Apple Sunset

iPhone SE (3rd generation)

Discontinued 19 Feb 2025

Released

18 Mar 2022

Announced

8 Mar 2022

Pre-orders opened

11 Mar 2022

Launch price from

$429

Discontinued

19 Feb 2025

Lifespan

2 years, 11 months

Category
iPhone SE/e
Status
Discontinued
Apple support status
Discontinued, not yet Vintage
Release type
Refresh of an existing model
Previous model
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Replaced by
iPhone 16e
Official Apple page
No longer available on Apple’s website
Tech specs
Apple specs ↗
Press release
Apple Newsroom ↗
More information
iPhone SE (3rd generation) on Wikipedia ↗

Notes

The iPhone SE (3rd generation) was Apple's cheap iPhone at $429, and when it finally went in February 2025 it took two pieces of iPhone history with it. It was the last model with a home button on the front, and the last with a Lightning port, so its removal left the whole range on Face ID and USB-C for the first time.

From the outside it was identical to the 2020 version, which was itself the iPhone 8 body from 2017. The same 4.7-inch screen, the same bezels, the same single camera. By the time Apple stopped selling it the design was eight years old.

The changes were all internal. The A15 Bionic chip came from the iPhone 13, bringing Photographic Styles and Smart HDR 4 to the single camera, along with better battery life. 5G arrived, which was the main justification for the $30 price rise.

Apple also fitted tougher glass front and back, claiming the same material used on the iPhone 13.

Three colours were offered: midnight, starlight and (PRODUCT)RED, with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage.

It was announced on 8 March 2022, with pre-orders from 11 March, and reached customers on 18 March 2022 at $429.

iPhone SE/e release history

  1. 2026

  2. 2 Mar 2026

    iPhone 16e Discontinued

  3. ↑ about 1 year later
  4. 2025

  5. 28 Feb 2025

    iPhone 16e Released

  6. 19 Feb 2025

    iPhone SE (3rd generation) Discontinued

  7. ↑ about 3 years later
  8. 2022

  9. 18 Mar 2022

    iPhone SE (3rd generation) Released

  10. 8 Mar 2022

    iPhone SE (2nd generation) Discontinued

  11. ↑ 1 year, 10 months later
  12. 2020

  13. 24 Apr 2020

    iPhone SE (2nd generation) Released

  14. ↑ 1 year, 7 months later
  15. 2018

  16. 12 Sept 2018

    iPhone SE (1st generation) Discontinued

  17. ↑ 2 years, 5 months later
  18. 2016

  19. 31 Mar 2016

    iPhone SE (1st generation) Launch

More in iPhone SE/e

All iPhone SE/e →

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