This iPhone SE 4 feature may be missing in action

The iPhone SE 4 is expected to launch in early 2025, and in many respects it sounds like a cheaper iPhone 15. It's getting a significant redesign that'll make it look and work much more like Apple's most recent iPhones.

However, a new report suggests that one of the rumoured new features isn't coming to the SE 4 after all.

The feature is the Action button, which replaces the mute switch on the iPhone 16 range. A new image shared by leaker Sonny Dickson shows what appears to be an Apple-approved case for the iPhone SE 4. While the case does seem to be accurate based on the rumours we've heard so far, there's no Action button there. Instead, there's what appears to be a cutout for a mute switch.

No action? No problem

If the case is indeed real, then it means the Action button is, well, missing in action. And I suspect that for most potential buyers, that'll be a complete non-issue. I've had the button since it was introduced last year on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and as soon as I programmed it I completely forgot it was there.

The only time I use it is to find out what I programmed it to do: change focus modes? Turn the flashlight on?

I know there are people out there who think the Action button is brilliant: they share very complex shortcuts on discussion forums, demonstrating the power of a programmable button combined with Apple's scripting app. But those aren't the kind of people who want to buy Apple's best budget phone.

Button or no button, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to launch in early 2025. It's possible that Apple may sneak it out at the very beginning of the year but that's still rather unlikely; previous launches have been in the Spring. And January is when Samsung launches its new Galaxy phones, so Apple won't want to compete for headlines.