Ask HN: Apple dropping support for iPhone SE. What to do now?

46 points by subbz 2 years ago | 119 comments
Apple is dropping support for the 1st generation of the beloved iPhone SE.

Many people liked the form factor of it. What are your plans to do with the last small iPhone?

What are the possibilities? Jailbreak or use it as a paper weight?

  • _trackno5 2 years ago
    I ended up moving to an iPhone 12 mini.

    As much as I liked the original SE form factor, I really appreciated some things like bigger and better screen and face id.

    I use mine as an mp3 player connected to some speakers at home.

    If I were in your position I’d just get an iPhone 13 Mini since it’s the last iPhone with a small form factor.

    Another option is to look for smaller android devices, but i doubt anything will be as small as the iphone mini

    • hoistbypetard 2 years ago
      I've got the 2022 iPhone SE. It's small, still has a fingerprint reader, and works well.
      • 1983054104 2 years ago
        I got a refurbished iPhone SE 2nd version (2020) for my wife and she's happy about it so far. It only costs $200 which is nice. It's bigger than the other phones, but at this price I can't complain.
        • _trackno5 2 years ago
          wow, that’s a pretty sweet deal at that price!
        • j_crick 2 years ago
          Yup, such a nice thing. I kinda wish though that the screen was without this weird green tint. And also in my experience the screen scratches far too easily compared to even an old 8.
          • gigglesupstairs 2 years ago
            I think you’re talking about true tone? You can try turning it off to see if it feels better. It is turned on by default.
            • beckingz 2 years ago
              The screen scratches so fast! I expected better from Apple.
          • skyyler 2 years ago
            Also using a 12 mini.

            If I ever upgrade, it will be to a 13 mini right after they get discontinued.

            • jstx1 2 years ago
              You probably mean 13 mini.
              • 2 years ago
                • gigglesupstairs 2 years ago
                  Why? Both have a same form factor.
                  • jstx1 2 years ago
                    You're right, they do. For some reason I thought that 13 was the first lineup that had a mini.
              • tazjin 2 years ago
                I've been trying to wean myself off phones completely since the demise of the SE, but life in Moscow without a phone is basically impossible (taxis, deliveries, electric scooters, bikes etc. all become pretty much unavailable).

                As a compromise I've been using the Palm Phone[0] for a while now (before that the Unihertz Atom, which is quite the chonker, albeit with a small screen). It's the size of a credit card and has terrible battery life, but it can do all the things I need so I've just learned how to deal with it.

                I don't really have a solution for music on the go yet, as you can't connect normal headphones to modern phones without adapters (and those adapters actually draw a surprising amount of power if they have a DAC!) and Bluetooth is completely useless in large and densely populated cities. Maybe some iPod-like devices are still around ...

                [0]: https://palm.com/pages/product

                • zzzbra 2 years ago
                  > but life in Moscow without a phone is basically impossible (taxis, deliveries, electric scooters, bikes etc. all become pretty much unavailable).

                  am I the only one who finds this horrifying

                  • tazjin 2 years ago
                    No, but the thing is that for the majority of people nowadays this is normal and unsurprising. If you don't have a phone, a lot of things become unavailable and 99% of people (maybe even more!) don't consider that strange.

                    You can sometimes work around parts of it. For example there are still taxi dispatchers you can call (but with what? Maybe if you have at least a dumb phone ...) but drivers might be more hesitant to accept those jobs (less precise pickup locations, more ambiguity about destinations etc.). You can rent some of the public bikes using a public transport card, but none of the scooters - and those are much more available.

                    In highly modernised places there is simply a baseline assumption about the tech that everyone has available to them ...

                    • gigglesupstairs 2 years ago
                      People find it strange when I tell them I leave my phone at home most of the times when I go for walking, so I can relate. 99% have absolutely normalised phones in their lives as an essential commodity like refrigerator or a house key.
                    • pdimitar 2 years ago
                      I don't find it horrifying at all, I remember the times when I had to sit in phone calls to organize a plethora of small things I shouldn't have wasted time on the phone for. To me the modern age where you open an app and do things there has been infinitely better. Ordering pizza, calling a taxi, paying for delivered groceries, paying bills etc. -- all through phone.

                      The fact that there are entities out there that want to steal every drop of your attention when you are on your phone does not nullify the usefulness of modern technology. Nor does it guarantee them success.

                      I'd say that many people happily use technology to improve their lives and dodge all the other crap. For that group the modern age is absolutely great.

                      • danwee 2 years ago
                        Not only that. Many banks and government services nowadays require a phone (and/or phone number) as well. Their excuse? MFA. So idiotic. I can understand that they want to improve auth for the vast majority of their customers, but don't make it mandatory FFS!
                        • ThunderSizzle 2 years ago
                          Too many people, even here, praise MFA when they reveal how weak their passwords are.

                          I've never had an auto generated password get broken into. Password databases should've been the solution everyone pushed, not 2FA.

                          Also, it's really an attempt for these services to cut down on fakes and bots. Its easy to make new emails, but hard to get new numbers that aren't already black/brown listed.

                        • greenie_beans 2 years ago
                          same. i'm really feeling it now after adopting a dumb phone.

                          recently had an idea: what if we installed small, public computers on city blocks, much in the same way that we did phone booths

                          • tazjin 2 years ago
                            You think the fraud tech on ATMs is bad already? Wait until you see what people would do with those computers :)
                          • dale_glass 2 years ago
                            It's just the progression of things. Things first shifted online. Some are now going with apps because apps are a better fit.

                            Eg, if you're calling a taxi, what are you going to call one from, if not a phone? A phone is the best tool for the job because if they come and can't find you, then can call you back.

                          • PostOnce 2 years ago
                            "Life is impossible without e-scooter rentals and fast food delivery."

                            -Socrates

                            • scrollaway 2 years ago
                              "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize."

                              So, it's safe to assume GP meant modern life with modern comforts, rather than "my oxygen is only available with an iCloud subscription".

                              • PostOnce 2 years ago
                                I joke in order to suggest someone reconsider what they may have overlooked.

                                I personally have never booked anything on a smartphone, and I'm content and perfectly well connected in 2022 in a first world country.

                                I book things in a browser when I need to book something online, and that is generally on a laptop. It's no less convenient.

                                In fact, I don't even have a mobile data plan, I just use WiFi. I prepay $10 every 6mo for voice calls, everything else can wait til I have WiFi.

                                I'm not a surgeon and taking calls while I'm driving isn't going to help anyone in any way that can't wait half an hour.

                                Phones are overrated, full of ads and casinos, and not as revolutionary as we often suggest.

                                The average person loses more time and money than they gain by having a mobile phone, I bet.

                              • doctor_eval 2 years ago
                                I know this was a joke, but...

                                The walled city of Athens when Socrates lived measured about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) in diameter.¹

                                Moscow is among the world's largest cities; the city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers.²

                                Access to personal transport is an essential part of modern daily life, without which it is difficult to work, live, and even, sometimes, eat.

                                ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Athens

                                ² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow

                                • PostOnce 2 years ago
                                  And yet enormous Moscow somehow functioned before we invented iPhones less than 20 years ago...
                              • nicolaslem 2 years ago
                                > those adapters actually draw a surprising amount of power if they have a DAC!

                                Do they? Intuitively I would imagine that they do not consume much more than the same DAC inside the phone. I use such adapters a lot and never really noticed anything out of the ordinary related to battery life nor the part with the DAC getting warmer.

                                On the other hand, the sound quality of these adapters is surprisingly good, in the same league as dedicated audio interfaces[0].

                                [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0P8-TUDJ4Q

                                • tazjin 2 years ago
                                  Maybe it's more noticeable because this phone has a really tiny battery, but yeah.

                                  I actually went through a few adapters to find one that worked, because some of them (e.g. the one Apple makes) actually only wire up a DAC inside the phone to the physical 3.5mm connector. The Palm phone doesn't have a DAC though ...

                                  Maybe the one I have (by a company called Baseus, which I've never heard of before) just sucks and it shouldn't be drawing as much power as it does. Thanks for the link to that video, might be some good alternative in there!

                                  • Kirby64 2 years ago
                                    The 3.5mm adapters that Apple makes absolutely include a DAC themselves. Not sure where you get the idea that they don't.

                                    Both the USB-C and the Lightning versions are all digital on the port side.

                                    There are very few USB-C analog -> 3.5mm adapters, strictly because there is so many compatible issues (i.e., you need to support the alternate mode, AND you need to map the pins correctly).

                                • ihatepython 2 years ago
                                  If you don't care about streaming or bluetooth... I use an iPod nano 2nd gen. It could just be my imagination, but I feel like the audio quality is better than anything more 'modern'.
                                  • egberts1 2 years ago
                                    What’s more, I can upload/download music with my Apple iPod over WiFi.

                                    iPod, extremely light and long playing.

                                    And none of that Bluetooth cutout while traversing through many AirPods zones.

                                  • davnn 2 years ago
                                    „… Bluetooth is completely useless in large and densely populated cities.“

                                    What problems do you experience in day to day life?

                                    • tazjin 2 years ago
                                      Just the usual issues with it not connecting, randomly disconnecting, audio buffering issues and so on. These usually get worse when you go into really busy places (the metro, train stations, shopping streets etc.)

                                      When I lived in London I used to take Bluetooth-enthusiasts to a specific spot in Victoria station that is a complete Bluetooth-killer for some reason. Cables just don't have these problems ...

                                      • jareklupinski 2 years ago
                                        not OP, but in NYC, I cannot use my Airpods on the subway or while crossing an intersection. I tried commuting with them for a couple weeks, and as soon as I got into the subway my music would cut out.

                                        Then out on the street, I would have no problems in the middle of a block, but on every intersection, the connection would cut out again until I got far enough from the corner.

                                        Back to wired IEM's with a little dongle in the lightning slot :)

                                      • b20000 2 years ago
                                        nice but it runs android, the worst garbage OS in the world. someone needs to find a way to create a linux phone capable of running android apps but without having to have a google account and dealing with this bullshit company.
                                      • TwoFerMaggie 2 years ago
                                        I've been using one since 2016. The recent two years have been a bit tough because of the degraded battery. Swapped a new battery earlier this year, it was good for a while and now it's slow again and barely last a whole day. The last straw was the music player/spotify stuttering while I'm using Safari.

                                        I have made up my mind that I won't buy another iPhone due to their design choices in the past years (mainly, removing headphone jack, but also in general undermining reparability while preaching sustainability).

                                        So for me the must-have features are 3.5mm jack and relatively small form factor. I ended up getting a Asus Zenfone 9 (actually saw the post from HN first). Have been using it for about a couple weeks and I don't have too many complaints switching to Android. Only gripe I have was that the screen is still way too big. A bigger screen and very thin bezels are of course visually nice, but it's impossible to reach the upper and lower left corner when I use it with my right hand. Welp, I guess that's the compromise that I have to make in exchange for the features more important to me.

                                        • m_st 2 years ago
                                          Funny while reading your text I wanted to write you about the Zenfone 9 and then you just mention it. I'm a heavy Apple / iPhone user so probably won't switch. But the specs and especially the backpack mount triggered my interest.

                                          How happy are you with it? Especially the camera?

                                          • TwoFerMaggie 2 years ago
                                            I'd say pretty happy. Do I think it's the perfect phone? Probably not. But I'm pretty sure it's the closest one I can get in 2022 for my desired features.

                                            Regarding the camera, I have to say that I don't really know. Moving up from 1st gen SE camera, I don't really have an reasonable point of reference. All I can say is that, it's definitely better than the SE (duh), but not like mind-blowingly better. Well I'm not really into shooting photos so ymmv.

                                          • avn2109 2 years ago
                                            >> "... and relatively small form factor..."

                                            Small phones get a ton of love on HN, it's a perennial winner.

                                            But as an anecdotal counterpoint, I am six foot seven with hands (and thumbs) to match, and never met a phone which seems even remotely too large. Even the most phablet-themed Androids with a reputation for cartoonishly giant screens strike me as pretty reasonable.

                                            The trend towards ever-larger phones is great IMHO, I consider it compensation for a lifetime of airplane seats and whacking head on doorways etc.

                                            • dublin 2 years ago
                                              I like small phones and still use a late 1st gen SE. When the battery died and the screen broke a little over a year ago, I spent $220 at the Apple store getting both replaced rather than upgrade - even ignoring the price of new phones, I didn't like any of the new phones (even the mini) as much as the old SE. (My wife has the 2nd Gen SE, which is the same size as the base 6-8.)

                                              I'm coming to hate Apple more and more with each passing year. For one thing, I refuse to give iCloud my data, and iTunes, already one of the worst pieces of software in history, has declined into an unusable mass of fail. I would like to be able to play my own music on my next phone, something I've never been able to do with an iPhone, since iTunes insists on transcoding my entire music library and scrogging all my album covers if I let it touch my music. I will not live long enough to undo all the damage it did.

                                              Also, I want an actual headphone jack, rather than having to spend another few hundred dollars on Bluetooth radios I'd rather not have in my ears.

                                              If I have to live with a bigger phone, then I'm going to get something in return - I'm seriously thinking that I might be able to live with a Surface Duo - it is larger, but thin, powerful, and even has bezels(!) so touchscreen scrolling works properly. (The Samsung Z-fold is probably still too large and chunky, but interesting, if still lacking in the bezel department.)

                                              Anyway, it appears that Apple no longer cares about those of us who only want phones that actually fit in a pocket, so I'm done with the bastards. Good riddance, but there are no good small phone options anymore, now that the manufacturers have decided to sell only phablets at $1000+ price points.

                                              Maybe Purism or Pine will eventually not suck. Not holding my breath, though...

                                              • slaw 2 years ago
                                                I replaced iPhone batteries in family and friends phones more than 20 times. It's only about $15 and 10-20 minutes of work. Some after market batteries don't last year even a year, some are good for 2 years.
                                                • TwoFerMaggie 2 years ago
                                                  I actually got it serviced at an apple store, and coincidentally they only had one 1st gen SE battery in stock at that time.

                                                  I don't think the battery was bad though, but instead the new iOS version being more power-hungry given the new models and chipsets coming out every year. The new battery was already at 92% health only 4 months after it was installed, which was a bit surprising for me.

                                                  At this point I just accepted that it was at the end of its lifespan.

                                                  • slaw 2 years ago
                                                    Only once I bought original Apple battery, it didn't last even a year. I suspect it was made at the time iPhone 6S was in production so battery was waiting at the shelf for many years. It is probably the same case with you SE, Apple no longer makes batteries for 1st gen SE, only using what was made years ago. Old batteries, even not used, don't last long.
                                              • hedwall 2 years ago
                                                I use the iPhone 13 mini, it's marginally bigger than the SE.
                                                • rjzzleep 2 years ago
                                                  I really dislike the fact that it only has Face ID in the age of masks, but otherwise I too think it's a great device. I'm surprised how quite a few apps in that ecosystem don't support the small formfactor though(i.e. keyboard doesn't close and you can't press next in some apps) even though it's not like in android where there is a thousand formfactors to support.
                                                  • dublin 2 years ago
                                                    Masks aren't the concern so much as privacy. (Who the hell has even worn a mask in the past year and a half? I literally haven't worn one since mid 2021 - I don't even know where our masks are...)

                                                    I'm really opposed to buying a phone with FaceID - give me a fingerprint sensor, please.

                                                    • skyyler 2 years ago
                                                      >Who the hell has even worn a mask in the past year and a half? I literally haven't worn one since mid 2021 - I don't even know where our masks are...

                                                      Around a third of the people I see at the grocery store in Santa Rosa, CA are wearing masks. A lot of people still don't want to spread germs, even though the pandemic is "over"

                                                    • asplake 2 years ago
                                                      Happy iPhone 13 mini user here: it took a long time but unlocking while masked does now work
                                                      • themadturk 2 years ago
                                                        My former iPhone XR and current 13 Pro both work very well with masks.
                                                        • tinus_hn 2 years ago
                                                          You can actually weaken Face ID so it works with masks.
                                                          • asplake 2 years ago
                                                            You can train it to work with masks. Judging by the prompts it pays increased attention to the eyes
                                                        • dijit 2 years ago
                                                          "Marginally"

                                                          https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF

                                                          • float4 2 years ago
                                                            The 12/13 mini is 9% wider and 6% taller[0], so I don't really think it's unfair to write "marginally bigger".

                                                            Also, the second picture is a bit misleading because it compares the SE to a container that itself is larger than the mini (as you can see in the third picture).

                                                            [0] Numbers from Mactracker. SE is 4.87" x 2.31" = 11.2497"^2. Mini is 5.18" x 2.53" = 13.1054"^2. That's a 16.5% increase in surface area

                                                            • layer8 2 years ago
                                                              It’s almost 20% heavier, which for me makes a huge difference in how it feels. I now use a mini, but every time I pick up an old SE I cry a little inside because it feels so much better.
                                                              • dijit 2 years ago
                                                                The container is from a 6; here's the numbers from Apple:

                                                                * iPhone 5: 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30

                                                                  Volume: 3.37491
                                                                * iPhone 12/13 Mini: 5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29

                                                                  Volume: 3.8
                                                                * iPhone 6: 5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27

                                                                  Volume: 3.877632
                                                                * iPhone 8: 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29

                                                                I would argue that 9% is far from marginal.

                                                                The increase from a 12 mini to an iPhone 6 is very minor; the increase from a 6 to 8 is marginal.

                                                                From a 5 to a 6 or 12/13 mini is substantial.

                                                            • nemetroid 2 years ago
                                                              It's considerably larger. If you hold the phone in your right hand and want to touch the upper left corner with your thumb, you have to reach about an inch further.

                                                              I still think the iPhone 13 mini is the best choice, though.

                                                            • jstx1 2 years ago
                                                              To be fair to Apple, the 1st gen SE came out in 2016 with a 2015 chip and a 2012/2013 body, supporting it for this long is very impressive. There's still the later generations SE (I'm very happy with my SE2) or the 13 mini.
                                                              • CodeyWhizzBang 2 years ago
                                                                I do agree with you that Apple have done well to support this.

                                                                But also 2016 is only 6 years ago. It's not just Apple thing, but it really doesn't feel sustainable for us to keep write off our hardware every half a decade.

                                                                • skyyler 2 years ago
                                                                  I do hope to see these numbers get bigger and bigger as the years go on.

                                                                  I feel like expecting 6 years of updates out of the iPhone 4 would have been kind of ridiculous!

                                                                  • ryandrake 2 years ago
                                                                    I can install a modern build of Linux on a 20 year old computer and expect it to work. Let's not pretend 6 years is some kind of miracle.
                                                                • laserlight 2 years ago
                                                                  Distinguishing feature of the original SE is its form factor. Successors are large phones branded as SE, unfortunately. So, they won't make up for the original one.
                                                                  • newsclues 2 years ago
                                                                    Same SoC was used in the HomePod and other later released devices which is why this phone got longer than normal support.

                                                                    I’m still using my SE, and will continue until it dies

                                                                  • donpott 2 years ago
                                                                    I'm in the same situation. My plan is to get a 13 Mini, and hope that it also lasts me enough years for Apple to release another small-factor iPhone.
                                                                    • abcd_f 2 years ago
                                                                      Die-hard SE fan, moved to iPhone 12 mini. Really happy.

                                                                      It's a bit larger, but it's a good change as it's actually more comfortable. Ymmv, of course.

                                                                      • ihatepython 2 years ago
                                                                        If you are happy with the 12 mini, I think that disqualifies you as a die-hard SE fan.
                                                                      • captn3m0 2 years ago
                                                                        It is still unclear if support is being dropped. Apple promised updates to iOS14 after 15 was released, but went back on that promise. iOS 15.7 fixed a bunch of security issues and was released along with iOS 16.

                                                                        Apple has been silently maintaining iOS12, releasing 12.5.6 in August 2022 for eg:

                                                                        > Available for: iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th generation).

                                                                        None of these devices are expected to be in support, as per Apple's policies. However, Apple is still pushing updates to these, and I'm hoping something similar would happen for iOS15.

                                                                        I just wish Apple would actually write down its supported device+OS combinations somewhere, instead of us all having to guess (https://endoflife.date/iphone)

                                                                        • taylodl 2 years ago
                                                                          I'm still regularly using an iPad Mini 3 (released in 2014) that's limited to iOS 12. I got the iOS 12 updates that you mentioned. I look at it as it's been eight years and I'm still getting security updates - that's awesome!
                                                                          • red369 2 years ago
                                                                            This comment made me rethink my frequent praising of Apple for their long support for the really old devices:

                                                                            https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32672461

                                                                          • layer8 2 years ago
                                                                            Apple still issues security updates for older iOS versions from time to time for devices that do not support the current iOS version. You could therefore continue using the SE until you get a hard requirement for some app that only runs on iOS 16+, or need some newer hardware function.

                                                                            Personally I switched to the iPhone mini, which, while not as nice a form factor as the SE, is still okay-ish for one-handed use. I’m hoping that Apple will again release a new small phone a few years down the line before the mini becomes unusable. They could refresh the iPhone mini in a similar cadence as they do for the iPad mini.

                                                                            • brundolf 2 years ago
                                                                              Two cents: I bought a Mini and returned it because it wasn't small enough to use with one hand. It's an awkward size that's small-but-not-small-enough.

                                                                              My advice is to get a PopSocket; they can make almost any size of phone usable with one hand. At this point it seems like that's the best we're going to get

                                                                            • ihatepython 2 years ago
                                                                              I still use it as Wifi-Calling support is better than on Android.

                                                                              But my options are limited.

                                                                              I hate the Home-Bar thing where you need to swipe.

                                                                              I don't really like the haptic Home buttom, mechanical feels much nicer.

                                                                              I don't like how the actual screen has rounded corners.

                                                                              I don't like the notch.

                                                                              I don't like the the really long aspect ratios.

                                                                              If I settle for the SE 2nd/3rd generation, I'm not sure how long the support that screen size will last, mostly from 3rd party apps, already I have used apps where things are cut off because of the screen size and there's no way to access the contents.

                                                                              • eastbound 2 years ago
                                                                                This is it. We’ve reached peak civilization. Everyonee wants less, but organized differently.
                                                                              • ceceron 2 years ago
                                                                                I've switched to SE 2022 and it's "okayish". Much worse experience but good enough to get by and is reasonably priced. The mini model is another option, but is worse (no fingerprint, no button, notch...) and simply too expensive. The only plus of the mini model is the size, which is still worse than the original SE.

                                                                                To be honest, my favourite model was 4s ;)

                                                                                • frizlab 2 years ago
                                                                                  I personally love the mini. Its size is perfect. For me Face ID is much better than Touch ID and I don’t mind the notch. Bigger downside for me is battery life but I think it compares with the SE.
                                                                                  • skyyler 2 years ago
                                                                                    If you went with the 12 mini like I did, the 13 mini supposedly offers a significant battery improvement.
                                                                                • badpun 2 years ago
                                                                                  Will they not release security patches to the last-supported iOS version though? I think they were doing that in the past.
                                                                                  • bondant 2 years ago
                                                                                    Exactly. iOS 12 was released in 2018 and received its final security update last August. So if Apple does the same with iOS 15 we should get another 3 years of security update.
                                                                                    • luch 2 years ago
                                                                                      You're absolutely right, it's still supported security wise. You just don't get the new versions of iOS
                                                                                      • badpun 2 years ago
                                                                                        So, the phone will basically continue working as-is, and will still be secure. The newer versions of iOS are a mixed bag anyway. The biggest problem in practice will be the apps eventually dropping support for the old iOS version. It won't happen overnight though.
                                                                                    • daneel_w 2 years ago
                                                                                      I spent $15 on a third party DIY battery replacement kit for my 1st gen iPhone SE about a year ago just before I decommissioned it, to make sure I can keep it around at least for a couple of years more as a spare. At 6 years of age Apple definitely honored their 5 year support plan for the model.
                                                                                      • corobo 2 years ago
                                                                                        Mine sits in a drawer, battery long dead. I think there's a 5S in there too. I upgraded to the 11 despite wanting a smaller phone at the time, now the SE size is far too small to do anything, haha.

                                                                                        I imagine it'll remain there until I move, then it'll be sold or (more likely) recycled.

                                                                                        • lm28469 2 years ago
                                                                                          You could replace the battery and/or sell them
                                                                                          • corobo 2 years ago
                                                                                            I could possibly just need to charge it depending on if phone batteries survive without charge. Sorry by dead battery I mean it's not been charged in ages. It's not exploded or anything.

                                                                                            I imagine I'll only get a couple of quid out of it so it's not worth bothering unless I'm batching it with other crap to sell (e.g. during a house move)

                                                                                        • esel2k 2 years ago
                                                                                          Got the Iphone SE 2022 refurbished for 240USD - like new. Gives me a few years to find a alternative (hopefully it will be something that lasts and even maybe non Apple).
                                                                                          • mritun 2 years ago
                                                                                            > What are the possibilities? Jailbreak or use it as a paper weight?

                                                                                            Assuming you have a working phone, why would you not just keep using it?

                                                                                            I have a bunch of old Nokia phones that still work. They’ve not received an update in years and probably never will, but as long as they support carriers frequently, they’ll work.

                                                                                            It’s a phone, not an app… and even apps don’t need to be constantly updated.

                                                                                            • GiorgioG 2 years ago
                                                                                              iPhone 13 mini. My son wore an SE to relay his blood sugar (type 1 diabetic) readings to us through his Dexcom. The SE finally crapped out at hockey practice while he had a low BG so we decided to buy a 13 mini. It doesn’t feel much bigger than the SE, yet the screen is larger.
                                                                                              • foft 2 years ago
                                                                                                Wow, about 3 days after my five year warranty ran out. They don't hang about do they!

                                                                                                I was planning to keep it running until the next Apple phone with 3.5mm jack. Are there any 3rd party companies providing security updates to keep such working hardware running?

                                                                                                • sandis 2 years ago
                                                                                                  > I was planning to keep it running until the next Apple phone with 3.5mm jack.

                                                                                                  So forever?

                                                                                                  • foft 2 years ago
                                                                                                    Yes it works well. I have no need to ever change it until the hardware fails in say 20 years.
                                                                                                • crazygringo 2 years ago
                                                                                                  A year ago I looked into selling mine on eBay but the process were almost nothing. So now mine is permanently plugged into old smart speakers and always opened to Spotify (locked to Spotify using Guided Access).
                                                                                                  • factorialboy 2 years ago
                                                                                                    I love compact form factor so i am holding on to my iphone 13 mini.

                                                                                                    It is on discount now on several retailers.

                                                                                                    Since apple is dumping the mini, ill switch to an android compact — the zenfone asus looks good right now.

                                                                                                    • ppetty 2 years ago
                                                                                                      If it still starts up what prevents its use as a mobile phone?

                                                                                                      If it’s dead and you’re looking to replace the iPhone mini 12 or 13 (refurbished or new 13) are great options.

                                                                                                      • dijit 2 years ago
                                                                                                        Eventually your banking applications will fail to support the old (potentially insecure) version of iOS.
                                                                                                        • ppetty 2 years ago
                                                                                                          That makes sense, to an extent. But tossing it in a drawer, from others’ posts, seems extreme. Calling, texting and many other functions may work well for a while. Bank apps may not get updated leaving web access as an alternative though maybe convenient.
                                                                                                          • dijit 2 years ago
                                                                                                            Can't speak for everywhere but in Sweden there is the rise of "bankID" which is a type of authentication App for your phone.

                                                                                                            I don't think they even offer the physical card+cardreader combo anymore.

                                                                                                            That App is needed for access to Internet Banking via a web-browser as it sends a challenge to the App.

                                                                                                      • 2 years ago
                                                                                                        • Apreche 2 years ago
                                                                                                          Get an iPhone 13 mini while you still can.
                                                                                                          • laserlight 2 years ago
                                                                                                            I plan to switch to iPhone 13 mini, which unfortunately will be the last small form factor iPhone.
                                                                                                            • dijit 2 years ago
                                                                                                              You will be shocked to learn (as was I) that the iPhone Mini is the same size as the iPhone 6- which is what I considered to be too large for my tiny mitts.

                                                                                                              https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF

                                                                                                            • captn3m0 2 years ago
                                                                                                              I switched when the news about there not being any iPhone 14 mini came out. The perf bump was worth it, even though I miss my SE.
                                                                                                            • gw99 2 years ago
                                                                                                              The current 2022 SE is the same size and form factor.
                                                                                                              • captn3m0 2 years ago
                                                                                                                It's not the same:

                                                                                                                > The iPhone SE shares the same physical design and dimensions as iPhone 5S

                                                                                                                > iPhone SE (2022) shares the same physical sizes and dimensions as the iPhone 8

                                                                                                                The former is 4", while the latter is 4.7" (display size)