Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until April 2027 · Buy-by April 2025
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~7-year update track record — on that basis the iPhone SE (2nd generation) should be supported until around April 2027. Buying it today still gets you about 0.9 years of safe use (Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years).
Source: Apple's documentation · last verified 2026-06-11 · 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.
58% above the under-$300 median ($6.75/mo, dying phones excluded)
Our verdict
A tiny, cheap iPhone with flagship-era A13 power and Touch ID, with the longest remaining support of this group.
Pros
- A13 Bionic gives flagship-level speed for the price
- Compact 4.7-inch size and light 148 g weight
- Touch ID home button for fast, mask-friendly unlocking
- Best remaining update runway in this batch (released April 2020)
Cons
- Small 1821 mAh battery means weak endurance
- Dated LCD with large bezels and only 4.7 inches
- Single rear camera and Lightning port
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD (IPS), 1334×750 at 326 ppi, 625 nits, True Tone, wide color (P3) |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main wide | 12MP |
| front | 7MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 1,821 mAh |
| Charging | Up to 18W wired fast charge (up to 50% in 30 min), Qi wireless charging; Lightning |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm |
| Weight | 148 g |
| Materials | Aerospace-grade aluminum frame with glass front and back, Touch ID home button |
| Water resistance | IP67 |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | iOS 13 at launch |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, 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
Does the iPhone SE (2020) have Face ID?
No. It uses a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the home button rather than Face ID, which some users prefer for speed and reliability.
Is the battery life good?
Battery life is modest because of the small 1821 mAh cell. On a used unit, check battery health, since a degraded cell will struggle to last a full day.
How long will it get updates?
Released in April 2020, it has the most remaining support of the phones in this group under Apple's typical ~7-year pattern, making it the safer long-term pick here.
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 2026-06-11.