Apple has always aimed to make sure the SE series is an affordable option for consumers, and it may have taken an interesting step regarding the rumored upcoming iPhone SE 4. That involves reusing the battery from 2022's iPhone 14, according to an anonymous source speaking to MacRumors.
This battery, despite being from last year, has a much higher capacity than the prior iPhone SE 3. The iPhone 14 boasted a battery capacity of 3,279 mAh, a significant difference from the iPhone SE 3’s 2,018 mAh.
While the SE 3 had a reasonably long-lasting battery (our test resulted in the phone lasting a little over 9 hours) it struggled against its contemporaries at the time. However, it did have a fast recharge rate — reaching 61% in 30 minutes. This was faster than the iPhone 14, which only reached 54% in 30 minutes — but with a greater capacity, this is to be expected.
It isn’t surprising Apple would aim to reuse the batteries in this new design as it's a valid cost-cutting method for the development of the phone. While there are rumors that Apple has allegedly developed a new battery for the iPhone 16 with enhanced thermal capabilities, this almost certainly won't come to the SE model. The SE range is Apple’s cheaper range for those on a budget. As such, including the more expensive battery would possibly rocket up the price.
iPhone SE 4: Other rumored upgrades
This is only one of a few rumored upgrades for the latest SE model that we have heard about recently. The phone will likely ship with the USB-C charging port to keep it in line with the rest of Apple’s range. While this may frustrate some users, it will make it easier to find a spare charger as the cables become more uniform.
The iPhone SE 4 is also likely to ship with the same Action button that was a feature on the iPhone 15. This new button replaces the prior mute switch and essentially serves the same purpose but it can be set to have different uses in different apps. This is an addition that, so far, has only been seen on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro so would help to set the SE 4 as part of the next generation.
Finally, there is a reported upgrade to the iPhone SE 4’s rear camera, which is reportedly going to be a single 48MP rear camera. While a single camera may seem minor in comparison to other phones on the market, it is a substantial upgrade to the prior SE which was shipped with a 12MP rear camera. While the SE 4 will likely not have the ultrawide photo abilities that were found on the iPhone 14.
The iPhone SE 4 looks to be released in 2025, so this information is technically still based on pre-production models. This means everything is still subject to change based on several potential factors. We will only know for certain when the SE 4 is released and we have a chance to test it.
