Metal dummy confirms that iPhone SE 4's design will be based on the iPhone 14.

The SE series recycles designs from old iPhones – the original took its shape from the iPhone 5s, then the SE (2020) and (2022) went up in size to the iPhone 6-8 style body, now it’s time for another step forward through the history of Apple phone designs. A month ago we saw renders of the iPhone SE 4 that showed an iPhone 14-based design, now there are images of a metal dummy that confirm that desing.

The display will be an OLED for the first time in the SE family, with panels supplied by BOE. It should be identical to the 14-series display and will feature a wide notch with FaceID (another first). The SE 4 will also use iPhone 14’s battery.

Metal dummy for the iPhone SE 4 design

As you can see from the metal dummy used for case production, the iPhone SE 4 will be more modern than its 2022 predecessor. The SE (2022) was the last phone to use TouchID and even iPads have begun switching over to FaceID. They have more of a bezel to hide the IR illuminator and camera, though, on phones a wide notch is necessary.

Still, compared to the 2017-style bezels of the iPhone SE (2022), the upcoming model will be a major step forward. Despite borrowing quite a bit from the iPhone 14, the new iPhone SE certainly won’t have its camera – there are no details yet, but it’s clear that there will be only a single module. The last time we saw that was with the iPhone XR in 2018.

The iPhone 16 generation will introduce something called a Capture Button, which will be on the side of the power button. There doesn't seem to be such a control on the new SE, but it will keep the Ring/Silent switch (above the volume buttons). You can check out the 3D renders of the phone for a better look at both sides.

Ming-Chi Kuo deserves some praise – as far back as 2022 he predicted that the iPhone SE 4 will be delayed until 2024. Or maybe that should be “at least until 2024”, recent reports from Korea suggest that the new model might be coming in 2025 instead. That said, if case makers are already preparing the start production, then we might not have to wait until next year.

Source (in Chinese) | Via