Unfortunately no such carrier deals on phones here in north Europe. The SE 3 with 128gb costs the equivalent of USD 680 which includes our VAT of 25 percent.While each service is a bit different in terms of unlocking times, all of the Tracfone brands (Tracfone, Total, Straight Talk, etc.) are pretty easygoing if you activate on a Verizon-based SIM. For that you'll need to keep service active for at least a month and there are numerous reports that you can let it lapse and then on the 60th day, it will automatically unlock (you'd probably need Wi-Fi access for it to get the updated policy from Apple).
Other than the cost of one month of service and the time, it's a great way to get a spare iPhone inexpensively.
I did this with a Total back in 2023 for a second-gen SE, it's now unlocked and can work on any carrier. Sometimes you can get them for $99 or $149 (what I'm seeing right now), if you're willing to go to a Walmart location and buy them. They'll typically just stick a little envelope with a SIM card on the back and you can activate it yourself at home.
Considering that the A15 Bionic in that phone is the same SoC used in the 13, regular 14, and outgoing 6th generation iPad mini, it would most likely lose support around the same time as those devices.SE2 (and SE3) is still able to use iOS18.
does anybody have any ideas for how long the SE3 might be able to get new iOS versions in the future?
Sorry to hear, but not surprised—in this case, most carrier-owned prepaid brands will heavily discount older models or excess inventory (such as an iPhone 12 or 13 now that they've been discontinued) to try to get new customers without doing some sort device payment plan, contract, or subsidy. Some make you bring a number over from another network and/or buy multiple months of service at once (Cricket, a flanker brand owned by AT&T, is currently doing that—$49 for an iPhone 12, but needs a port-in as well as 2 months of $60/month plan paid at checkout.)Unfortunately no such carrier deals on phones here in north Europe. The SE 3 with 128gb costs the equivalent of USD 680 which includes our VAT of 25 percent.
SE3 is the last Apple LCD phone PWM-sensitive people can enjoy.
I just got one (used, like new) to replace my 11, well it's lighter, a bit faster, everything else is quite obsolete, especially the design. But no strain to my eyes, without switching to low-end Android, that was the point.
Unfortunately no such carrier deals on phones here in north Europe. The SE 3 with 128gb costs the equivalent of USD 680 which includes our VAT of 25 percent.
1,000 days? That's nothing! My 2020 iPhone SE is officially 1,684 days old, and still works the same as the day I bought it. I did replace the battery about 6 months ago, but that's it. Runs iOS 18.1.1 just fine, no lags. Still makes phone calls. Takes pictures, too! How about this one? (eat your heart out, Ansel Adams!)
Agree, you can grab a refurbished SE 2020 for under $150 CAD and the SE 2022 for under $250 CAD.Used market is your friend.
The only thing iPhone SE 3 is the new chips. Otherwise it is exactly same as iPhone SE2 and iPhone 8. You can swap almost all components between these three phones.
iPhone SE 2 is dirt cheap now and iPhone SE 3 is still pretty cheap on used market. Buying new is asking to be ripped off.
I don’t think SE1 is. SE3 will probably get updates till 2027ish based off of Apple’s support history.SE1, SE2 and SE3 all still are able to use iOS18.
does anybody have any thoughts for how long the SE3 might be able to get new iOS versions in the future?
Yeah, but what corporation cares about "sloppy" when Lightning is still making money and nothing is stopping them?My mom desperately needs a new phone, but I told her to wait. The fact that they haven't even updated this phone to use a USB-C port at this point is just sloppy on Apple.
This and the iPhone 14 are (AFAIK) the only two products that Apple still sells with a lightning connector.
True you can get "for $ 499 you can get a very well specked modern mobile phone these days" but it won't have iOS...To be honest… who on earth buys an iPhone SE for the price it is selling right now. There are so many other options available for a fraction of the price. A more modern overhaul of the SE should’ve happened years ago. Let’s also be honest… for $ 499 you can get a very well specked modern mobile phone these days.
The iPhone SE debuted in 2016 as Apple's answer tocustomers who wanted a more affordable iPhone without sacrificing key features“how to use up all of our leftover parts?”
I think Apple is happy to provide many updates for most of the iPhones supporting iOS18 now.SE1, SE2 and SE3 all still are able to use iOS18.
does anybody have any thoughts for how long the SE3 might be able to get new iOS versions in the future?
Without even considering the next AI additions, I'm sure the next iOS will include even more features that "require" 8GB RAM or more.Used market is your friend.
The only thing iPhone SE 3 is the new chips. Otherwise it is exactly same as iPhone SE2 and iPhone 8. You can swap almost all components between these three phones.
iPhone SE 2 is dirt cheap now and iPhone SE 3 is still pretty cheap on used market. Buying new is asking to be ripped off.
But probably oh so profitable to force travelers to choose what is often the lone eSIM provider. Notice who is eSIM capable in mighty America vs. the many, cheaper options who are not.*
And who runs iPhone commercials in America to help sell iPhone? I wonder if the foreign partners most like Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile also happen to be the lone ones with eSIM service offerings? 💰💰💰
*update: I've since be knowledge updated that a number of cheap American players have gone eSIM. I haven't looked in a while and assumed it was mostly still just a few "most profitable", dominant players... as I suspect it is in other countries where the cheap "traveler" options via SIM probably aren't also offering eSIM. But that's speculation too based upon 💰 instead of checking each country to know for sure.
Surving that long … good for the environment.
Apple's third-generation iPhone SE, introduced on March 8, 2022, has now reached the milestone of being over 1,000 days old. …
I think Apple is happy to provide many updates for most of the iPhones supporting iOS18 now.
-Just don't count on new iOS versions to include anything but the absolute minimum of new features compared to what the >8GB RAM iPhones get.
All things are pointing towards more and more of iOS will have some Apple Intelligence twist to it that's only available to iPhones 15 Pro and higher.
Without even considering the next AI additions, I'm sure the next iOS will include even more features that "require" 8GB RAM or more.
With that in mind, I really don't know that buying anything but an iPhone 15 Pro or higher makes sense right now.
Although mostly arbitrary, technically speaking, Apple has made it pretty clear that there's a but cutoff between >8GB RAM and <8GB RAM iPhones.
If on a budget, I'd try to get a deal on a used 15 Pro. Or hold out for SE 4 dropping in Q1-Q2 2025.
Both Lightning and <8GB RAM will lower your iPhone's value/$ very fast over the next few years.
So Tim Cook has reached yet another milestone of mediocrity.Apple's third-generation iPhone SE, introduced on March 8, 2022, has now reached the milestone of being over 1,000 days old.
I would say, a budget oriented shopper probably won't care much about the AI features.
So Tim Cook has reached yet another milestone of mediocrity.
Cook doesn't care about lower-income people, which is largely why there has not been an updated iPhone SE in over 1,000 days.
A page or two back someone posted that they still have an older SE - not the current gen - and that iOS 18.1 is running just fine on it without AI. The SE still seems to be doing a good job - for lower-income people and others who simply don’t want to spend big on an iPhone.So Tim Cook has reached yet another milestone of mediocrity.
Cook doesn't care about lower-income people, which is largely why there has not been an updated iPhone SE in over 1,000 days.
1,000 days? That's nothing! My 2020 iPhone SE is officially 1,684 days old, and still works the same as the day I bought it. I did replace the battery about 6 months ago, but that's it. Runs iOS 18.1.1 just fine, no lags. Still makes phone calls. Takes pictures, too! How about this one? (eat your heart out, Ansel Adams!)