iPhone SE 4 coming in March with Apple’s 5G modem, say insiders

We've seen a stack of rumours about the forthcoming Apple iPhone SE 4 in recent months, and now a new report appears to corroborate some of the details, including the launch date and the debut of Apple's own 5G modem.

Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues have been touring Asian electronics manufacturers, including some firms in Apple's supply chain, and claim that they've had recent rumours "confirmed" (via MacRumors).

The analysts say that the iPhone SE 4 will contain an Apple-designed 5G modem and will launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. That suggests a March launch, just like the iPhone SE (2022).

iPhone SE 4: key features and specs

There aren't many mysteries about the phone left, to be honest.

We've seen dummy units that appear to confirm reports of the iPhone SE 4's new design, including the end of Touch ID to make way for Face ID, and multiple rumours that say it'll look very much like the 6.1-inch iPhone 14.

There will allegedly be a notch for the Face ID sensors and selfie shooter, but no Dynamic Island – that'll remain reserved for Apple's more premium iPhones.

We're expecting the iPhone 4 SE cameras to lack the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses of the more premium iPhone models too, but it seems likely that the iPhone 4 SE will have the same 48-megapixel sensor as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

One of the most significant changes is the arrival of Apple Intelligence. That has hefty hardware requirements – at the moment the minimum spec is an iPhone 16 or the iPhone 15 Pro, but not the less powerful iPhone 15 models or their predecessors.

In order to run Apple's AI, the iPhone SE 4 will need to be similarly powerful. But, provided that doesn't mean a significant price hike, it also means that Apple's most affordable iPhone should be very future-proof.