Skip to main content

The next iPhone SE may have the biggest design change we’ve ever seen

Apple is reportedly bringing back the iPhone XR’s design for the next iPhone SE. The report comes from noted analyst Ross Young at Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSSC) via MacRumors.  Young had previously believed that the fourth-gen iPhone SE would have an Android-style hole-punch cutout on the front and a display size ranging between 5.7 inches to 6.1 inches.

Young now expects that Apple will stick to a 6.1-inch design, while also bringing the notch to an iPhone SE model for the first time. The phone is expected to be based on an iPhone XR, with Apple keeping the iPhone SE’s rear camera as a solo act for the fourth year running. There’s also reportedly no OLED or ProMotion expected here either. And with the notch making an appearance, we can safely assume the next iPhone SE will support Face ID instead of Touch ID. There’s simply no space for the traditional Touch ID sensor on the iPhone XR’s body, and recent reports from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg note that Apple has no appetite for building Touch ID into the power button on iPhones as it does on iPads.

iPhone XR wallet case feat image.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The iPhone SE line has typically been one with feet firmly in the past, offering iPhone connoisseurs the chance to keep their favorite designs for longer than their sell-by dates. The original SE revived the iPhone 5’s design, while the 2020 and 2022 SEs brought back the iPhone 8. Though the iPhone XR still looks somewhat contemporary, its rounded edges and the wider notch will likely ensure that you don’t confuse it with a “real” new iPhone.

Recommended Videos

If the next SE does look like an XR, it’ll also end the iPhone SE’s streak of being the cheapest, smallest iPhone you can buy. While all the older SEs were small, that was more a function of the devices they were based on than anything. As Apple moves to the iPhone XR for the SE series and to the Plus line for the mainline iPhones, it’s unlikely we’ll see a proper small iPhone again for a while.

Michael Allison
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
The iPhone 17 might see a huge RAM upgrade
Alleged render of iPhone 17 air in silver color.

We already expected the iPhone 17 to be a big step up, but a new rumor suggests it might be an even bigger technical leap than first thought. According to well-known tipster Digital Chat Station, the entire series will use Apple Intelligence on a "large scale," and every phone in the lineup, from the base iPhone 17 to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, will have 12GB of RAM.

This leak corroborates earlier suggestions from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, giving it even more credibility. Considering all current iPhones max out at 8GB of RAM, this represents a 33% jump — not something to scoff at. Digital Chat Station goes on to say the phones will use the TSMC A19 Pro, the most powerful chip in an iPhone yet. When you put all of that together, it's likely the iPhone 17 lineup will be much faster than current models.

Read more
iPhone 17 final look leaks may be what we’re getting
Alleged Render of iPhone 17 Air.

The new iPhone 17 appears to be just ahead of final staging before going into mass production, adding weight to recent leaked images.

Yup, that should mean the image above, along with many leaks similar, are on track to be accurate.

Read more
iPhone 17e: what we want to see
The camera on the iPhone 16e

It's been two months since Apple released the iPhone 16e to the surprise of everyone looking to buy an iPhone for the first time, and the iPhone 17e has leaked out of nowhere. The iPhone 16e came out as a spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, ending the third generation of the SE series and making people wonder whether it's the start of something new for iPhone. According to the leaker, Apple now seems to be working on developing the iPhone 17e, setting the trend for making affordable iPhones part of the larger, elite iPhone lineup.

iPhone 17e release date and price analysis

Read more