iPhone SE (2016) 16GB iPhone SE (1st Gen) and iOS update space requirements

[NewBench]

I need to buy a cheap phone just as a spare - it won't have any photos, videos or music. Just a few apps (WhatsApp, Google Maps and a couple of banking apps). I only intend to keep it for maybe 6 months at the most. For this reason, I'm going to buy a first gen (2016) iPhone SE with 16GB of storage.

I know some iOS updates are bigger in file size than a few years ago. Will a 16GB device with just a few apps installed and nothing else have enough storage to download and install the latest version of iOS 14? I know that Apple is probably going to stop supporting updates for the SE with iOS 15 but I only need the phone for a few months.

I don't want to buy the phone and even with just a few apps installed either have to delete them to create space to install updates or not have enough space at all.

Thanks

 

[retta283]

32GB model of this should be just as cheap as 16GB if you look closely enough. From March 2017 that was the smallest size available so there are many in circulation. 32GB will get you enough for updates, some apps, and breathing room left over. Not a ton, but some.

With 16GB you may only end up with a couple GB left over. 16GB is not the true capacity, only the advertised. In reality, you end up with less than 15GB. iOS and the "Other" category could probably take up 4-6GB easily. Add apps into the mix and you're going to be left with an 8GB of space or so. That's airing on the side of caution. If anyone has evidence to the contrary I'd be interested in seeing it, but 16GB is very tight now. I have a 16GB 6S that's down to like 3 GB with no apps installed at all. Only updates and the video that I have filmed, which does not even amount to but a gigabyte or two.

 

[Apple_Robert]

32GB is the lowest I would go if you don't want to delete any apps and have enough room for updates.