December 2, 2025 – Apple has officially added the first-generation iPhone SE to its list of vintage products. Once a device is placed on this list, all Apple Stores and authorized service providers worldwide will cease offering any form of repair or battery replacement services for it.
According to Apple’s long-standing criteria, a product is classified as vintage when it has been discontinued for seven years. The first-gen iPhone SE was discontinued in September 2018, precisely meeting this time threshold.
This particular model made its debut in March 2016. It closely resembled the iPhone 5s in terms of appearance, featuring a 4-inch screen, a Touch ID home button, and a chamfered aluminum and glass body. However, internally, it was upgraded with the same A9 chip as the iPhone 6s series. Phil Schiller, Apple’s former marketing executive, remarked at the time, “Those who prefer smaller phones will definitely fall in love with the iPhone SE.”
Subsequently, Apple launched the second-generation and third-generation iPhone SE models in 2020 and 2022 respectively. These two iterations followed the design language of the iPhone 8. In February 2025, with the introduction of the iPhone 16e, the entire iPhone SE lineup was discontinued.
