iPhone SE 4 release: Is Apple’s latest phone drop worth the hype?

There was a time when Apple announcing a new drop made the internet practically stop in its tracks. The building anticipation… your social feed being dominated by debate and speculation. However, with rumors swirling about a new device launch on Feb 19 2025 – which many believe will be confirmation of an iPhone SE 4 release  – Apple has kept things understated.

Less than a week before the launch Apple CEO Tim Cook Tweeted followers to “get ready to meet the newest member of the family”. Leaks suggest this iPhone will be a more budget-friendly option, with a screen size of 6.1 inches. It’s also rumored to come with the new Apple Intelligence AI technology, and while some are calling it the iPhone SE 4, the jury’s still out on its official name. Whispers say it might be called the ‘iPhone 16E’.

Compared to the iPhone SE 3 there will be some big improvements. Much like the iPhone 16, this new smartphone will likely come with an Apple A18 chipset for high-speed performance, and there are rumors of a 48-megapixel camera too. That’s good quality for you novices. Still, these features don’t constitute enough of an evolution to inspire the kind of giddy excitement of iPhone launches of old, and you’d be forgiven if you failed to realize today was even the moment for an Apple announcement at all. 

That's not to mention that iPhone SE models depreciate in value around 1.5 times faster than the flagship models. This means excitement around them tends to be less feverish, as people know the re-sell value isn't so great.

“The iPhone SE isn’t really what it used to be, nothing to get excited about anymore,” Tweeted one disappointed fan. Another was upset around the rumor that the SE4 will only come with 64GB of base storage. And there’s been stinging criticism posted elsewhere: “The iPhone SE4 is a complete joke. Midrange Android phones have better specs than this!” Yikes. 

While the purpose of SE models isn’t innovation but affordability, this all taps into wider criticism that Apple has become more uninspired with its new iPhone launches, and that the upgrades aren’t substantial enough to inspire consumers to trade in their old versions. Nowadays, it’s one of many tech companies only releasing marginally-improved products year-on-year. 

But even if the new Apple announcement has you feeling a little apathetic, there’s still some good news. Back Market is filled with refurbished iPhones, which won’t break the bank and will leave you with a highly functional device. Buying an older version means you don’t have to cough up $500+ (which is rumored to be the iPhone SE 4 price range), and also means you can play your part for the environment by helping to prevent e-waste.

On Back Market right now, we’re retailing a ton of refurbished smartphones in Apple’s SE line. There are newer releases like the 2022 model (starting at $144) and prices of less than $100 for our refurb 2020 model. And if you want a real blast from the past, the iPhone SE 2016 model goes for as low as $64, so a super steal. All these versions come Verified Refurbished, and are built to provide years of happy usage. So, if you do take some time off to watch the announcement, but go away feeling that new isn’t worth your energy, there are plenty of alternative options right here with us. The best part? You won’t get caught up in all that potentially inflated hype.

Editor’s note: Since publishing this article it has been confirmed that the iPhone SE 4 is in fact called the iPhone 16e. The storage size begins at 128GB contrary to the speculation mentioned above.