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iPhone SE 4 design rumor hints at camera tweak for affordable phone

A new iPhone SE 4 design rumor contradicts what we thought we knew about the handset, suggesting the addition of a second rear camera.

iPhone SE 4 design rumor: A split header image with a black screen and white Apple logo on the left and a grey-blue iPhone 14 on the right on a pastel rainbow gradient background. The two are separated by a diagonal PT mango line

We’re unlikely to see Apple’s next budget-friendly handset until early 2025, and a new iPhone SE 4 design rumor suggests that the model, which Apple hasn’t changed much since the first SE’s release, is getting some major upgrades. In fact, according to this new rumor, you might not be able to tell the SE 4 apart from Apple’s new flagship device at first glance.

Apple’s iPhone SE is a staple of the tech giant’s smartphone line-up, offering a budget-friendly option for those looking to stay in the Apple ecosystem but can’t afford the latest flagship. The previous SE handset came out in 2022 and shared its design with the iPhone 8, complete with the old model’s large bezels and obvious home button which we haven’t seen on the flagship in years. However, a new rumor suggests that the SE 4 will share its chassis with the iPhone 16.

A previous iPhone SE 4 rumor suggested that the new version would share design similarities and battery hardware with the iPhone 13, based on a series of tweets from freelance coder Nguyen Phi Hung. However, Weibo user Fixed Focus Digital, as reported by GSM Arena, claims that the iPhone 16’s base model will share a chassis with the iPhone SE 4, meaning the two phones will look exactly the same from the back.

From a previous iPhone 16 case leak, we believe that either the iPhone 16 base model or the iPhone 16 Plus is coming with two stacked rear cameras, whereas the iPhone SE devices have traditionally only included a single rear camera. If the SE 4 is truly visually identical to the vanilla iPhone 16, this could mean that the budget model is finally getting an additional rear camera, although leaked dummy models suggest otherwise.

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That’s the extent of the latest iPhone SE 4 design rumor. For more updates on Apple’s upcoming range of flagship models, check out the iPhone 16 Pro pink version, or the changes to the iPhone 16’s battery density. If you’re considering investing in one of the current flagship smartphones, make sure you read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max guide first.