Apple's Spring 2025 Event: Ultimate Predictions for iPhone SE4, New iPads, and MacBooks

Apple's Spring 2025 Event: Ultimate Predictions for iPhone SE4, New iPads, and MacBooksIn the early hours of February 20th, 2025 (Beijing time), Apple is expected to unveil a range of new products, with the highly anticipated iPhone SE4 (featuring a full-screen design) taking center stage. This launch event may also include updates to iPads and MacBooks

Apple's Spring 2025 Event: Ultimate Predictions for iPhone SE4, New iPads, and MacBooks

In the early hours of February 20th, 2025 (Beijing time), Apple is expected to unveil a range of new products, with the highly anticipated iPhone SE4 (featuring a full-screen design) taking center stage. This launch event may also include updates to iPads and MacBooks. This article provides in-depth predictions for these upcoming products, covering their design, specifications, pricing, and market competitiveness.

iPhone SE4: A Comprehensive Upgrade, But Can It Be a Blockbuster?

The iPhone SE4 is undoubtedly the highlight of this launch. Based on leaked information, it will adopt the straight-edged body design introduced with the iPhone 12 series, featuring an aluminum frame, etched frosted glass back, and a reflective logo. Notably, the SE4 may retain the traditional silent switch instead of adopting the new function buttons.

Considering cost control and production cycles, the SE4 will likely feature a single-camera setup, expected to be a 48MP wide-angle camera similar to those found in the iPhone's numbered series. Therefore, the rear camera design may remain consistent with older models like the SE3. The screen is predicted to be a 6.1-inch iPhone 14-style Liu Hai (notch) XDR display, rather than the newer Dynamic Island Face ID system. Color options may follow the tradition of the iPhone SE series, offering black and white (starlight) along with a third accent color.

However, the iPhone SE series' appeal doesn't stem from these peripheral specifications, but rather its powerful flagship chip. Given the SE4's importance to Apple Intelligence, Apple will undoubtedly equip it with a flagship-level chip. We predict the SE4 will feature an A18 chip or an A17 Pro chip, but considering cost control and product line positioning, we believe the A18 chip (with one less GPU core) is more likely, offering slightly less performance than the A17 Pro.

Regarding the modem, the SE4 could serve as a testing ground for Apple's new self-developed 5G modem. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to launch its own 5G modem in 2025 to reduce reliance on Qualcomm. However, due to potential performance issues, Apple's self-developed modem may require a longer transition period, making the SE4, as a secondary product line, a logical candidate for its initial implementation. Furthermore, the SE4 will likely adopt a USB-C port, but the transfer speed is expected to be limited to USB 2.0.

Pricing-wise, considering Apple Intelligence's demands on phone memory and storage (requiring local deployment of lightweight models), the SE4's storage might start at 128GB. Considering the iPhone SE series' pricing strategy, we predict the SE4 will be priced between 3699 and 4499. However, this price range could create direct competition with the iPhone 14, requiring Apple to adjust its product line to avoid price gaps.

Despite the SE4's comprehensive upgrades, its market competitiveness faces challenges from the increasing efforts of domestic Chinese phone brands in the small-screen flagship segment. Domestic phones not only boast flagship processors, high refresh rate screens, and more powerful cameras but also offer readily available AI functionality. Unless users have a strong dependence on the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone SE4's appeal to average consumers might be limited.

New iPads and MacBooks: Iterative Upgrades, Maintaining Apple's Style

A routine iPad update is almost certain, and Apple may even release the new models directly on its website rather than holding a dedicated launch event. We predict the new iPad 11 will feature the A17 Pro processor, with starting storage increased to 128GB, eliminating the 256GB option and offering only 128GB and 512GB versions. The price is expected to remain around 2999.

For the MacBook Air, we anticipate a new M4 chip-powered MacBook Air to be launched directly, without a separate press event from Apple. This update will primarily focus on processor upgrades and increased memory (16GB unified memory), continuing Apple's strategy of "more for the same price," and likely without the addition of Face ID.

Conclusion

Apple's Spring 2025 event is highly anticipated, with the iPhone SE4 update being a major highlight, although its market competitiveness remains to be seen. Updates to the iPad and MacBook are expected to be more conservative, primarily focusing on performance upgrades and increased memory. Ultimately, what surprises Apple has in store for us remains to be seen.