to launch an M4 MacBook Air lineup in March and a new 11th-generation iPad and iPad Air in April.
About The Author
