I love the Pixel 8a, and the next iPhone SE should be just like it

The launch of the Pixel 9 has me reflecting on the Pixel 8a and why it might be the best mid-range phone I have ever used. For $500, or even lower if it’s on sale, the Pixel 8a offers the look and features of a flagship phone at an affordable price. Our review at Pocket-lint gave it 4.5 stars thanks to its excellent design and software support.

Looking back on the Pixel 8a’s success recently made me think about Apple’s mid-range phone, the iPhone SE, and where it’s been the past two and a half years.

The current iPhone SE third generation, the iPhone SE 3, released in March 2022. Apple hasn’t refreshed its budget alternative since. It was supposedly due for a new version in 2024, but the tech giant reportedly canned it, leaving the current iPhone SE increasingly outdated and antiquated.

The next iPhone SE, the iPhone SE fourth generation, needs to be like the Pixel 8a, and by comparing the two phones, the iPhone SE 3 to the Pixel 8a, clearly shows why.

I’ll take a high refresh rate OLED screen, please

It’s long overdue that Apple gave all its iPhones ProMotion

The Pixel 8a has a 6.1-inch 1080 x 2400 pixel resolution OLED screen at 430 ppi (pixels per inch). It can achieve up to 1400 nits of brightness for HDR content and up to 2000 nits of peak brightness. It also has Google’s Smooth Display technology, which allows the screen to reach a 120Hz refresh rate (similar to Apple’s ProMotion).

The iPhone SE 3 has a 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 pixel resolution 60Hz LCD display with IPS technology at 326 ppi. It can achieve 625 nits of max brightness and has Apple’s True Tone display technology.

The difference between these displays could not be clearer: LCD vs. OLED, 60Hz vs. 120Hz, 625 nits vs. 2000 nits of peak brightness. If the next iPhone SE really wants to interest consumers in the mid-range phone market, it needs a display like the Pixel 8a’s. The Pixel 8a screen does have some compromises, such as thicker bezels, which Apple could easily improve on.

Rumors hint the next iPhone SE, the iPhone SE 4, could have a 6.1-inch OLED screen. While that is a step toward matching the Pixel 8a, to be equal, it would need ProMotion support, which I doubt Apple will do, as it’s only ever put it in Pro phones so far. But hey, surprise me, Apple. Please.

The iPhone SE deserves a modern design

Thank you for your service home button

Mid-range phones need to compromise somewhere to remain affordable. The Pixel 8a has an aluminum frame with a plastic back, while the Pixel 8 and 9 both have an aluminum frame with glass backs. The Pixel 8 and 9 have a more premium feel, especially the Pixel 9 with its new flat-edged design. But for what the Pixel 8a offers, it’s not too shabby at all.

Turning back to the iPhone SE 3, it’s crazy to look at it and see an iPhone 8 design from 2017. It still even has a home button, which some people might miss or not miss at all. I admit that when I got my first iPhone without a home button, I missed it — for about half an hour. Then, swiping up felt all too natural.

Like its more expensive flagship cousins and the Pixel 8a in the same price range, the iPhone SE 4 must adopt a button-less full-screen design. This design provides for more screen real estate. Also, it allows the phone to undergo a desperately needed redesign — and by redesign, I mean most likely adopting the look of one of Apple’s newer iPhones.

Rumors say it could adopt the look of the iPhone 14, which would be a significant update to the iPhone SE, making it more modern, attractive to budget consumers, and more like the Pixel 8a.

It’s time for an improved camera on the SE

The Pixel 8a has a good camera, but it’s not as great as the Pixel 8 or 9. It sports a 64-megapixel wide camera, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 13-megapixel front camera. I took the Pixel 8a to the beach to test its camera capabilities and was genuinely impressed by the detail and contrast of the images. While the Pixel 8 and 9 capture sharper images overall, the Pixel 8a camera is still impressive.

The iPhone SE 3 from 2022 is older, but its cameras aren’t that bad either. It sports a 13-megapixel rear camera, which, thanks to the SE’s A15 bionic chip, gets support for Smart HDR4 processing and Deep Fusion processing to make images look crisp and clear. Admittedly, the zooming capabilities compared to the Pixel 8a aren’t as good, but the iPhone SE 3 camera isn’t that bad for what it is.

The iPhone SE 4 needs an extra rear camera like the Pixel 8a to be able to zoom in better and land that perfect shot.

If the iPhone SE 4 adopts the look of the iPhone 14, hopefully, that means it’s also getting the cameras found on it, which are dual 12-megapixel rear cameras and a 12-megapixel front camera, making it more in line with the Pixel 8a. In our iPhone 14 review from 2022, we found it to capture detailed and well-colored balanced shots and a night-mode option for low-light shots.

Mid-range phones deserve AI also

Apple Intelligence should be supported on the next iPhone SE

Apple

The Pixel 8a supports AI out of the box, thanks to Google Gemini. Plus, it has advanced features through the Gemini-Advanced subscription. It also has AI photo editing options, such as Magic Eraser and Magic Editor. You can also use Google’s Circle to Search feature to look up whatever is on your screen quickly.

Apple Intelligence debuted at WWDC in June. It currently only supports the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (and M series iPads and Macs). However, many older iPhones, like the 13 or 14 series, will be left in the dust. Presumably, the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup will support it, too, though the feature may be delayed until after launch.

The Pixel 8a is a mid-range $500 smartphone already using AI. If the iPhone SE 4 wants to keep up with the Pixel 8a and the AI times we live in, it should do the same.

Upgraded processing power is inevitable

The iPhone SE from 2022 is mighty, but it could be more powerful

Google

Where the iPhone SE 3 and Pixel 8a find themselves on somewhat common ground is processing power.

The Pixel 8a has the Google Tensor G3 chip, which first debuted with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It’s a nine-core CPU with a Titan M2 security co-processor. I’ve been using the Pixel 8a for the past couple weeks, and the experience has been very smooth. I never experienced any lag or stuttering, and the phone never heated up that much.

The iPhone SE 3 has an A15 bionic chip with a six-core CPU, four-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine. The chip first debuted in the iPhone 13 in 2021, and Apple put it in the iPhone SE 3 in 2022. Our review of the iPhone SE 3 found the performance to be speedy and seamless, with no lag.

If the next iPhone SE uses Apple’s A17 processor, it could be one of the fastest mid-range phones ever and easily outdo the Pixel 8a.

When is the next iPhone SE coming out?

It seems we have to wait until 2025

According to the latest rumors from The Information, the iPhone SE 4 could ship in spring 2025. With the iPhone 16 series likely landing in September, this doesn’t surprise me and gives Apple more time to refine the new iPhone SE. Who knows, maybe even a Pixel 9a could exist by then, too.

Apple is reportedly aiming to keep the price under $500, which they’ll have to do, considering the iPhone 13 and 14, which are $599 and $699 respectively, will surely slip in price when the iPhone 16 comes out this Fall.

However, keeping the price under $500 also keeps it in line with the Pixel 8a’s pricing and closer to the iPhone SE 3’s price, which is $429.

I love the Pixel 8a, and if the next iPhone SE can match or improve upon its features, Apple will have a real winner in the mid-range phone market.