Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until June 2027 · Buy-by June 2025
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~11-year update track record — on that basis the iPhone SE (1st generation) should be supported until around June 2027. Buying it today still gets you about 1.0 years of safe use (Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years).
Source: Apple's documentation · last verified 2026-06-12 · 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.
36% cheaper than the under-$300 median ($6.74/mo, dying phones excluded)
Our verdict
The tiny 4-inch iPhone with the 6s's chip, still getting iOS 15 security patches years on.
Pros
- Apple kept issuing iOS 15 security updates (15.8.x) into 2026
- Genuinely pocket-sized 4-inch design with Touch ID
- A9 chip and 12MP camera punch above its tiny size
Cons
- Small screen and small 1624 mAh battery
- Capped at iOS 15 with no water resistance
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 4.0-inch LCD (Retina IPS), 1136x640, 60Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Apple A9 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB / 32GB / 64GB / 128GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 12MP |
| front | 1.2MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 1,624 mAh |
| Charging | Lightning wired (up to ~12W) |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 123.8 × 58.6 × 7.6 mm |
| Weight | 113 g |
| Materials | Aluminum unibody, glass front |
| Water resistance | None |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | iOS 9 at launch |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, 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
How long will the iPhone SE (2016) get updates?
Its highest major version is iOS 15, but Apple has kept releasing iOS 15 security updates (15.8.x) into 2026. Those security-only patches may continue into roughly 2027, although feature updates ended years ago.
Why does the first-gen iPhone SE last so long?
It shares the A9 chip and internals of the iPhone 6s, so it received the same iOS 15 ceiling and the same ongoing iOS 15 security backports that keep it patched.
Is the iPhone SE (2016) good for small-phone fans in 2026?
Yes, if you truly want a 4-inch phone and only need basic use. It still gets security patches, but its tiny battery and iOS 15 limit mean it is best as a compact secondary device.
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 2026-06-12.