iPhone SE 2 Discontinued, iPhone SE 3 From $429 Now Apple's Cheapest iPhone

With Apple's debut of the new third-generation iPhone SE at its spring "Peek Performance" event, Apple has dropped the previous second-generation iPhone SE from its lineup on the online Apple Store, which means the cheapest new iPhone Apple offers has gone up in price.

iphone se 2020 top
The old iPhone SE 2 featured an A13 Bionic chip, 3GB RAM, and a low starting price of $399. It came in white, black, and red, and was offered with 64GB or 128GB of storage.

By contrast, the new iPhone SE 3 features the A15 Bionic processor - the same chip found in the iPhone 13 series – as well as improved battery life, a new 12MP Wide camera system, and 5G connectivity (although not the fastest mmWave). As a result, pricing for the new model starts at $429, up $30 from the previous model, and is offered in the same three colors.

The new version of the iPhone SE also includes a new 256GB storage option not offered on the previous model, coming in at $579. The iPhone SE continues to be compatible with Qi-certified chargers for wireless charging, and also supports fast charging.

Preorders for the new iPhone SE 3 begin on Friday, March 11, with the first devices shipping on March 18.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Early Black Friday iPhone Deals

Monday November 10, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...

Top Rated Comments

Paddle1 Avatar
48 months ago
This is the exact opposite of a $199 SE.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrJM Avatar
48 months ago
I think it’s beginning to look a little dated now!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
VaruLV Avatar
48 months ago
I see how they can milk reluctant iPhone 6, 6s, 7, 8 users for that price.
But for the rest, no way, especially if you consider pricing outside of USA and lack of Apple trade-in programs in many countries.
Where I live this one will probably start at 499 euros at best, thats just too much for what it is. I know, its not apples to apples comparison, but for 500 euros one can get pretty decent Android phone with acceptable software upgrade time as well as considerably larger battery etc. For 150-250 euros more you can get iPhone 11/12mini/13mini on sale here and those, imho, are far better value than 500 euro for upgraded iPhone 8.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aevan Avatar
48 months ago

I agree, It has been looking outdated since the iPhone 8 days.... As many Android phones have bigger, higher resolution displays with notches and hole punches for less than half the price of this "new" SE.
The problem is the “Android” part. If you want an iPhone, you want an iPhone. This is not the cheapest phone you can buy, it’s the cheapest iPhone you can buy.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple$ Avatar
48 months ago

I think it’s beginning to look a little dated now!
I agree, It has been looking outdated since the iPhone 8 days.... As many Android phones have bigger, higher resolution displays with notches and hole punches for less than half the price of this "new" SE.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RajBan Avatar
48 months ago

The problem is the “Android” part. If you want an iPhone, you want an iPhone. This is not the cheapest phone you can buy, it’s the cheapest iPhone you can buy.
What is the problem with Android itself? It's actually an excellent OS for mobile devices.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)