The iPhone SE4 is coming! Can the self-developed baseband + A18 chip revive the small-screen flagship market?

The iPhone SE4 is coming! Can the self-developed baseband + A18 chip revive the small-screen flagship market?After the iPhone 16 series failed to meet sales expectations, Apple has turned its attention to the small-screen flagship market. The highly anticipated iPhone SE4 is scheduled to be released in March next year, and its configuration has been largely exposed

The iPhone SE4 is coming! Can the self-developed baseband + A18 chip revive the small-screen flagship market?

After the iPhone 16 series failed to meet sales expectations, Apple has turned its attention to the small-screen flagship market. The highly anticipated iPhone SE4 is scheduled to be released in March next year, and its configuration has been largely exposed. It will be powered by a self-developed baseband + A18 chip and support Apple Intelligence features. Whether this new phone can revive Apple's small-screen flagship market has become a focus of attention for consumers.

iPhone SE4: The "Performance Powerhouse" of Small-Screen Flagships

Recently, the well-known leakster 9to5Mac shared the latest information about the iPhone SE4. Codenamed "V59," the iPhone SE4 will have a front face similar to the iPhone 14, featuring a notch design that eliminates the large forehead and chin. Although the rear camera is just a single lens, the overall design is closer to the iPhone XR, but thanks to the OLED flexible panel, the bezels are much narrower than the iPhone XR.

The iPhone SE4 will upgrade to a 6.1-inch screen with a resolution of 11702532, the same as the iPhone 14. The notch design also means the inclusion of FaceID, eliminating the Home button with TouchID, but lacking the Dynamic Island feature.

In terms of cameras, the iPhone SE4 will receive a significant upgrade. The front camera will be upgraded to 12 million pixels, while the rear camera will likely be the 48 million pixel lens from the iPhone 15/15 Plus. Although it lacks telephoto or ultra-wide-angle lenses, the upgraded main camera can partially meet users' photography needs.

Adhering to its "performance powerhouse" tradition, the iPhone SE4 will be equipped with the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16, featuring 8GB of RAM and supporting Apple Intelligence features. Powerful performance and AI capabilities will become the core competitiveness of the new model.

It's worth mentioning that the iPhone SE4 will abandon the Qualcomm SDX71M baseband and adopt Apple's first self-developed 5G baseband, codenamed "Centauri." This baseband supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS features, and its power consumption seems lower than Qualcomm's baseband, but it doesn't support mmWave technology.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pointed out that Apple will launch two phones equipped with self-developed basebands in 2025, including the iPhone SE4 and another model aiming for extreme lightness and thinness, the iPhone 17. By testing its self-developed baseband on lower-positioned products, Apple can mitigate risks and gain experience.

Price and Competition: Challenges Faced by iPhone SE4

9to5Mac indicated that the iPhone SE4 is expected to be priced between $459 and $499, equivalent to approximately RMB 3250 to 3530. Referencing the price difference between the iPhone SE3 in China and the US, the starting price of the iPhone SE4 in China is likely to remain at RMB 3499, with the 256GB version priced around RMB 4500.

In overseas markets lacking competitors, the iPhone SE4 is considered the best alternative to the iPhone 16. However, in the highly competitive Chinese market, there are numerous models with similar high performance and AI capabilities, and even more options for small-screen flagships. Whether the iPhone SE4 can stand out in the domestic market remains a challenge.

The Rise of the Small-Screen Flagship Market: Android Manufacturers Strike Back

In recent years, small-screen flagship phones have gradually gained popularity among consumers, becoming a new trend in the mobile phone market. Xiaomi 15, vivo X200 Pro mini, and other models have all made small-screen flagships a key product line, competing for market share with the iPhone SE4.

The Xiaomi 15 will be equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Apex Edition (Snapdragon 8 Gen4), a 6.36-inch 1.5K LTPO screen, ultrasonic fingerprint sensing, a 50 million pixel main camera, a 3.2x optical zoom telephoto camera, a 5400mAh battery, and 90W wired/50W wireless fast charging. It is expected to have a starting price of RMB 4399, with the lowest storage combination being 12GB+256GB.

The vivo X200 Pro mini will be equipped with the Dimensity 9400, a 6.31-inch screen, a 5700mAh battery, 90W wired/30W wireless fast charging, an LTY-818 main camera + periscope telephoto lens, and full-focal length portrait support by ZEISS. It will have a starting price of RMB 4699, with the storage combination being 12GB+256GB.

Compared to the iPhone SE4, Android small-screen flagships offer richer configurations, such as triple cameras, even periscope telephoto lenses. In terms of battery capacity and charging power, Android flagships also have an advantage.

Future Outlook: Apple Needs to Enhance Competitiveness

After upgrading to a full-screen design, the iPhone SE4 is more competitive than its predecessor, and coupled with Apple Intelligence, A18, 48 million pixel main camera, and other hardware and software configurations, some iPhone 16 audiences may also opt for the iPhone SE4.

However, from an overall perspective, Android small-screen flagships already have the capability to compete with the iPhone SE4, iPhone 16, and even the iPhone 16 Pro. Currently, the iPhone SE4 may be able to achieve decent sales in the domestic market due to iOS and Apple's long-standing brand image, at least higher than the iPhone SE2/SE3 models with outdated designs.

But if Apple fails to quickly enhance the hardware configurations of the iPhone SE, the standard digital edition, and the Plus edition, its future product competitiveness will likely continue to decline. The mobile phone market is fiercely competitive, and those who don't advance will fall behind.

Summary: Opportunities and Challenges for the iPhone SE4

The iPhone SE4 faces fierce competition from Android manufacturers. Whether it can revive Apple's small-screen flagship market will ultimately depend on whether it can win over consumers with a more attractive price and stronger configuration. Apple needs to continue to improve hardware configurations and maintain its advantages over Android phones to maintain its leading position in the competitive mobile phone market.