Apple working on iPhone SE 4 and 5G baseband chip
Apple has reportedly re-initiated the development process for the iPhone SE 4. The news comes from the analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, who previously claimed that the brand had scrapped the idea of introducing the fourth-generation iPhone SE, following concerns over its first in-house 5G baseband chip. Currently, Apple orders 5G chips from Qualcomm, and in the foreseeable future, these orders may decline significantly.
Why does this story matter?
The iPhone SE 4 tip-offs started to rife last year when leaker Jon Prosser, revealed that Apple will use the iPhone XR's design for its fourth-generation iPhone SE, discarding the Home button. The phone was then anticipated for 2024, but later Kuo claimed that the iPhone SE 4 has been delayed or canceled. The latest details revealed by the analyst contradict his previous claims.
iPhone SE 4 may get Face ID gadgetry
The new report claims that iPhone SE 4 could ditch the previously expected iPhone XR-like design, for a look similar to iPhone 14, sporting a notch, and rounded corners. Face ID could also be onboard. The handset may get a 6.1-inch Full-HD+ OLED screen (instead of an LCD) with slimmer bezels. It will be a minor modification of the iPhone 14, believes Kuo.
The handset may feature a single rear camera
On the rear, the iPhone SE 4 may get a solo 12MP camera with an LED flash. For selfies and video calls, it may sport a 12MP camera at the front. The device should be able to capture 4K videos at 60fps.
The phone will use Apple's in-house 5G chip
The iPhone SE 4 model may draw power from Apple's A16 Bionic processor. The RAM, storage, and battery details cannot be anticipated at the moment. The phone will come with Apple's 5G baseband chip instead of Qualcomm's. The brand's in-house chip will be based on a 4nm process, which is said to support only sub-6GHz, according to Kuo.
The brand's 5G chip may also power iPhone 16 line-up
Apple's in-house 5G baseband chip is in the works at the moment. If the brand successfully overcomes the technical challenges associated with mmWave and satellite communications, the chip may likely be seen on both iPhone SE 4 and iPhone 16 series in 2024.
Apple's move may disrupt Qualcomm's business
Apple uses Qualcomm's 5G chips on its product line-up, but if the brand switches to using its own chip, it is inevitable that Qualcomm's Apple orders will drop. Kuo predicts that if production of the iPhone SE 4 with the new in-house chip goes smoothly in H1 2024, the company may abandon Qualcomm's baseband chips for iPad/Watch too, benefiting its own hardware gross margin.
