Next year will be an exciting one for the iPhone. The iPhone 17 line is set to introduce a brand new form factor in one key model. The reportedly ultra-thin, redesigned iPhone 17 Air will deservedly get a lot of attention. But it’s a very different iPhone that’s set to be the best option for most buyers. Here’s why.
iPhone SE 4 will pack modern power into a budget model
Apple’s next iPhone won’t be the iPhone 17 Air, or any of the other 17 models coming. Those won’t arrive until next fall.
Coming first will be the new iPhone SE, and it’s set to offer the best value ever in an SE model.
The iPhone SE 4 is expected this spring. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights:
- an iPhone 14-style design, with OLED and no Home Button
- Face ID and a notch
- the A18 chip just added to the iPhone 16
- Apple Intelligence support, which is otherwise exclusive to 16 and 15 Pro models
- 8GB of RAM
- 48MP main camera, likely just like the iPhone 16’s
- USB-C port
- and the first ever Apple-designed 5G modem
- we don’t know details about battery life, but it will likely be fairly strong too—the body will be similar to the iPhone 16, which gets great battery life.
All of this will come at a budget price. The current SE starts at $429, and the new one is likely to stick close to that—perhaps as high as $499.
If you read this site often, the SE may not be all that tempting to you. 9to5Mac’s audience skews toward buyers who want the latest and greatest.
But for most people, it’s hard to deny that the iPhone SE 4 will be the best option.
The iPhone era of nice-to-haves
One big reason I plan to recommend the SE 4 to most iPhone buyers is that it’s not sacrificing any of the essentials.
For the last several years, iPhones have gotten really great. So much so that it’s hard to make them better from year to year. I’m amazed that Apple’s able to improve each new iPhone as much as it does.
Let’s call modern history the iPhone era of ‘nice-to-haves.’
Here are some of the big features that SE 4 buyers will miss out on if they skip the iPhone 16 for the budget model:
- Action Button
- Camera Control
- Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras
- Always-on display and ProMotion
- Dynamic Island
These are great features. But I would argue every one of them are ‘nice-to-haves’ rather than essential.
- Action Button and Camera Control? They’re ‘extra’ buttons that serve as slightly quicker ways to accomplish things.
- Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras? They’re ‘extra’ cameras, since the main camera’s most important.
- Display upgrades are, in my mind, very nice to have, but you don’t miss them if you’ve never had them.
- And the Dynamic Island is fun, but entirely unnecessary for core functionality.
iPhone SE 4 wrap-up: It’s all about the essentials
The things people do most with their iPhones are all going to be great with the iPhone SE 4.
The main camera will be a fantastic 48MP and enable amazing photos.
A18 and 8GB of RAM will make running modern apps incredibly fast and smooth.
Apple Intelligence features will likely work just as well on the SE as on a more expensive model.
The iPhone SE 4 is set to be so good, Apple had to make the iPhone 16 better than it normally might.
If you’re like me and always want the latest and greatest, the SE won’t be for you.
But for the vast majority of shoppers, it will be hard to recommend a better purchase than the iPhone SE 4.
What do you think? Will the SE 4 be the best for most shoppers? Let us know in the comments.
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