Apple is hard at work on iOS 18.3, iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11, but the company won’t launch the new devices alongside the operating system update, which should drop later this month or in early February.
Instead, the new budget iPhone and iPad reportedly will land in April.
iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11 unlikely to arrive in the next few weeks
Multiple reports indicate the iPhone SE 4 will launch in spring 2025. Leaks suggest the upcoming budget iPhone will look similar to the iPhone 14 and sport an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence support. More importantly, it might be the first device from Apple to feature the company’s in-house 5G modem. It also could sport a 48MP rear camera and a 12MP TrueDepth front camera — big upgrades over the current iPhone SE’s 12MP camera setup.
A spring release timeframe for the iPhone SE 4 led many to believe Apple would launch the device alongside iOS 18.3. Snippets of code found in the operating system’s beta build added credence to this rumor. An anonymous source on X/Twitter with a reliable track record also suggested a similar release timeline, further adding fuel to the fire.
However, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman on Tuesday dismissed this rumor as “completely untrue.” He says Apple is working on a new iPad and iPhone SE 4 alongside iOS 18.3, but they won’t launch together this month. Instead, if “all goes to plan,” Apple will launch the devices by April before iOS 18.4 drops.
Yes, the new iPads and iPhone SE replacement are being developed on the iOS 18.3 train – but that doesn’t mean they launch together this month. It means they’ll launch before iOS 18.4, by April if all goes to plan. https://t.co/qaMSH1ImSW
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) January 7, 2025
Apple typically launches new devices in March or April. Gurman’s suggested timeframe matches that, giving it more credibility.
iPad 11 could be all about a minor spec bump
So far, all the rumors and leaks have focused on the iPhone SE 4. Not much is known about iPad 11. It likely will receive a minor spec bump to an A17 Pro or A18 chip. This would ensure Apple Intelligence support, making the entry-level tablet among the cheapest ways to access Apple’s suite of AI features like Image Playground and Genmoji.
