iPhone SE 4: From Apple's first 5G modem to new design, everything to know

iPhone SE 4: Apple is reportedly gearing to launch the fourth generation iPhone SE or the iPhone SE 4 early next year. Now, a new report suggests that the upcoming iPhone SE 4 could be the first smartphone from the company to come with Apple's first 5G modem.

Apple acquired Intel's smartphone modem business back in 2019. Since then, the company has been working on developing its own 5G modem in a bid to reduce its dependence on Qualcomm's 5G modems. While the company's efforts of developing a 5G modem have hit several setbacks in the past, reports suggest that could soon change with the launch of the iPhone SE 4. Reports suggest that Apple's first 5G modem, codenamed ‘Centauri’, will not only provide 5G capabilities to the smartphone, but it will also support other technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. This new modem is also expected to reduce power consumption in Low Power mode for iPhones.

Beyond the 5G capabilities, reports have hinted towards the upcoming iPhone SE 4 getting a new design. The iPhone SE 3 is based on the iPhone 8 that arrived in 2017. However, the iPhone SE 4 is likely to be based on the iPhone 14. This means that it will come with a flat design with thinner bezels. This also means that Apple will finally ditch the physical home screen button and Touch ID and replace these features with Face ID. 

On the display front, the iPhone SE 4 is likely to get a bigger screen. According to reports, the fourth generation iPhone SE could come with a 6.1-inch OLED display, which would mark a major upgrade from the 4.7-inch LCD display of the iPhone SE 3. However, Apple is expected to retain the notch, restricting Dynamic Island for its premium iPhone models. 

Coming to the core, Apple is also likely to provide a major upgrade to the iPhone SE 4 in terms of the processor. Reports hint towards the fourth-gen iPhone SE being powered with the A18 chip. This is the same chip that powers Apple's newly launched iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus models. The phone is also likely to support 8GB of RAM, which is the minimum storage requirement for running Apple Intelligence.

The iPhone SE 4 is likely to get a bump in the camera department as well. The upcoming iPhone could feature the same camera setup as the iPhone 15. On the front, it is likely to get the 12MP front-facing camera, while at the back, it is tipped to get a 48MP camera. However, the phone is expected to miss out on the 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens.

Lastly, reports suggest that the phone could cost significantly more than the third-generation iPhone SE. The iPhone SE 3 starts at $429 in the US. The iPhone SE 4, on the other hand, could go as high as $499.