Apple CEO Tim Cook walks the grid after the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 (Photo credit: Beata) … (+)
NurPhoto (from Getty Images)
As 2024 draws to a close, Apple’s popular iPhone SE model will be withdrawn from major European markets. But fans of mid-range iOS smartphones know that the new year brings something special. It’s a better alternative to the iPhone SE than before. Better, stronger, faster.
Apple always planned to replace the current iPhone SE once the new model arrived. No doubt Tim Cook and his team were hoping to keep the 2022 iPhone SE on sale for another four or five months until the 2025 version arrives. Sadly, the European Union’s mandate to make USB-C the universal charging port for consumer electronics has taken its toll.
Apple’s beloved iPhone SE
The iPhone SE, released in 2022, and the iPhone 14 family, released in the same year, are the oldest iPhone devices currently sold by Apple. These are also the last iPhones to ship with a Lightning port for charging. Existing retail supplies can be sold, but Apple will stop shipping by December 31, 2024 to comply with regulations that go into effect on January 1, 2025.
The iPhone SE has been highly rated in consumer satisfaction surveys since its release, but this year Samsung’s Galaxy hardware has matched Apple’s iPhone hardware. When the next iPhone SE is released, Apple will be hoping that the new smartphone continues to be well received by consumers. That’s not that difficult considering the features you can expect.
More powerful iPhone SE
The current iPhone SE will be released in 2022 and is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic. At the time, this was in line with the current iPhone 13 models, allowing the SE to be marketed as being on par with the standard iPhone series. While the core iPhone lineup is updated every year, the iPhone SE still has a nearly three-year-old chip.
Apple relies on Apple Intelligence for its marketing campaigns, so it’s hard to imagine the iPhone SE launching without support for iOS’s generative AI suite. This would require the latest A18 processor spec-wise and would bring the SE brand back to parity with the mainline.
Faster iPhone SE
In addition to improving the chipset to meet the demands of generative AI, Apple will need to increase the memory in the iPhone SE. iPhone 16 has more memory than expected when it launches in September 2024. While this has benefited Apple Intelligence, it has also improved the complete iOS environment, making switching between apps faster and allowing apps to accommodate more working memory.
The user experience of the next iPhone SE will include this speed increase.
A better iPhone SE
In an interview with Forbes contributor David Phelan, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the current wave of AI-influenced iPhones, including the upcoming iPhone SE, has great potential to positively impact your life. I’m sure it has hidden sexuality.
“Artificial intelligence is a horizontal technology in that it will affect everything in your life over time and change everything. It prepares you for what it takes and frees you up to spend more time pulling the strings of your curiosity and creating or pursuing your passions. ”
This is true from the nearly $2,000 iPhone 16 Pro Max to the mid-range iPhone SE. Apple has tried to keep iPhone prices from rising between generations, so Cook’s chances are you could get one for as little as $430.
Get ready for your new iPhone SE
The current iPhone SE will leave the scene in two weeks, but Apple is expected to launch the iPhone SE in the first half of 2025, potentially as early as March, but it will be held in June. It will definitely arrive in time for the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference.
Read the latest iPhone SE, MacBook, and iPad Mini headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple Loop News Digest…
