iPhone SE

Q: Is the iPhone SE still sold new?

Yes, the 3rd-generation iPhone SE remains on sale through major UK networks and retailers. Apple has also announced a 4th-gen SE with a redesigned body, which may be available by the time you read this.

Q: How long is iPhone SE battery life?

Apple rates the 3rd-gen SE at up to 15 hours of video playback, shorter than any other current iPhone, due to the smaller 4.7-inch body.

Q: Does the iPhone SE have 5G?

Yes, the 3rd-generation SE was Apple's first 5G-capable compact iPhone.

Q: Is the iPhone SE a good upgrade from an iPhone 8 or SE 2?

Yes. Same form factor and Touch ID, plus a massive chip upgrade, 5G, and newer iOS features. Very familiar for long-time iPhone SE users.

iPhone SE everything you need to know

Apple's compact budget iPhone. The 3rd-gen SE pairs the A15 Bionic chip with a classic 4.7-inch LCD Touch ID design, the only current iPhone with a home button.

It's a go-to for buyers upgrading from older iPhones (6s, 7, 8, SE 2) who want to keep Touch ID and a smaller body while getting 5G and iOS 18.

Key takeaways

Price

128GB - £699256GB - £799512GB - £999

Design

6.1-inch displayRedesigned camera block,New capture button

Improved battery

The iPhone 16 delivers up to 22 hours of video playback, a meaningful step up from previous generations, letting you go longer between charges.

Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence brings AI-powered writing tools, smarter photo editing, priority notifications, and an improved Siri, all running privately on-device.

How to choose the best iPhone SE deal

With dozens of deals across every major UK network, there are four things worth thinking through before you commit to a contract.

Select the right amount of data

Data is one of the biggest cost drivers in any mobile contract. Light users who mainly browse and use messaging apps can get away with 5 to 15GB a month. Regular streamers or remote workers typically need 30 to 100GB, and if you rely on your phone as a hotspot or watch a lot of video on the go, an unlimited plan will give you peace of mind without overage charges.

Upfront cost

Paying more upfront reduces your monthly bill, and over a 24-month contract, even a £100 upfront payment can shave £4 to £5 off each month. If you'd rather keep cash in your pocket, £0 upfront deals are widely available, though you'll pay a higher monthly rate. Work out the total contract cost (upfront + monthly × term) to compare deals fairly.

Phone storage

Storage tiers vary by handset. Most flagship phones now start at 128GB or 256GB and go up to 1TB or 2TB. If you stream music and back photos up to the cloud, the base tier is usually plenty. Photographers and videographers shooting in ProRes or RAW will want 512GB or more. None of the major handsets accept expandable storage, so it's worth sizing up if you're on the fence.

Pick the right model

The standard model suits most buyers, but Pro and Ultra variants typically add a larger screen, premium materials, a faster display refresh rate, or a more capable camera system. Compare the standard and Pro deals side by side to decide where your money goes furthest.

iPhone SE vs iPhone 13

The iPhone 13 is a bigger step up in almost every way: larger 6.1-inch OLED, Face ID, dual camera, bigger battery, and MagSafe. If you don't specifically want Touch ID or a small phone, the 13 is the better pick.

The iPhone SE stays the pick for two buyers: (1) people who want Touch ID and a home button, (2) people who want the absolute cheapest new iPhone on contract.

iPhone SE design and display

The iPhone 16 is crafted from aerospace-grade aluminium with Corning's latest Ceramic Shield on the front, making it both slim and robust. The refined exterior comes in five striking finishes — Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine — each with a colour-matched anodised back.

New for the iPhone 16 generation is the physical Camera Control button, a capacitive, pressure-sensitive key on the right edge that lets you launch the camera, adjust zoom, and switch shooting modes without ever touching the screen.

Up front is a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 2556 × 1179 resolution at 460 ppi and up to 2,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, making it Apple's sharpest and brightest standard iPhone screen to date. The rear houses a redesigned dual-camera system: a 48 MP Fusion main lens and a 12 MP ultra-wide, arranged vertically to enable spatial video recording.

iPhone SE camera

The iPhone 16 packs a 48 MP Fusion main camera with an f/1.6 aperture — Apple's widest yet on a standard iPhone — enabling significantly more light capture for sharper low-light shots and improved depth of field control. Paired with a 12 MP ultra-wide with a 120° field of view, you get genuine creative flexibility in any shooting scenario.

The all-new Camera Control button sits flush on the right edge and acts as a dedicated shutter, tap to take a photo, slide to zoom, press and hold to record video, or swipe to cycle through camera modes. It even supports aperture adjustment without opening any menus, giving you DSLR-style tactile control from a smartphone.

On the video side, the iPhone 16 shoots 4K Dolby Vision at up to 120 fps, and its vertically stacked rear cameras unlock spatial video recording for Apple Vision Pro playback. With Photographic Styles, macro photography on ultra-wide, and advanced computational features powered by the A18 chip, the iPhone 16 sets a new benchmark for smartphone photography.

FAQs

Does the iPhone SE support Apple Intelligence?

No. Apple Intelligence requires the A17 Pro chip or newer; the current iPhone SE (3rd gen) uses the A15 Bionic.

Is the iPhone SE still sold new?

How long is iPhone SE battery life?

Does the iPhone SE have 5G?

Is the iPhone SE a good upgrade from an iPhone 8 or SE 2?

Compare deals by network

We make finding a new iPhone 16 pay monthly deal easy by presenting offers from all the major UK networks, including O2, Three, Vodafone, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Talkmobile, and iD Mobile, on clear, easy-to-compare deal tables.

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