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The first truly “special edition” iPhone SE 4 is starting to sound too good to be true

Monicel
The first truly “special edition” iPhone SE 4 is starting to sound too good to be true

The iPhone SE 4 is shaping up to be a game changer in a way most people didn’t expect, especially when you compare it to the much more expensive iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models.

While Apple’s flagships grab headlines with flashy ‘pro-grade’ features, new leaks suggest that iPhone SE 4 could be a more serious contender than expected. And that’s thanks to some surprisingly powerful updates.

From a new 5G modem and relatively generous camera upgrades to the iPhone 16’s A18 chip, the iPhone SE 4 it’s starting to look like a really special “special edition”.

And for what it’s expected to cost, the value here might just be unbeatable, for Android or Apple’s other iPhones.

Surprise, surprise! Apple’s first 5G modem could give the iPhone SE 4 WiFi and battery superpowers

If the latest leaks from 9to5Mac turn out to be true, one of the most exciting things about the iPhone SE 4 could become Apple’s first (home-made) 5G modem. And I know this sounds like the most boring update ever, but bear with me… In addition to helping Apple do what Apple loves best (which is save money), it now turns out that the company’s 5G modem it could be a big step forward in terms of performance and efficiency.

The leak says that Cupertino’s 5G modem should lead to better integration with the rest of the iPhone SE’s hardware and software, which could lead to improved battery life and, in theory, a stronger, more stable connection.

My iPhone 13 mini has been having some WiFi issues, so the idea of ​​a new modem that fixes the signal issues is very appealing. For someone like me, who relies heavily on a strong WiFi and cellular signal, this could be a game changer.

What’s more intriguing is that if Apple’s 5G modem experiment goes to plan, improved battery life and signal quality could help make the cheaper iPhone stand out against the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, which still use Qualcomm modems, and cost twice as much.

Of course, this is just speculation on my part, but based on the leaks, it now looks like more than speculation. After all, Apple has full control over the modem meaning they can tune performance for better efficiency.

A bigger, easier-to-market surprise: The iPhone SE 4 is now expected to have the iPhone 15’s flagship 48MP camera sensor with 2x “optical zoom.”

Camera iPhone 14 12MP vs iPhone 15 48MP with 5x zoom.

Camera performance is always a key factor for people when buying a new phone, and this is where the iPhone SE 4’s supposed weakness could turn out to be one of its biggest strengths.

The iPhone SE 4 It’s reportedly getting a 48MP main camera, as Apple is expected to use the same sensor as the iPhone 15which has a proven track record of delivering great photography and videography.

48MP instead of 12MP also means the iPhone SE 4 will offer 2x sensor crop zoom and better digital zoom.

The 2x sensor crop zoom essentially mimics the effect of having a dedicated zoom lens, without the need for additional hardware. What it also does is give Apple a chance to say so iPhone SE 4 it has “dual cameras/lenses”.

Of course, the 2x lossless zoom won’t make up for the lack of an ultra-wide-angle snapper. However, it will certainly sweeten the deal and make it seem like you’re getting a bit more for the alleged $500 asking price.

I guess you can think of the iPhone SE 4’s camera system as the iPhone 16’s, but without the ultra-large camera. In this case, paying $300 less to get almost the same camera experience seems like a pretty decent deal. At least in the iPhone world.

Most powerful mid-range phone ever: A18 chip with 8GB of RAM to put iPhone SE 4 on par with $1,200 iPhone 16 Pro Max

Let’s talk for a second about performance, which has been the biggest focus and selling point of the iPhone SE since the original. iPhone SE (2016).

According to the latest leaks, which sound more and more certain, the iPhone SE 4 surely expected to come with the A18 chip – the same processor you’ll find in the $900 iPhone iPhone 16 In addition This also means the iPhone SE 4 it should get 8GB of RAM, so it’s fully compatible with Apple Intelligence features.

Looking at the bigger picture, it’s even better, as the A18 chip is practically as capable as the A18 Pro in iPhone 16 Pro series, meaning the $500 iPhone SE 4 it might be able to go head-to-head with the $1,200 iPhone 16 Pro Max.

In other words, we’re talking about flagship-level performance in a phone that’s expected to cost less than half of what you’d pay for Apple’s most expensive premium flagship. And that’s a level of speed Android won’t be able to match at $500.

‘Apple Intelligence’ features ready to make iPhone SE 4 a more reassuring purchase than iPhone 16

Aaa we come to one of the most exciting possibilities with the iPhone SE 4which is the expected integration of Apple Intelligence.

What stands out to me from looking at the leaked information and the iPhone SE The release timeline is that this might be the only area where the SE 4 really outshines the iPhone 16 i iPhone 16 Pro!

The iPhone 16 The series launched with very limited AI capabilities, as Apple didn’t seem ready to deploy its AI vision to the fullest.

Lucky for those on a budget, at the moment iPhone SE 4 released (in spring 2025), we’ll likely see a fully fleshed out version of Apple Intelligence, hopefully with zero “beta” features.

In practice, Apple Intelligence in the iPhone SE it should give you AI photo editing features, smart ways to text and iMessage, and seamless integration of AI into Apple apps and across iOS.

Apple Intelligence may not sound as exciting as some of the hardware upgrades (especially coming from the old iPhone SE 3), but as someone who uses AI (Android) features on a daily basis, I can tell you that they can change the game that save you tons of time.

The iPhone SE 4 sounds too good to be true – could the biggest surprise be a much higher price tag of around $600?

So… At the end of the day, the iPhone SE 4 It looks like it will offer some of the top hardware and software features of Apple’s flagship models, but at a much more reasonable price. Of course, I don’t expect to see 120Hz ProMotion or Dynamic Island on a $500 iPhone, but with the new 5G modem, 48MP camera, A18 chip and Apple Intelligence, it’s hard to see why the average user I would need one iPhone 16 or 16 Pro. For example, everyone in my family would be more than happy with a phone like this iPhone SE 4.

Having said all that, it is expected that the iPhone SE 4 it will start at $500 or less, and I think that would make it a bit of a “steal”. That is unless Apple decides to surprise everyone with a higher price.

For example, Tim Cook & Co. may decide to discontinue the iPhone 14 (which currently starts at $600) and have the iPhone SE take its place. The only downgrade from the iPhone 14 to the SE 4 would be the lack of an ultra-large camera, which could justify a $600 price tag given all the upgrades.

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