We're expecting to see the iPhone SE 4 at some point this year, most likely in the spring. But whenever it arrives, Apple's latest phone could introduce a new name that retires the SE label.
The latest sign of a name change arrives in the form of a post on X by leaker Majin Bu, who has a mixed record when it comes to accurate phone reports. According to the post, the iPhone SE 4 is going to debut as the iPhone 16E.
This isn't the first time that potential name change has surfaced. A Weibo post from back in December made a similar claim about the iPhone 16E label.
Based on what my source has reported, it seems that the new iPhone that Apple will unveil in 2025 will not be called iPhone SE4, but iPhone 16E. It should feature a design similar to the iPhone 14, with an OLED display and an action button. The available colors will be white and… pic.twitter.com/Vm8DCh1Xo0December 31, 2024
Before you dismiss this as ho-hum news, it's actually a good sign for the midrange Apple phone and its potential feature set. Calling the device the iPhone 16E instead of the iPhone SE (2025) suggests that Apple considers this phone an extension of the iPhone 16 lineup released last fall. And specifically, that could mean an important feature makes the grade for this iPhone SE (2022) successor.
It won't be the phone's design, which is rumored to be more reminiscent of the iPhone 14, thanks to a notched display instead of a screen with a Dynamic Island feature. Instead, I'm thinking about the internals of the phone. Calling it the iPhone 16E suggests Apple plans to include the same processor featured in the entry-level iPhone 16. And that A18 silicon would allow the iPhone 16E to support Apple Intelligence features.
Apple has been introducing Apple Intelligence as part of the iOS 18 update, though up until now, the suite of AI tools has been limited to phones with an A17 Pro chipset or later. That means besides the iPhone 16 models, only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can run Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 16E would add to that number while also giving people a more affordable way to experience Apple Intelligence, even if the price rises from the $429 cost of the current iPhone SE as many expect.
Other phones have made their AI features more accessible to users, with Google's lower-cost A series phones supporting the same capabilities as its Pixel flagships. Samsung has extended Galaxy AI features to older flagship models, though its midrange Galaxy A35 can support some capabilities like Circle to Search. A sub-$500 iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence would be a step toward Apple broadening the reach of its AI tools.
The new name isn't the only iPhone SE 4 news include in the Majin Bu tweet. The leaker also claims the phone will have an OLED panel and action button. The iPhone 16E could be available in black and white color options, too.
We've got a little while to wait to see if those claims pan out. The iPhone SE 4... er, iPhone 16E... isn't expected to arrive until the spring.
More from Tom's Guide
- The best (and worst) AI phone features of 2024
- What to expect from iPhones in 2025: iPhone 17 Air, iPhone SE 4 and more
- iPhone 17 just tipped for this Pro feature after years of waiting
