The iPhone SE will always be Apple's best-value phone — and also its most neglected

Apple isn't known for its affordable gadgets, and for most people that's okay.

The Apple premium is often worth it. Could I use a cheaper laptop for my workflow? I sure could, but once you get used to cruising on Apple's M2 chip (or higher), it's kind of hard to justify anything else — especially when it comes to battery life.

That said, not everyone can afford the Apple premium, which is why devices like the iPhone SE are available to fill in the gaps.

That's great for customers who want the Apple experience but not the Apple premium, and in a lot of ways one could make that the SE is Apple's best-value phone. You could also make the case that it's Apple's least favorite.

iPhone SE 4 incoming

It looks like the iPhone SE is returning for another iteration — the iPhone SE 4.

According to Bloomberg the iPhone SE, the last model of which was released in 2022, will remain at a similar price point. Currently, the iPhone SE 3 costs $429. Some rumors have suggested that the starting price will rise slightly to $500 — which is still significantly cheaper than the base model of the iPhone 16, which starts at $799.

The iPhone SE 4 is rumored to have a camera notch and a USB-C port like all the current iPhone models since the 15.

In a first, the iPhone SE 4 is also slated to be the first iPhone to use Apple's own cellular modem, which has traditionally been supplied by Qualcomm.

On top of all that, the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to be equipped with the A18 processor, which means that the phone is ready and able to use Apple Intelligence.

If you're adding all these rumored features and specs up and thinking, that sounds like a great deal! Then we're in agreement. The iPhone SE offers a way into the Apple ecosystem that feels accessible to a lot more people.

On top of that, it might be a significant upgrade for people like myself who are using phones that are several generations old. And let's be honest, there are plenty of people with older iPhones out there since generation-to-generation phone updates (Android phones included) aren't exactly groundbreaking for the most part nowadays.

But just because there are plenty of perks of buying an iPhone SE for lots of hungry value-focused customers out there, it doesn't mean Apple shares the same passion.

Apple's SE neglect

As appealing as the iPhone SE 4 might be, it's clear that Apple doesn't see its budget-friendly phone as a number one priority.

When the phone likely gets unveiled on February 19, it'll be the first update in two years, which in phone years is a long time. If you're looking for visual proof of just how neglected the SE has been, look no further than the physical home button on the current model. That button will almost certainly be nixed in the iPhone SE 4, but it says everything you need to know.

So why would the company neglect it so much if Apple's SE phone is such a good value? Well, in lots of ways, it's just very un-Apple-like for one.

Apple is synonymous with premium — not just in terms of build quality or software, but in terms of price. The iPhone SE, by its very nature, doesn't emphasize those same things — it's a phone that makes concessions to fit into a price range that more people can afford. And in that way, it's also a threat to Apple's more expensive phones.

For Apple, a strategic decision must be made — do you push people to your value-oriented budget device or to the base model of your flagship that has all the latest and greatest hardware and features?

Apple has traditionally opted for the latter, and who could blame it? Selling more base-model iPhones for more money is almost assuredly more lucrative. Clearly, the iPhone faithful have never turned their nose up at premium prices, either.

So, with all that momentum toward premium devices, one of Apple's best budget gadgets gets lost in the mix. The SE spirit exists in other Apple products, to be sure. The M4 Mac Mini, for example, retails at a ridiculously affordable $600 and is pre-loaded with Apple's most current line of chips.

It's a budget device that delivers top-of-the-line performance in an almost impossibly small form factor. Similarly, the Mac Mini often idles for years without a reboot, probably for reasons similar to those of the iPhone SE.

So, if you're a fan of the SE, you may want to really soak in Apple's next iteration because it might be a while until you get to revel in a new one.