iPhone SE 4: Why Today’s New Apple Product Isn’t iPhone SE After All
Updated Feb. 19 with more reports pointing to a new name for the next iPhone.
Apple is about to launch a new product, the company confirmed last week. It’s presumed to be the fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple’s most affordable phone. But what, a series of reports have suggested, it’s not that at all, but something different: an all-new iPhone model, perhaps called iPhone 16E that may not be so affordable after all? We’re now just hours from the unveiling of the new product, where we’ll learn the new name, full details of the handset, including the price, and more reports are emerging of the possible new name.
Will the new iPhone look like this, the iPhone 14?
The iPhone 16E moniker was first mentioned back in December, but was largely discounted as incorrect. Then, prolific leaker Majin Bu picked it up shortly thereafter.
Now, Majin Bu has commented on X that the iPhone 16E name is the one they think is coming. They said: “According to the latest information available online, it seems that someone who has seen the boxes of the new iPhone SE 4 has revealed that the official name will be iPhone 16E. Additionally, the design is expected to be based on the iPhone 16 rather than the iPhone 14, but without the Dynamic Island and the capture button.”
This design comment is important. While the new phone clearly has an original design, basing it on the latest iPhone in terms of size is a key reason to add 16 to the name. For reference, the iPhone 14 measured 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches and the iPhone 16 is slightly taller: 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggested as much, doubling down on comments made back in January from various sources.
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What if, the theory goes, Apple is launching a phone that’s so different from previous SE models that it doesn’t need to be called SE and should be given a new name to indicate how distinct it is from the SE series?
“Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook announced the event on X last week, saying the company would announce its “newest member of the family.” That seems to imply that the iPhone SE will get a new name and be marketed as an fresh addition to the lineup. Given how drastic the overhaul is to the iPhone SE, a new name makes complete sense,” Gurman said.
I see the logic in this. Apple iPhone SE is identified with a low-cost smartphone which takes an existing design and slavishly copies it, only updating the insides of the phone with a new processor, 5G or other upgrades.
But every report about this week’s launch point to a phone with a completely original design. Sure, it looks like it’s based on the iPhone 14 (or iPhone 16), but that has two cameras and it’s thought this will only have one, perhaps with 48-megapixel resolution.
It’s also not clear whether the new phone will have the Dynamic Island cut-out, or the new Camera Control or a customizable Action button, none of which were on the iPhone 14.
And the processor is likely to be the A18, found in the iPhone 16, as this offers compatibility with Apple Intelligence, surely a shoo-in for the new phone?
In which case, a name that evokes the latest iPhone series could be good, and that puts iPhone 16e in the frame.
Plus, if it doesn’t have SE in the name, the expectation that it will be as affordable as the current model, $429, is diminished. Given the upgrades over the current SE, which include an OLED screen and Face ID, a price increase seems wholly unsurprising.
On the other hand, the SE name has recognition and longevity: it can stay in the range for years, not least because there’s no number in its name.
All will be revealed in the coming hours.
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Tim Cook to unveil ‘newest member’ of Apple family this week: What could it be?
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced plans to unveil a new product this week.
But what will it be?
“Get ready to meet the newest member of the family. Wednesday, February 19. #AppleLaunch,” Cook teased on X Thursday.
The post does not include specifics on what the product is or what time the announcement would be, but includes a short 7-second video with a silver Apple logo that appears to have water flowing across it.
USA TODAY has reached out to Apple.
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Several tech news outlets, including Wired and 9to5mac.com, tossed out some their guesses in recent days, including:
Social media users also tossed out their ideas under Cook’s post, including everything from a new Siri to an iRobot.
Contributing: Brett Molina
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
What might the new Apple product be?
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