Rumors surrounding the upcoming iPhone SE 4 have led to speculation that it may be rebranded as the iPhone 16E, sparking a debate about whether this would be a significant change for the device.
Initially dismissed due to its source, the leak was backed up by Bloomberg after Tim Cook’s teaser tweet about a February 19 launch. The phrase “get ready to meet the newest member of the family” has been interpreted as indicating a new device, given that the iPhone SE has been part of the iPhone family for nine years.
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to be a major update, featuring Apple Intelligence and a fast processor, which would require sufficient RAM. Rumors also suggest it will have a Dynamic Island, although this has been contradicted. The device is likely to physically resemble the iPhone 14, but an Action Button has also been claimed.
A significant selling point of previous iPhone SE models was being the lowest-cost option; if Apple achieves this with new features, the iPhone SE 4 could be a hit. However, whether it warrants rebranding remains uncertain.
If confirmed, an iPhone 16E would imply an annual update cycle and potentially move to a new naming convention for future devices. Some speculate that this could lead to increased competition in the market, while others believe Apple may use its name to convey a sense of agelessness.
The idea of downplaying feature advancements has also been proposed by one commenter, suggesting that iPhones could be rebranded at lower price points with less sophisticated internals, such as the “iPhone” and “iPad” lines.
Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/02/16/tim-cooks-tweet-hints-at-new-name-for-iphone-se-4