Apple iPhone 12
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until October 2027 · Buy-by October 2025
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~7-year update track record — on that basis the iPhone 12 should be supported until around October 2027. Buying it today still gets you about 1.4 years of safe use (Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years).
Source: endoflife.date (community-tracked) · last verified 2026-06-10 · how we compute this
TrueCost
Street price ÷ months of safe use remaining — the number that makes cheap short-lived phones expensive, and well-supported ones cheap.
26% above the under-$300 median ($6.74/mo, dying phones excluded)
Our verdict
At $139 with an estimated 16 months of updates left, the iPhone 12 is a reasonable stopgap and a poor keeper — buy it only if you already plan to upgrade by late 2027.
Pros
- First 5G iPhone, with a sharp OLED display
- MagSafe support — modern accessories still work
- Light and compact by today's standards (164g)
- Cheap at ~$139 used
Cons
- Estimated support ends around October 2027 — under a year and a half
- Roughly $8.40 per month of remaining safe use — okay, not great
- Small 2,815mAh battery, likely degraded in used units
- Lightning port and 4GB RAM
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 12MP |
| ultra-wide | 12MP |
| front | 12MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 2,815 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired, MagSafe 15W wireless |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 146.7 × 71.5 × 7.4 mm |
| Weight | 164 g |
| Materials | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | iOS 14 at launch |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, Lightning |
| Update policy | ~7 years of updates (our estimate from Apple's track record — written minimum is 5 years) |
Better-value alternatives
Similar price, lower cost per month of safe ownership.
Frequently asked questions
Is the iPhone 12 still supported in 2026?
Yes, for now — it still receives iOS updates in 2026. On Apple's typical seven-year pattern, expect support to end around October 2027, roughly 16 months away.
Is the iPhone 12 worth buying in 2026?
Only as a deliberate short-term phone. At ~$139 with about 16 months of updates left it costs ~$8.40/month of safe use — fine as a stopgap, but a used iPhone SE 3 or a new Galaxy A16 delivers years more safety for similar money.
How long will the iPhone 12 get updates?
We estimate until around October 2027, seven years after its October 2020 launch, based on Apple's documented track record. Apple doesn't publish official end dates.
iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 used — which should I buy?
The 13 typically costs ~$110 more but buys you an extra year of support, a noticeably bigger battery, and a faster chip. Per month of safe use they're close — pick the 13 if your budget stretches, the 12 if you're upgrading within a year anyway.
Compare it
Specs are collected from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers and change often. Support end dates follow each brand's official policy (or, for Apple, its documented historical pattern). Last verified 2026-06-10.