iPhone SE 4 case leaked – does that mean the cheaper iPhone will soon follow?

Anticipation for the iPhone SE 4 has gone into overdrive, with the prospect of a more affordable Apple device always popular with those looking for a new cheap phone. The iPhone SE was first launched in 2016, updated in 2020, with the most recent version made available in 2022.

Unlike the regular iPhone models which are updated annually, the iPhone SE is rather more random as those dates above show. Certainly, with people feeling the pinch through the cost-of-living crisis, an up-to-date iPhone SE certainly has appeal.

We've previously heard rumours about the iPhone SE 4, but now a case has appeared, reportedly for the device. It has been shown off in a video on Twitter.

Cases are relatively cheap and easy to create and that needs to be considered when evaluating whether this is a legitimate leak or not. On one hand, someone could easily take the previous CAD drawings and use those to create a case, whether they are accurate or not.

On the other hand, casemakers are often privy to the dimensions and design of new devices so that they prepare accessories for new devices as soon as they launch. It's impossible to know absolutely what the situation is here - so take the surfacing of a case for the unannounced phone with a pinch of salt.

When could the iPhone SE 4 announcement happen?

Apple has given no indication that there's an iPhone SE in the works, so we're in the realms of speculation with this one. Rumours have suggested that the iPhone SE 4 will take on the iPhone X design, with flat sides and a notch - while also moving to USB-C - but with a single camera.

For some time, there was the suggestion that Apple would use the iPhone SE as a testbed for its own modem chips in a bid to move away from Qualcomm's hardware. However, Apple's progress in this area has been called into question, with an extension to its agreement with Qualcomm until 2026.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has recently suggested that the iPhone SE isn't going to get launched, but with Apple now subject to a lawsuit in the US centred on running a monopoly in the smartphone market, having a more affordable device could be something that's a higher priority than it was before.

Apple is expected to launch new iPad models some time in April and WWDC in June is likely to see another round of announcements. If the iPhone SE 4 is going to be formally announced, those two months are worth watching.