iPhone 16e live updates – Apple's next-gen budget iPhone is official

Apple's first big product launch of 2025 takes place today, February 19, and we're rounding up the latest news surrounding what products could be unveiled. Most rumors point towards the arrival of a mid-range iPhone SE 4 (or could that be the iPhone 16E?), but a handful of other new hardware products have been touted, too.

As for the SE, specifically, supposedly leaked images and case photos have already given us a strong idea of what to expect, with most tipsters predicting an Apple Intelligence-compatible, iPhone 14-style device with a single rear camera.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced today's event last week, teasing that a "new member of the family" will be unveiled. He didn't mention the SE by name, which leaves the door open for the launch of other new products (an AirTag 2 and new HomePod are due sometime in 2025), but we're quietly confident that a new iPhone SE is imminent.

Follow along as we piece together all of the latest rumors about the iPhone SE 4 (or iPhone 16E) and more ahead of this afternoon's mysterious Apple launch...

The latest news

• Apple's has officially announced a launch for today, February 19
• Leaked images and rumors suggest we'll see a new iPhone SE 4 (or 16E)
• Other rumors suggest the Vision Pro will get an Apple Intelligence update
• An AirTag 2 and a new HomePod have been touted, but seem unlikely

Welcome to our iPhone SE 4 liveblog

Hello, I'm Axel Metz (TechRadar's Phones Editor) and I'll be running our Apple event live blog for the next few hours. We're expecting Apple to announce something later today, and though nothing has been confirmed as yet, all the signs point towards a refresh for the company's ageing iPhone SE line.

In the following posts, I'll be rounding up the latest news and rumors about the iPhone SE 4 (or might that be the iPhone 16E?), and keeping you updated with all the official information as it's revealed by Apple.

What does Apple's teaser tell us?

Let's kick off with a proper look at Apple's official teaser, which was shared to X on February 13. Tim Cook's shiny Apple logo doesn't give a lot away, but the internet has some compelling theories.

Firstly, the tagline "get ready to meet the newest member of the family" does tally with rumors of a new iPhone SE. It'd be part of the iPhone family, but does that also hint at a rebrand? The iPhone SE 3 was simply the iPhone SE (2022) and there have also been rumors that the new model might be called the iPhone 16E.

The circle around the logo could also be hinting at the new SE's single camera, or the move away from a physical home button. It does also look a lot like an AirTag (potentially the AirTag 2?), but we weren't expecting to see a new one of those for quite a while yet...

The biggest iPhone SE upgrade rumors

As for the iPhone SE 4 specifically, we're expecting the new device to bring major hardware and software improvements over its now-outdated predecessor. The biggest rumored upgrades for the iPhone SE 4 are as follows:

• A bigger, better display: Where the iPhone SE (2022) uses a 4.7-inch LCD panel, its successor is tipped to use a 6.1-inch OLED display running at a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels.
• Apple Intelligence compatibility: The iPhone SE 4 will likely be the cheapest entry point into Apple Intelligence, and therefore one of the best AI phones at its price point.
• A more powerful camera: The iPhone SE 4 will very likely get a better camera than the almost three-year-old iPhone SE (2022), and the latest rumors point towards a single 48MP rear snapper and a 12MP selfie camera.
• A longer-lasting battery: The iPhone SE 4 will almost certainly get a larger, longer-lasting battery than that of its predecessor. The latest leaks suggest it’ll be an iPhone 14-style 3,279mAh cell, which will surely bring tangible improvements to endurance.

The Apple Store is down!

OK, here's our first big indicator that a product launch is imminent. Apple has closed its online store for maintenance, which is almost always a sign that new devices are on the way.

In this case, Apple has only closed the product page for the iPhone SE (2022), which (surprise!) strongly hints that a replacement device is about to be revealed. But will it be the iPhone SE 4, the iPhone SE (2022), or the iPhone 16E? Given Tim Cook's "family" comment, my money's on the latter.

What might the iPhone SE 4 look like?

We don't yet know the name of Apple's new device, but is this its official design?

The above images (or perhaps best-guess renders) shared by leaker Majin Bu are the closest thing we have to a peek at the new iPhone SE's possible design. They certainly line up with previous leaks; the device in question has a notch, a flat metal frame, and a single-lens camera.

There's also a customizable action button (a nice bonus for a more affordable iPhone). The notch means this should also be the first SE model with Face ID, which is a nice time-saver on my iPhone 16 Pro. If this is all true, it could prove popular – if the price is right...

The iPhone 16e is official!

The iPhone 16e is official!

Apple officially announced the new device on its website at 11am ET / 8am PT / 4pm GMT, confirming that the iPhone 16e is a new member of the iPhone 16 family and not, as many suspected, a standalone iPhone SE 4.

Specs incoming...