Hands-On: Possible iPhone SE Case Reveals Close but Not Perfect Fit to iPhone 5s

Ahead of the release of the 4-inch iPhone SE next week, we managed to get our hands on some inexpensive TPU cases designed for the device. We've compared the iPhone SE cases to Apple's iPhone 5s in a new video to get a feel for the differences we might possibly see between the two devices.

On the whole, the iPhone SE case supports rumors the iPhone SE will look similar to the iPhone 5s. When put on an iPhone 5s, the iPhone SE case fits, but in our estimation, it's designed for either a device that's slightly thinner or one that has rounded edges, so the fit is not perfect.

There's also a noticeable discrepancy at the volume buttons due to the mismatched fit, and the buttons on the iPhone 5s do not align with the button indentations on the SE case. There have been no rumors suggesting the iPhone SE will be thinner than the iPhone 5s, but it has been rumored to include slightly curved glass at the edges rather than the sharper chamfered edges found on the iPhone 5s, so that could account for the difference in fit.


Cases created for iPhones ahead of launch are typically a solid indication of what a new device will look like, but with the iPhone SE, we've seen several case variations that leave the final design up in the air. Some, like the one in the video, closely resemble iPhone 5s cases, while others have a more iPhone 6 style design. We don't know if the case we've received is an accurate representation of what we'll see when the iPhone SE launches.

Along with case designs, rumors about the SE's shape have been similarly mixed, pointing towards an iPhone 5s-style shell with a slightly curved display glass, but all recent information has largely pointed towards a device that is identical to the iPhone 5s.

We don't have long to wait to see the design of the iPhone SE. Apple will introduce the device on Monday, at its "Let Us Loop You In" event that will also see the debut of the 9.7-inch iPad and new Apple Watch bands.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Caution)
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

JamesDo Avatar
105 months ago
Stop posting this garbage and start working your sources - see 9to5Mac.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
105 months ago
Stop posting this garbage.
Agreed. Arn should be ashamed for letting stuff like this pass as worthy of the front page.

These cases aren't, as the article claims, "designed for the device." The device hasn't even been released yet.

I like a lot of Juli Clover's reports. She's a decent journalist. But articles like this fall squarely in the "link bait" corner.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cableguy84 Avatar
105 months ago
Seriously there are people getting excited about this , abomination that looks nearly identical to a phone released in 2012
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bushido Avatar
105 months ago
Wow, Apple is really running on fumes if they just rehash the iPhone 5S design in 2016. That itself is just a redesign of the iPhone 4. Will show how Steve Jobs was the real force when it came to design at Apple.
the problem is "us" buying every lazy thing they release so why bother innovating if it sells anyway
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
105 months ago
Stop posting this garbage and start working your sources - see 9to5Mac.
It's all about those click$.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
one more Avatar
105 months ago
iPhone 5C body was a perfect blend of the 5/5S "palmability" and 6/6S smoothness. Looking forward to seeing what Apple come up with this time...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
iPhone 15 General Feature Green

Apple Says These New iOS Features Are Coming Later This Year

Sunday March 24, 2024 7:45 am PDT by
Apple has previously announced three new iOS features that it said are coming to the iPhone later this year, as outlined below. The new features include the ability to install iPhone apps on the web in the EU, RCS support in the Messages app, and next-generation CarPlay. Web Distribution Apple recently announced that eligible developers will soon be able to distribute their iOS apps to ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

Seven Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Tuesday March 19, 2024 5:20 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
maxresdefault

iOS 18 Rumored to Feature 'More Customizable' Home Screen

Sunday March 24, 2024 7:10 am PDT by
iOS 18 will feature a revamped Home Screen that is "more customizable," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He revealed this information in his Power On newsletter today, but he did not provide any specific details. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will announce iOS 18 at its annual developers conference WWDC in June. Other features and changes rumored for...
combine images

Top Stories: iOS 18's Generative AI Features to Rely on Google?, Latest on New iPads, and More

Saturday March 23, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
We're getting closer to the launch of new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, while rumors about iOS 18 are continuing to ramp up with this week's surprise revelation that Apple has been talking to Google and others about potentially helping power the generative AI features expected to be a major part of this year's update. Other news this week saw the release of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1...