The iPhone SE 4 will have something that the basic iPhone 15 'craves'.

At the WWDC 2024 World Developers Conference, Apple made significant strides in the field of AI by introducing the Apple Intelligence suite of artificial intelligence features. This is predicted to usher in an unprecedented "supercycle" of iPhone upgrades, as only the most powerful iPhones will meet the processing requirements to run Apple Intelligence.

Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max can test the artificial intelligence (AI) features in the Apple Intelligence suite. The entire iPhone 16 lineup launching this fall will also have this feature, and the same will be true for the iPhone SE 4, expected to "appear soon in early 2025".

If this information is accurate, it's clearly hard news for customers who own the basic iPhone 15 – which can't run the AI ​​features in the Apple Intelligence suite because it's not powerful enough. This is entirely plausible because the iPhone 15 is positioned in a much higher segment than the iPhone SE 4.

Furthermore, the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to have a design based on the iPhone 14, using a 6.1-inch OLED screen and featuring a notch as a farewell to the Home button/Touch ID like on the iPhone SE 3.

Therefore, the iPhone SE 4 not only boasts a modern design but also features Apple Intelligence. The only drawback when compared to the iPhone 15 is perhaps the design of the rear camera module, as rumors suggest Apple will maintain a single-camera setup.

However, with a predicted price of $500, the iPhone SE 4 is seen as a cost-effective way to introduce users to Apple's own AI generative toolset.