iPhone SE 4: Major Camera and Chipset Upgrades Expected

Apple’s next iPhone SE, expected to launch in 2025, is rumored to feature significant upgrades, particularly in its camera and chipset. This new model will likely continue Apple’s tradition of providing strong value in the midrange smartphone market, with improvements designed to help it compete more effectively against rivals like the Google Pixel 8a.

The standout upgrade in the iPhone SE 4 is expected to be its camera. The current iPhone SE has faced criticism for its aging single-lens setup, which falls behind more recent midrange competitors, especially when it comes to camera performance. The Google Pixel 8a, for example, offers excellent image quality thanks to its powerful AI-driven photo processing algorithms, despite being priced hundreds of dollars lower than flagship devices. In contrast, the iPhone SE’s camera has not kept pace, particularly when compared to the Pixel 8a.

To address this, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to adopt a 48MP main camera sensor, a significant step up from the 12MP sensor used in the previous model. This would bring the SE 4 in line with the iPhone 16, which also uses the 48MP sensor. With this new camera, the SE 4 would benefit from improved zoom functionality, capable of mimicking a 2x optical zoom, similar to the iPhone 15. This should help the SE 4 stand out in a crowded market, where most competitors still lack dedicated zoom lenses.

Beyond the camera, another crucial aspect of the iPhone SE 4 is the chipset. Historically, the iPhone SE has used the previous generation’s flagship chip, and the SE 4 is expected to follow suit by featuring the A18 chipset, which debuted in the iPhone 16. The A18 provides enhanced performance, better power efficiency, and supports AI features that could elevate the user experience on the iPhone SE 4, making it one of the few budget smartphones to include such advanced capabilities. These AI-powered features, along with improved camera performance, could make the SE 4 a strong contender in the midrange smartphone market.

With these upgrades, the iPhone SE 4 is shaping up to offer a compelling combination of price and performance, blending the advanced features of high-end phones with the affordability of the SE series. As competition in the midrange smartphone space intensifies, Apple’s strategy of updating both hardware and software will likely make the SE 4 an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers.