Apple Event Today: A Look at Previous iPhone SE Models Before iPhone SE 4 Arrives

Apple is set to announce the “newest member” in its family, possibly hinting at the long-rumoured iPhone SE 4. The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to be a significant upgrade over its 2022 model, featuring a full-screen display with a notch, an Action Button, a USB-C port, an A18 chip, Face ID and Apple Intelligence support.

The addition of new tech on Apple’s entry-level iPhone may also cause a price hike, with rumours suggesting that it will start at $499 instead of $429, which the last iPhone SE was launched at. Customers planning to buy the upcoming iPhone SE can expect major discernible and under-the-hood changes, all of which will be official after today’s announcement. Before that happens, here is a quick rundown of all previous iPhone SE models and everything they offered.

iPhone SE

Launched in 2016, the iPhone SE marked Apple’s foray into the mid-range, allowing the company — known for its vast line of premium devices — to woo Android users and first-time iPhone buyers in markets like India. The first-generation iPhone SE, where SE stands for Special Edition, was a replica of Apple’s blockbuster iPhone 5S, housing a small display, a Home button, a metal rim, and a single camera on the back. It was not as powerful as other iPhones launched around the same time, rightly so because Apple wanted it to act as a yardstick to gauge how convinced Android users were to switch to an iPhone in a lower price category.

Although the iPhone SE created headlines, it did not sell as much as other models launched the same year. According to Kantar, the iPhone SE accounted for only 5.1 per cent of total iPhone sales in 2016, which stood at 40.4 million — a 15 per cent year-over-year drop. But that is the data for Apple’s market in the US. In India, the figures were convincing enough for Apple to plan the iPhone SE’s successor. According to CyberMedia Research, Apple sold about 90,000 units of iPhone SE during the launch year. The figures represented an uptick in Apple’s share in India’s smartphone market, largely dominated by Android phones. The iPhone SE was launched at a starting price of ₹39,000, while its price in the US was $399 — which analysts said helped Apple achieve its target of breaking into Southeast Asian markets.

iPhone SE 2

While Apple still called it the iPhone SE, the second generation of its entry-level iPhone was popular as the iPhone SE 2. It replaced the iPhone 5s design with the iPhone 6-like looks and came with upgraded specifications. It had a 4.7-inch LCD, offered Touch ID on the Home button, used the A13 chip found in the iPhone 11 Pro, and supported eSIM. The specifications mix in the iPhone SE 2 worked in Apple’s favour, raking in 25 per cent of total iPhone shipments in India. Apple shipped a total of 8.7 million units of the iPhone SE 2 in 2020 – the year Apple’s second-generation entry-level iPhone was launched.

iPhone SE 3

Apple launched the third-generation iPhone SE in 2022 with a more polished yet old design, featuring a 4.7-inch display and a Home button with Touch ID. It was Apple’s smallest iPhone sold by far, but that was believed to be one of the major reasons why the iPhone SE 3 struggled to sell. Several analysts highlighted that the iPhone SE 3 sales were lower than Apple’s expectations. According to a survey conducted by Wave7 (via PCMag) in the US, the iPhone SE 3 saw a slow demand, caused by the economic slowdown and the pandemic in 2020. The survey said most people were unfamiliar with a third-generation iPhone SE in the US. In India, the iPhone SE 3 saw stiff competition from Android phones pitched as flagship killers and packed some top-line specifications for under ₹45,000.

What to expect from iPhone SE 4

With a lineup of advanced features and flagship-level specifications, Apple seeks to renew its efforts to grab the mid-range market. The $499 price tag could help Apple onboard users who want features such as Apple Intelligence on a device that is not as expensive as the iPhone 16.

Read more: This Is What the iPhone SE 4 May Look Like