We might just have got our first official look at the newest iPhone model thanks to a website glitch, as cases for the supposed '16E' have started popping up with a new render.
It might not have the flash or the power of Apple's flagship models, but the 'SE' series of iPhones has more than proven that it deserves a place in the smartphone line up.
Not everyone has the money to dump on the latest releases, nor do some need all of the flashy new features that tend up bump the price up so much, and that's why having a budget alternative will always work.
The third generation iPhone SE released all the way back in 2022 and fans have been eagerly anticipating an update, but one keen-eyed Apple fan might just have spotted it before its reveal thanks to a case seller's website glitch.
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As posted on the r/iphone subreddit, user u/nj027 was searching for a skin on German website DeinDesign and typed in 'iPhone 16' on the search, only to spot that results for a supposed 'iPhone 16E' popped up.
"First I thought it was a bug," they revealed, but quickly realized that they might have stumbled onto some gold.
While not strictly holding the 'SE' name, this appears to be the budget alternative that everyone has been waiting for - and it comes with a design refresh that has also been highly requested.
Gone is the anachronistic home button in favor of a complete touch screen with a dynamic island at the top. It also features what looks to be a different rear camera to, which seems to be larger overall.
Many have made comparisons to the iPhone XR, which in of itself was a budget version of the 'X' lineup, and was with the first generation to similarly ditch the home button that died with the iPhone 8 lineup.
Some have pointed out that this is likely just a small website trying to get ahead of the curve, especially as known Apple leakers have revealed contrasting reports to what is shown in this particular image.
"It will not have the dynamic island, rather a classic notch from the iPhone 14," one user points out, adding that "what you see on that page is a random, small accessories maker who is trying to jump ahead of the competition when it comes to SEO."
This has been supported by reports from leaker Majin Bu, who revealed that "the new iPhone SE 4 will feature a 60hz OLED screen with a 6.06 inch notch and will be equipped with an action button."
Of course, with leaks you always have to take things with a grain of salt, but even if the images shown on DeinDesign aren't entirely accurate, many point towards the fact that there's never smoke without fire and the 16E could be among the next Apple products to be officially revealed in 2025.
