New iPhone SE 4 leak suggests it won't match the iPhone 16 in one key area

Four iPhone SE 2022 phones on a pink and blue background

The iPhone SE 3, launched in 2022 (Image credit: Apple)

The iPhone SE 4 is rumored to be getting an Apple 5G modem
It's apparently not as speedy as the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon modem
The handset is expected to be officially launched tomorrow

We're expecting Apple to unveil the iPhone SE 4 tomorrow, and while a lot of the handset's specs are rumored to be matching up to the iPhone 16 launched in September, it seems there's going to be one exception: the 5G modem.

According to South Korean outlet Donga (via GSMArena), the new Apple-designed 5G modem inside the iPhone SE 4 is going to lack mmWave support, and won't be quite up to the performance levels of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem fitted inside the four iPhone 16 handsets.

It remains to be seen exactly how different upload and download speeds will be between the handsets. The performance drop might not be noticeable at all to users most of the time, given the limits of 5G infrastructure, but it's worth noting the potential discrepancy as Apple looks to get more of its own chips inside its iPhones.

Specs appeal

The iPhone 14 and iPhone SE on an orange background — The iPhone SE 4 could well look a lot like the iPhone 14 (Image credit: Apple)

It seems Apple is fully committed to the new 5G modem, which should also appear in at least some of the iPhone 17 handsets expected later this year. As with the mobile CPUs, it gives Apple more control over the circuitry and engineering inside its phones.

While the modem may not be quite up to speed, the other key specs of the iPhone SE 4 are thought to hold up very well against the flagship iPhone 16 series: the same A18 chipset and 8GB of RAM are believed to be on the way for the cheaper variant, and it will of course come running the same iOS 18 software.

The big reason for the performance parity is likely to be Apple Intelligence. Apple will want to make sure its new handset is capable of running all the latest AI tools, and a fast chipset and plenty of RAM will ensure that. The iPhone SE 3, which launched back in 2022, came with an A15 chipset and a mere 4GB of RAM.

It's likely that we'll get a lot of changes on the outside of the iPhone SE 4 too – it's apparently ditching Touch ID and the Home button for a more modern look, though it may get a notch rather than a Dynamic Island. You can keep up with all the latest launch news and leaks on our iPhone SE 4 live blog.

See more News about Phones

TOPICS

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.