How do you make an iPhone SE look and feel like an iPhone? The latest leaked images of the next iPhone illustrate how Tim Cook and his team will ensure the new iOS-powered smartphone fits into its portfolio
The iPhone SE Will Not Get The Dynamic Island
There has been a question about how advanced the iPhone SE screen would be. The cardinal-numbered iPhone line has moved from the iconic notch debuting on the iPhone X to a dynamic island. This saw a pill-shaped cutout for the selfie camera, FaceID camera, and other sensors. It was masked by a black widget area generated on the display, which could change size dynamically to offer contextual information and controls.
The latest leaked images of 2025’s iPhone SE show that the SE will introduce the notch to Apple’s mid-range smartphone for the first time but will not go as far as the dynamic island. This decision will impact several factors.
How The iPhone SE’s Notch Will Benefit Apple
The first is cost. The notched screen is based on older technology, and with a smartphone screen being one of the most expensive lines in the bill of materials, keeping the cost of the screen as low as possible will have a significant bearing on the cost of manufacturing the iPhone SE models.
It’s also why I’d expect to see a screen that does not feature a variable refresh rate.
Then, you need separation in Apple’s portfolio. The iPhone SE will bring as much of the Apple ecosystem (including the awkwardly backronymed Apple intelligence AI suite), but it can’t get everything otherwise there would be no temptation for consumers to upgrade to the iPhone 16. Keeping the latest screen technology—including the Dynamic Island—will play into that discussion.
The iPhone SE Must Be An iPhone
Finally, the move to the notch ensures that the iPhone SE is seen as “an iPhone.” The current iPhone SE model continues to use TouchID, and the bezels are highly visible. 2025’s iPhone SE will throw that out the window, with an almost edge-to-edge display and a notch that popular culture regards as belonging only to the iPhone.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone SE in late-March to early-April.
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