Apple's Upcoming 4-Inch Smartphone May Be Called 'iPhone SE'

Rumors surrounding the 4-inch "iPhone 5se" continue today with new information pointing to the possibility of Apple dropping the "5" from the name altogether and simply calling it the "iPhone SE." As reported by 9to5Mac, the new name would be a shift in focus on the 4-inch iPhone's "enhanced and special edition" status, making it stand out from the numerically named crowd of the iPhone family.

iphone5serendering

A design mock-up of the iPhone SE shows similarities to the iPhone 5s

Based on Apple reinvigorating the 4-inch iPhone screen size at a time where the market is mostly moving toward larger smartphone screens, it would make sense for Apple to position this device as simply the “SE.” Sources say that the dropping of the “5” from the name also simplifies the iPhone lineup as bringing back an iPhone “5” variant amid the iPhone “6” lifecycle could potentially confuse customers. The iPhone SE will replace the existing iPhone 5s and will take its price points.

Mock-ups from earlier in the week suggested that the iPhone SE will look near-identical to that of the iPhone 5s, with a body measuring in at 123.8mm tall, 58.6mm wide, and 7.6mm thick. The device is said to have an A9 processor, an M9 chip to accommodate the new fitness tracking features of iOS, and include "Hey Siri," Apple Pay, and Live Photos support.

The design renderings of the iPhone SE show conflicting claims in regards to the new iPhone's power button placement and camera, but the latter feature is said to support an 8-megapixel system. The iPhone SE is believed to come in the four expected color options of the iPhone line -- Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, and Gold -- and be available in 16GB and 64GB sizes.

It won't be long until we find out everything about the iPhone SE, with reports pointing towards a March 15 media event for the reveal of the new 4-inch iPhone. On the same day, Apple is predicted to announce what was thought to be called the "iPad Air 3," but is now believed to be a smaller 9.7-inch addition to the iPad Pro family.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

M4 Mac mini Ortho Silver Cooler

Amazon Leaks Smaller Mac Mini With M4 and M4 Pro Chips, Two Front USB-C Ports, Up to 64GB of RAM, and More

Monday October 28, 2024 7:16 pm PDT by
Amazon has seemingly leaked the rumored next-generation Mac mini ahead of Apple's announcement this week, revealing several details. Our concept of a smaller Mac mini According to a comparison chart on Amazon's product listing for the new iMac, the new Mac mini will be available with M4 and M4 Pro chip options, with up to a 14-core CPU and up to a 20-core GPU. In addition, the chart indicates ...
M4 iMac With Magic Accessories

Apple Announces iMac With M4 Chip, Upgraded Camera, Nano-Texture Display Option, and More

Monday October 28, 2024 8:01 am PDT by
Apple today announced that it has updated the 24-inch iMac with the M4 chip, which debuted in the iPad Pro earlier this year. This upgrade comes around one year after the previous iMac with the M3 chip was released. Subscribe to MacRumors on YouTube for more videos! As expected, the M4 chip in the iMac is available with up to a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. Apple says the iMac with the ...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces Redesigned Mac Mini With M4 and M4 Pro Chips, Two Front USB-C Ports, and More

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:01 am PDT by
Apple today announced fully redesigned Mac mini models featuring the M4 and M4 Pro chips, a considerably smaller casing, two front-facing USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and more. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The product refresh marks the first time the Mac mini has been redesigned in over a decade. The enclosure now measures just five by five inches...
apple oct 2024 mac tease

Apple Promises Two More Mac Announcements This Week Following New iMac Today

Monday October 28, 2024 11:18 am PDT by
Apple introduced a new iMac today with the M4 chip and more, but that's not all, as it still has two more Mac announcements planned this week. "This is a huge week for the Mac, and this morning, we begin a series of three exciting new product announcements that will take place over the coming days," said Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, in a video announcing the new iMac....
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 With Apple Intelligence

Monday October 28, 2024 8:07 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, the first major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 come six weeks after the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
tvOS 18 Thumb 3

Apple Releases tvOS 18.1

Monday October 28, 2024 8:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.1, the newest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 18.1 comes over a month after Apple released tvOS 18, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.1

Monday October 28, 2024 8:05 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.1, the first major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.1 comes one month after Apple released watchOS 11. watchOS 11.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.1 can be downloaded on an iPhone running iOS 18.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app...
iOS 18

iOS 18.1: What You Get If You Don't Have an iPhone With Apple Intelligence

Monday October 28, 2024 3:49 pm PDT by
iOS 18.1 is the first iOS 18 update with Apple Intelligence capabilities, and that's what a lot of the coverage about the new software has focused on. If you don't have an iPhone that's capable of Apple Intelligence, you're probably wondering just what's in the update for you. While Apple Intelligence does make up the bulk of what's new, if you have an older device, you still get some solid...

Top Rated Comments

snooover Avatar
113 months ago
SE - Same Enclosure
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jal217 Avatar
113 months ago
The line needs simplifying. How about iPad Pro iPad and iPad mini. iPhone plus, iPhone and iPhone mini? That is so much simpler. I think the numbers will stay though because it sells phones when you increase the number. But SE just doesn't fit
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blairh Avatar
113 months ago
Better than 5 SE. But 'Mini' is an even better name.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
negrohero9 Avatar
113 months ago
A mini, and pro line for iPhone would be a more ideal naming scheme. It helps fit with the iPad lineup.
Basically:
iPhone Mini (4 inch model)
iPhone (Number +/- S model, 4.7 inch model)
iPhone Pro (Replaces the Plus name for the 5.5 inch model)
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lightmyway Avatar
113 months ago
This makes more sense. I would love if they stuck to this form factor and name, and just quietly changed out the internals as they go along, like they do with Macs.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LukasValine Avatar
113 months ago
Or how bout they call it the iPhone 6s Mini.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)