Apple iPhone 4
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until June 2014 · Buy-by June 2012
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~4-year update track record — on that basis the iPhone 4 should be supported until around June 2014. Buying it today still gets you about -12.0 years of safe use, and Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years (verified June 2026).
Source: source · last verified 2026-06-18 · how we compute this
Our verdict
The iPhone 4 brought the Retina display and a glass-and-steel design, earning about four years of iOS updates.
Pros
- Supported with iOS updates for roughly four years, up to iOS 7.1.2
- Introduced the high-resolution Retina display
- Iconic glass-and-stainless-steel design
Cons
- Long obsolete with no app or security support
- Notorious 'antennagate' reception issue and a tiny battery
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 3.5-inch IPS LCD, 640x960 (~330 ppi), Retina |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Apple A4 |
| RAM | 0.5GB |
| Storage | 8GB / 16GB / 32GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 5MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 1,420 mAh |
| Charging | 5W wired |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm |
| Weight | 137 g |
| Materials | Glass front and back, stainless steel frame |
| Water resistance | None |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | iOS 4 (last supported iOS 7.1.2) |
| Connectivity | 3G HSPA, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1, 30-pin/USB 2.0 |
| Update policy | ~4 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 4 still getting updates in 2026?
No. The iPhone 4's last update was iOS 7.1.2 in 2014, and it has been unsupported ever since.
How long did the iPhone 4 get updates?
It launched on iOS 4 in 2010 and was supported through iOS 7.1.2, roughly four years of iOS updates.
Is the iPhone 4 worth buying in 2026?
Only for collectors. It is a landmark design as the first Retina iPhone, but it cannot run modern software.
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 2026-06-18.