A recent leak revealed a potential price increase for the iPhone SE 4, but there might be a good reason for it.
A recent report from Phone Arena reveals the source as well-known leaker Revegnus1, who claims that Apple's next affordable smartphone could cost as much as $499. The tip also claims that Apple wants to keep the SE variation under $500, but this is still an increase from the iPhone SE 2022's $429 price tag. While this might seem steep, it is worth remembering that there might be a good reason for the price increase.
Back in August, Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter that there was a high chance that the iPhone SE 4 could come with some variation of Apple Intelligence. While we don't know what form this will take, it will likely mean that the phone will come with at least 8GB of RAM and an A17 chip, which appear to be why many iPhones can't run Apple Intelligence.
Gurman also gave us more information about what to expect from the new phone. Supposedly, the device will come with a chassis similar to the iPhone 14 but will include a crisper, full-body OLED display. We have also heard from other sources that the iPhone SE 4 will come with a 48MP main camera, an improvement over the SE 2022's 12MP camera. Finally, it seems that the phone will come with a USB-C charger over the older lightning port connector.
Apple Intelligence has plenty of great features for users, although it is unclear how many will remain free. Some new features we've found in the latest public beta include the writing tools feature that allows you to produce better-written work. There are also several photo features, including Photos clean up, which feels like Apple's take on Google's Magic Editor. The most significant addition, however, is the new Siri features, including much-improved interaction with the user and the ability to type out requests.
The iPhone SE 4 allows users to experience using an iPhone without completely breaking the bank. However, we still don't know exactly how this will work or what form it will take. We will have to wait for the eventual release, expected in 2025, to see if the SE 4 will be one of the best affordable smartphones you can buy.
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