Malcolm Owen
Apple's upgrades to the 2025 iPhone SE 4 go beyond OLED, with one report claiming it will also gain a 48-megapixel rear camera.
The iPhone SE 4 has been rumored to arrive in March 2025 with a lot of updates. In a Sunday report from South Korea, it seems the list of changes has more to come.
Sources of ET News say that LG Innoteck and LG Display are supplying the cameras and displays for the iPhone SE 4. In the case of LG Innotech, while it previously only supplied the rear camera for the iPhone SE 3, it will do the front as well for the iPhone SE 4.
Mass production of the camera modules has reportedly started in LG Innoteck's Vietnam plant. Due to the low selling price of the iPhone SE range, the company is expected to use existing components instead of developing new cameras.
As for the modules themselves, it is claimed that the front camera will use a 12-megapixel sensor, matching the resolution of the iPhone 16's front shooter. It is unclear if it will be a TrueDepth camera per the report, but the iPhone SE 4 has been rumored to use Face ID instead of Touch ID.
Around the back, the single sensor is said have a resolution of 48 megapixels, again equalling the iPhone 16's Fusion camera for size.
This isn't the first rumor aboutthe 48MP sensor, but it is the most credible report on it so far.
LG Innotech won't be the only company working on the camera module. The report says that Foxconn and China's Cowell Electronics will also be working in its supply chain.
For the screen, it is expected to have a 6.1-inch low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) panel, similar to the iPhone 13 in construction. LG Display is already mass producing the screen, apparently, but again it won't be the only supplier.
China's BOE is said to be working on the OLED screen as well, and could eat up a lot of the orders. Sources say LG Display will provide between 25% and 35% of the display panels.
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Wesley Hilliard
Marko Zivkovic
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
12 Comments
Interesting. Just as the regular iPhones were brought a lot closer to their Pro counterparts with the 16 models, it seems the SE is about to get a whole lot closer to the regular iPhone IF these rumors pan out. Also of note: for all the "I want smaller and lighter" posts that you read about iPhone in the technosphere echo chamber, Apple is choosing to make the new iteration of its smallest and lightest phone bigger and almost certainly heavier than the model it will replace. You can bet that the data on the people who matter most to Apple--people who are actually going to buy an iPhone--supports this direction for the new SE.
I remain skeptical about an OLED screen, but everything else in the report sounds right. Apple will save a fortune by using existing tech (particularly the camera systems) because they fit the iPhone 14 body, but if they go with a powerful chip for Apple Intelligence and throw in an OLED panel, they would appear to be undermining sales of the next main iPhone line.
Imagine if it has 120hz display too. Would be nice to have on all new models next year so people can stop complaining about refresh rates.
I've never bought an SE as my primary phone.
A full screen OLED display and sub $500 price would make this pretty compelling, well, aside from the screen size, 6.1" is a no go. Way too big :(