The next iPhone may have this design feature after all

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published January 29, 2025

iPhone SE 4 leak by Majin Bu. — Leak-based iPhone SE 4 mockups. Majin Bu

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone SE 4 (or whatever name it may be given) very soon, and it will have a larger display and improved chipset compared to its predecessor. However, on another point, things are less certain.

Recent speculation regarding the new budget phone has fluctuated between it featuring Dynamic Island, similar to the iPhone 16 series, or keeping the traditional notch found on the current iPhone SE. Display expert Ross Young recently commented on this topic. In a post on X, he stated that the iPhone SE 4 will indeed have a notch “similar to the iPhone 14.”

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Earlier, reliable leaker Evan Blass claimed that the phone would include Dynamic Island. However, another leaker, Majin Bu, mentioned that while Apple tested Dynamic Island on the iPhone SE 4, it later decided against using it.

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The new iPhone SE 4 will feature a 60hz oled screen with a 6.06 inch notch and will be equipped with the action button, will you buy it? pic.twitter.com/YnOehX0IPV

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) January 28, 2025

No Dynamic Island may disappoint budget iPhone enthusiasts hoping to buy a lower-cost iPhone with the feature.

The Dynamic Island was introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max in 2022 and later included in the iPhone 15 and 16 lineup. It replaces the notch, which has been present since the iPhone X, integrating the front-facing camera into a cutout at the top of the display. Dynamic Island features animations and information that enhance the user interface around the camera.

We’ll know everything about the iPhone SE 4 soon enough. The phone should arrive in March or April, offering a 6.1-inch display with an A17 chip. Instead of Touch ID, the phone will offer Face ID, and instead of a Lightning connection, it will feature USB-C, which are two firsts for an iPhone SE. It should also have an Action button.

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Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Mobile

This Reddit user wrote a Shortcut to estimate iPhone charging time

Black Nomad Stand One Max charging stand on household table with iPhone, Apple Watch Ultra, and AirPods Pro docked and charging.

For a long time, iPhone users have requested an estimate for how much longer it would take their phone to charge, but Apple has yet to come through. Reddit user u/AlxR25 grew tired of waiting for the feature and decided to create one themselves, sharing it on the r/iPhone subreddit.

They created the Shortcut through a combination of commands and instructed it to run immediately upon connecting the iPhone to a charger. When enabled, a message pops up with an estimate for how long until the phone is fully charged.

Mobile

Spigen just accidentally leaked iPhone SE 4 renders

iPhone SE 4 leak by Majin Bu.

The iPhone SE 4 has been a highly-anticipated handset for a while now, and we expect it to drop sometime next week. We just got another good look at it, courtesy of case manufacturer Spigen. The company uploaded images of its case to its website, along with an iPhone inside the case. The website says it's an iPhone SE (3rd gen), but one look at the images shows that isn't the case.

Of course, we already had a solid idea of what the iPhone SE 4 would look like. The renders don't really come with any surprises; in many ways, the iPhone SE 4 looks like the iPhone 14, complete with the notch at the top. The case renders also show a single camera on the rear of the phone. One interesting change is the Alert Slider — the button on the side of your iPhone that enables/disables vibration — seems to have been replaced with an Action Button instead.

Mobile

The iOS 18.4 Beta could drop as soon as February 12

Natural Titanium iPhone 16 Pro Max (left) and a Blue Titanium iPhone 15 Pro.

With the launch of the new Powerbeats and the iPhone SE 4, next week is a busy one for Apple fans — but even more surprises could be on the way with the release of iOS 18.4 Beta 1, according to Mark Gurman. There's a chance the launch could be pushed back until the week after, but it will most likely arrive before the end of February.

The coming iOS 18.4 beta is rumored to introduce a lot of changes related to Apple Intelligence functionality and Siri, including awareness of what's on screen, personal context, and much more. If this change comes through, it would mark a turning point for Siri. The assistant has long trailed behind the competition, and an update that brings it to the same level of power as Google Assistant or Alexa would be a huge boon for Apple users.