Apple to launch all-new iPhone SE 4 next week
What's the story
Apple is preparing for a flurry of product launches in 2025, recent leaks suggest.
The tech giant's year has been pretty quiet so far but is about to pick up the pace with the launch of the new Powerbeats Pro 2.
The highly-anticipated iPhone SE 4 could be unveiled any day now, while the M4 MacBook Air is due in the coming weeks.
Product briefings
Apple's upcoming announcements
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman revealed on social media that Apple is preparing a couple of announcements.
The iPhone SE 4 is still on track to be announced by February 21. Plus, Apple will be holding product briefings for the iPhone SE 4 in the coming week, which means it needs to be announced before that.
A separate "smaller" announcement is also expected today, though details remain undisclosed.
Press briefings
Apple Vision Pro press briefings
Apple Vision Pro representatives have started reaching out to the press for an announcement on Friday.
These briefings are unlikely to be public on the same day since they are related to an upcoming announcement.
Speculation indicates this may not be new hardware but something related to updates in the operating system or Apple's non-native apps.
VR integration
Possible integration with 3rd-party VR controllers
If the announcement isn't about apps or a media partnership, it could be about Apple's adoption of third-party VR controllers, starting with PlayStation VR 2.
This integration wouldn't have to wait for WWDC and could arrive as soon as visionOS 2 .4.
Finally, the mention of the MacBook Air with M4 fits with earlier reports about this product's anticipated launch around March.
SE 4 features
iPhone SE 4: A closer look at the features
The iPhone SE 4 has been making headlines for two years, mostly because of its features.
The device is expected to deliver Apple Intelligence at a budget price and a modern display without the bulky bezels of the iPhone SE 3. Other premium features such as Face ID are also expected.
To enable Apple Intelligence, the company could finally introduce the A18 chipset, seen in iPhone 16, with 8GB of RAM, reports suggest.
SE 4 competition
iPhone SE 4: A competitive mid-range smartphone
The iPhone SE 4 will likely sport a 6.1-inch 60Hz panel, just like the iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16.
Although the camera will probably be a single-lens affair, Apple's computational photography should enable quality shots.
Leaks indicate that this phone could be priced at approximately $500, making it a strong competitor against entry-level phones like the Google Pixel 8a and Samsung Galaxy A35 5G.