It has been nearly three years since Apple released the third-generation iPhone SE in March 2022. This phone packed in many of the internal specs of the then-current iPhone 13 but was indistinguishable on the outside from 2017’s iPhone 8. Rumours are gathering pace about the iPhone SE 4, and a new leak shows alleged dummy models of the new device in black and white colourways.

Regular Apple leaker Sonny Dickson posted the two images below on X that he claims are what are known as “dummy” models of the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Dummy models are often made from leaked or provided specifications and are often used to help third-party iPhone case makers manufacture their products before a new iPhone’s official launch.

The dummy phones are shown from the back and the side with a single camera lens and flash, volume buttons, a SIM card slot, and a physical mute switch. If accurate, they paint a picture of how Apple is supposedly attempting to reboot the SE’s design while keeping it cheaper than the current iPhone 16 crop. A single camera would mirror all previous iPhone SE versions, leaving out the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 16.

The mute switch would also replace the Action Button on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, which can be assigned to different functions. This switch would presumably act like all switches on older iPhones, simply putting the device in Ring or Silent mode.

The side angle also hints at the phone’s full-screen design, which is said to look like the iPhone 14 with the older notch at the top of the screen rather than the Dynamic Island feature seen on the iPhone 15 and later.

If this is the new iPhone SE, it reminds us of 2018’s iPhone XR with its notch design and single camera. But the iPhone SE 4 is set to be a far superior device and, if the price is right, great value for money. It is rumoured to have the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16 and so will be able to run Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new AI tools. It’s also set to be the first SE with a USB-C port.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently pushed back on a report that said the iPhone SE could be launched by Apple as soon as January. The reporter posted on X that the iPhone SE will “launch before iOS 18.4, by April if all goes to plan”.

If you are considering upgrading your iPhone or switching over from Android but want the cheapest new iPhone possible, it’s worth holding fire until the new iPhone SE is announced. If Apple can match the same £429 price as the current model, it will be one of the best bargains in tech.