Rumors of the iPhone SE 4 are starting to heat up, and it is not surprising that analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has new information about the production schedule for the device. According to Kuo, Apple's suppliers will begin mass production in December, with 8.6 million phones expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

If Kuo's prediction is correct and production proceeds as planned, the iPhone SE 4 will be available in the first three months of next year. No specific date has been given, but it is safe to say that a spring release is on the horizon.

The iPhone SE 2016 and iPhone SE 2022 were both released in mid-March, and the iPhone SE 2020 in late April. So it is a certainty that Apple will release a lower-priced iPhone at that time. My guess is that a December mass production start means a March release is more likely, but it all depends on when it actually starts and whether any issues arise in the process.

Rumor has it that the iPhone SE 4 will adopt a design inspired by the iPhone 14, finally ditching the two generations of iPhone 8 cosmetics. Its established design shouldn't cause too many problems, especially since it seems unlikely that we will see any new (and potentially problematic) components that could cause delays.

Rumors suggest that there may be two iPhone SE 4 models, a regular 6.1-inch display model and a 6.7-inch iPhone SE Plus. This new full-screen design is also rumored to feature Face ID, along with other upgrades such as a USB-C port, 48MP rear camera, and 8GB of RAM to help drive Apple Intelligence.

Rumors also suggest that the A18 chipset will be built in, but this seems too new a chip to be included in a low-cost iPhone; the phone will also need solid performance to run AI functions smoothly.

Most interestingly, Apple's long-awaited 5G modem may be on the way. According to reports, this component has gone through a tumultuous development cycle, but may finally be ready for primetime with the iPhone SE 4. Rumors suggest that the new 5G modem will be rolled out gradually to Apple's less expensive products first, with flagships like the iPhone 17 sticking with Qualcomm's 5G modem for the time being.

With all of these upgrades, the iPhone SE 4 has the potential to outperform the best other budget smartphones. However, we won't know until it actually launches next year. Thankfully, the launch seems to be just five months away.