iPhone 17 Pro's Redesign Comes Into View As iPhone SE 4 Gets A Launch Date
Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 13, 2025
Wednesday, February 19. #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/0ML0NfMedu
Echoing our prior report, Apple boss-man Tim Cook has basically revealed the announcement date for the fourth-generation iPhone SE (iPhone SE 4 or perhaps a brand new name altogether). Via a post on X, Cook simply exclaims, "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," followed by the date Wednesday, February 19. While cryptic in of itself, it's been recently believed that the phone's launch would be moved from March to sometime ahead of the Mobile World Congress show. Cook's announcement pretty much confirms that (even though the image in the post resembles an AirTag, it's highly unlikely Cook would tease it in such a fashion).
Among other things, the mid-range iPhone SE 4 is thought to have the same A18 SoC as the iPhone 16 (maybe detuned), and the older front display notch versus Dynamic Islands found on the latest models. Pricing-wise, Apple needs to really nail it in order to carve a better grip on the mid-range market. The previous SE sold for $430, thus even at $500, there's a chance this phone could be a worthwhile alternative to customers not wanting flagship iPhones.
Over on the iPhone 17 side of things, leakster Jon Prosser is saying that Apple will keep the present iPhone 16 camera layout in the rear, but—on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max—surround it with a raised platform. Based on CAD renders, the cameras will remain on the left, while the flash, mic port, and LiDAR sensor window are arranged vertically on the far right. The rectangular camera island has a darker tone that contrasts nicely against the silver back cover.
Of course, all of these are rumors. Between Prosser's leak versus the more popular slim horizontal visor assumption, the final product could very well be different, so please taper your expectations as you read this. Nonetheless, either design looks great to us—it's time Apple looks at fresh ways to differentiate their new phones.
Photo credit: fpt @asherapps
