Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen)
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until March 2029 · Buy-by March 2027
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~7-year update track record — on that basis the iPhone SE (3rd gen) should be supported until around March 2029. Buying it today still gets you about 2.8 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.
55% cheaper than the under-$300 median ($6.74/mo, dying phones excluded)
Our verdict
The quiet TrueCost champion of the used market: $100 buys an estimated ~33 more months of updates — about $3 per month of safe iPhone, the cheapest safe phone we track.
Pros
- ~$3.00 per month of remaining safe use — the best TrueCost in our database
- A15 Bionic still handles the latest iOS comfortably
- Tiny, light (144g), with Touch ID many people still prefer
- 5G and Wi-Fi 6 — modern where it counts
Cons
- Dated 4.7-inch 60Hz LCD with big bezels
- Small 2,018mAh battery — expect a battery replacement on used units
- Single rear camera, no Night Mode versatility
- Lightning port
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD, 60Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 12MP |
| front | 7MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 2,018 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired, Qi wireless 7.5W |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm |
| Weight | 144 g |
| Materials | Aluminum frame, glass back, Home button with Touch ID |
| Water resistance | IP67 |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | iOS 15 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 SE 3rd generation still supported in 2026?
Yes — comfortably. It launched in March 2022 with the same A15 chip as the iPhone 13, and on Apple's typical seven-year pattern we estimate updates until around March 2029.
Is a used iPhone SE 3 worth buying in 2026?
At ~$100, it's arguably the single best value in phones: roughly $3 per month of estimated safe use, cheaper than even the $199 Galaxy A16. You trade screen size and battery for that — but nothing this cheap is safer.
How long will the iPhone SE 3 get updates?
We estimate until around March 2029 — about 33 more months from mid-2026 — based on Apple's documented seven-year track record. Its A15 chip is the same family as the iPhone 13's, which supports that runway.
iPhone SE 3 vs Galaxy A16 — which cheap phone is smarter?
Used SE 3 (~$100): smaller, faster chip, ~$3/month of safe use. New A16 ($199): bigger AMOLED screen, new battery and warranty, supported until October 2030 at ~$3.80/month. Want small and cheapest? SE 3. Want big, new, and longest runway? A16.
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.