Apple’s iPhone SE 4 Rumoured to Share iPhone 16 Design

In a fresh rumor emerging from China, it’s being speculated that Apple will use the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 as it plans for the standard iPhone 16 (via MacRumors).

The information was first shared by the Weibo-based leaker “Fixed Focus Digital,” who claims that the backplate production for the iPhone SE 4 is identical to that of the standard iPhone 16 model, anticipated to launch in September.

This new claim challenges an earlier rumor suggesting that the iPhone SE 4 would utilize a modified chassis from the iPhone 14.

Back in November 2023, it was reported that sources close to Apple’s manufacturing process indicated that the dimensions of the iPhone SE 4 perfectly matched those of the base model iPhone 14 in its current stage.

The shift to a newer chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 raises questions about what prompted Apple to make this change. One possible reason could be Apple’s strategy to achieve economies of scale by adopting the newer process as production of the iPhone 14 models winds down.

This change might also be related to a potential upgrade in the camera system for the iPhone SE 4. Unlike the iPhone 14, which features a different camera setup, the iPhone SE 4 was previously rumoured to come with a single 48-megapixel rear camera, necessitating a custom backplate to accommodate the new design.

For the iPhone 16 models, Apple plans to introduce a new vertical camera lens arrangement, moving away from the diagonal lens setup seen on the iPhone 15 models.

This new orientation is expected to enable the standard iPhone 16 models to capture Spatial Video for the Vision Pro headset. If the iPhone SE 4 adopts the same backplate as the iPhone 16, it could imply that the SE model might also feature a dual camera setup.

Apple aims to keep the starting price of the fourth-generation iPhone SE below CAD $600, despite the array of rumoured upgrades for this more affordable model. Significant changes include replacing Touch ID and the Home button with Face ID and a display notch.

Apple’s current iPhone SE still sells from CAD $579 in Canada, powered by the A15 bionic chip.