Forget iPhone 14, the 2023 iPhone SE could be biggest upgrade in years

iPhone XR
(Image credit: Apple)

While all eyes are on the iPhone 14 and Apple's September Far Out event, a new leak says that one of Apple's most popular iPhones could receive a major upgrade next year. 

According to Jon Prosser, appearing on the Geared Up podcast, the new iPhone SE (fourth-generation) will just be Apple's iPhone XR, which was first debuted by the company in 2018.

This would represent a major redesign on the current iPhone SE, which is based on the old iPhone 8 featuring the old-style design and a Touch ID button. 

iPhone XE?

This rumored upgrade makes a lot of sense. While the iPhone SE is one of Apple's best iPhones thanks to its very affordable price tag, its design is really starting to show its age. Until the iPhone XR was discontinued by Apple it stacked up very well to the iPhone SE and the change would offer a few major advantages over the current model. 

A new iPhone SE based on the old XR would offer similar power if we are to assume that its old A12 bionic got an upgrade to a beefier model like the current A15 Bionic chip. It would also likely come with 5G, an upgrade added to the iPhone SE this year. 

The biggest change, of course, would be the design, with the iPhone XR finally bringing to an end Touch ID on the iPhone in favor of Face ID. It would also have a notch and much thinner bezels to replace the current forehead and chin design of the current iPhone SE. Thanks to its larger 6.1-inch display, it would make for much better viewing and usage as well as a larger battery. 

If we are to assume Apple updates the internals accordingly, the iPhone XR design would make for a really welcome next iteration of the iPhone SE. 

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9