iPhone SE (2016) Old IPhone SE 1st Generation IOS Update and Battery?

[jerrysam]

My main phone is an iphone 13 mini. Have an older iphone se first generation as a backup phone and also have a sim card on it. So have two phones i use with two separate plans. The one with the older iphone se, i pay very little for that plan. My main phone is my mini with my regular plan.


Now the battery on the iphone se is very bad. The battery health is 83 percent. Had a battery change from apple years ago... this was a bit less than 5 years ago maybe. So battery has been bad for many years since then. Now i had this phone for over 6 years at least. But haven't used it as my main phone in quite some time as i been using the mini as my main phone. Now i am still on the old 14 ios and never updated to ios 15 years ago because people say it will make it unstable. But some comments say it isn't true? The thing is this old iphone is still usable... use it to youtube at home and use it more than my iphone mini at home youtubing because i just prefer the smaller size of the old se. But I use my main iphone 13 mini outside and anything else that is important.


My question is should i update the ios or not? What about a reset of my iphone se or should i not do that? Really don't want to do that but would it make it much faster? Again this is the phone i use to youtube at home mainly on wifi. The mini is the one i use primary and outside etc. Now the battery doesn't bother me because it isn't my main phone. But what would be the cost to replace the battery and is it even worth it? Again this old se is like a backup phone but it does have a sim card where i pay monthly for limited minutes. Now the current ios it shows is 14.8.1. Now it also shows i can upgrade to ios 15.7.5. Thoughts?

 

[RRC]

iOS 15 on the original SE is fine, stable and reliable however I wouldn’t recommend updating unless you plan to get a new battery. For what one costs it will still give you a decent backup device for years to come.

 

[eyoungren]

I have an iPhone 6s+ running iOS 15.7.5. Works fine, no issues. The battery on it was replaced in November 2021. I use it to stream music on my morning walk.

If you have any intentions at all to replace the battery again, I'd do it soon. Apple stops working on phones past a certain age and that includes replacing batteries.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

13 Mini user since start of the year, this replacing my 2016 SE. I'm also keeping mine as a spare, or home "remote" at times over WiFi.

Actually I replaced its battery (at Apple) about 1 yr ago and now it's at 89% battery health. It wasn't immediately with iOS15.0, but some iterations after, I noticed the battery depleting much quicker and becoming warmer quicker. I notice also accelerated loss of charge whilst sleeping. The SE is now running 15.3 but am updating to 15.5 as I write this. I could say the 13Mini lasted longer with iOS 15 but it was a fresher battery than when I upgraded to iOS16, so not a fair comparison really.

So whilst I agree to get the battery changed asap whilst you still can, I'm inclined to suggest staying on iOS14 if it's just a spare phone.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

13 Mini user since start of the year, this replacing my 2016 SE. I'm also keeping mine as a spare, or home "remote" at times over WiFi.

Actually I replaced its battery (at Apple) about 1 yr ago and now it's at 89% battery health. It wasn't immediately with iOS15.0, but some iterations after, I noticed the battery depleting much quicker and becoming warmer quicker. I notice also accelerated loss of charge whilst sleeping. The SE is now running 15.3 but am updating to 15.5 as I write this. I could say the 13Mini lasted longer with iOS 15 but it was a fresher battery than when I upgraded to iOS16, so not a fair comparison really.

So whilst I agree to get the battery changed asap whilst you still can, I'm inclined to suggest staying on iOS14 if it's just a spare phone.

How are you updating to 15.5 when it's not being signed by Apple? 15.7.5 is the only version signed at this time..

 

[Alpha Centauri]

How are you updating to 15.5 when it's not being signed by Apple? 15.7.5 is the only version signed at this time..

You're right. It initially showed as 15.5 being available but the install then took me to 15.7.5. And right on topic, just waiting for the battery to hit <20% before it continues its thing.

 

[geta]

My main phone is an iphone 13 mini. Have an older iphone se first generation as a backup phone and also have a sim card on it. So have two phones i use with two separate plans. The one with the older iphone se, i pay very little for that plan. My main phone is my mini with my regular plan.


Now the battery on the iphone se is very bad. The battery health is 83 percent. Had a battery change from apple years ago... this was a bit less than 5 years ago maybe. So battery has been bad for many years since then. Now i had this phone for over 6 years at least. But haven't used it as my main phone in quite some time as i been using the mini as my main phone. Now i am still on the old 14 ios and never updated to ios 15 years ago because people say it will make it unstable. But some comments say it isn't true? The thing is this old iphone is still usable... use it to youtube at home and use it more than my iphone mini at home youtubing because i just prefer the smaller size of the old se. But I use my main iphone 13 mini outside and anything else that is important.


My question is should i update the ios or not? What about a reset of my iphone se or should i not do that? Really don't want to do that but would it make it much faster? Again this is the phone i use to youtube at home mainly on wifi. The mini is the one i use primary and outside etc. Now the battery doesn't bother me because it isn't my main phone. But what would be the cost to replace the battery and is it even worth it? Again this old se is like a backup phone but it does have a sim card where i pay monthly for limited minutes. Now the current ios it shows is 14.8.1. Now it also shows i can upgrade to ios 15.7.5. Thoughts?

My battery health is worse then yours, and still the OG SE works perfectly with iOS 15.7.5!

 

[sers]

I would stay on 14. I have an original se and found that 15 made my phone more jittery and sluggish. IOS 14 was as smooth as butter.

I'd definitely change the battery, though.

 

[jerrysam]

Okay so you are saving if I don't get a new battery, do not update the IOS? Is almost everyone saying this? Reason I didn't update the IOS a while back was people said it would lag and be unusable etc. So I didn't want that to happen.


However, someone here says their battery is worst than mine and using the current IOS. So I should update the IOS then? Again, I am using a very old IOS.


How much would it cost to change the battery? Would I have to order one through ebay and do it myself? Apple store no longer does it right? Most importantly, how much does the battery cost? Again this is my backup phone... however... I do have a sim card that has an active plan with it... that is very limited minutes so it's not like a regular backup phone like most people have in case something happens to their main iphone. The iphone 13 mini works fine still. So you would still recommend me update the IOS now even if I don't change the battery? Also... the IOS right now on the old SE... is definitely jittery as well and not smooth. Is that most likely due to the battery or the software or both?

 

[FeliApple]

iOS 14 definitely isn’t old. It’s just one major version behind the last one. I’m running iOS 10 on my iPhone 6s.

Never update. It’ll further decrease battery life, and a battery replacement won’t do wonders either, for it will degrade eventually... again, and even while new the results aren’t great. Stay on the oldest possible version (sadly, iOS 14 in your case), always.

To use YouTube at home you definitely don’t need iOS 15. You can do that on iOS 9...

 

[ndouglas]

Just my two cents,

I admire and applaud everyone who can keep using devices so long, and I agree 2016 shouldn’t be “so long” or prohibitively long, but … it is, and I would just “let it go,” personally. I know, it’s a fantastic size and it’s sad you can‘t find another like it currently, but personally, I would A) not update the OS for sure, B) not replace the battery and C) if/when it’s a hassle to use, just let it go. Perhaps also D) I wouldn’t advise keeping it on a separate plan (i.e. paying any extra $$ for it monthly) since you say it’s just for Youtube and it’s on wifi…

I used an iphone 3GS for 6+ years, and as my main and only phone until the last year or so of those 6, and it ”worked,” but many aspects were very inconvenient and in retrospect, more trouble than it was worth. I replaced the battery at least 2 times, can’t remember how many exactly.

It’s good to know you have and use the 13 Mini, which while perhaps not perfect is close enough to perfect for me, for at least a few more years, perhaps more than a few.

Good luck with whatever you decide about the SE 2016…

 

[JPSaltzman]

I took both my iPhone SEs (first and second generations) to Batteries + Bulbs (local franchise) and they replaced and installed new batteries for less than $70 each. It only took a few hours to get both phones back.

From personal previous experience, I have learned not to even get near repairing or replacing an iPhone battery. Leave it to a professional, especially when the local Apple Stores won't touch it (vintage, no stock, etc.).

 

[jerrysam]

Well the thing is the reason why I have a sim card and active plan with this old iphone SE is because I wanted to get a US sms number. I haven't had one in a while. I am outside the US most of the time and use a non US sim card with my primary iphone mini 13. Thus I can even roam here in the US without any issue with it. The old iphone SE has that US sim card where I pay a small amount a month for limited minutes but I rarely even use it. Previously I didn't buy a sim card for it and just kept that iphone SE as a backup phone in case something happened to my primary iphone mini 13. But then I wanted a US sms number so bought a sim card and cheap plan and use it with the old iphone SE.


So at the moment, I want to know... should I update the IOS or not. I really don't have a plan to buy a replacement battery though. Again I use this old iphone SE mainly at home on wifi watching youtube... for some reason I prefer it over the iphone mini 13.


Now how much would it cost to replace the battery though? Checked ebay and it seems 20 dollars or so but you have to do it yourself. How much would it cost at apple store if they can do that? I am more concerned about the IOS update as oppose to the battery. At the moment with this IOS, it isn't exactly smooth at all but don't want to make it worst with the updated IOS. But is it possible updating the IOS would make it almost unusable? That is my main concern here.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

@jerrysam

Stay on iOS 14. I just checked using the Support App that the battery change at Apple has increased to €79 (unsure what country you're in). When I did mine it was €49 so only you can say if that's money you want to spend. I believe there's a short three month warranty with that.

I'm not clear why you don't just use an esim for your primary location and the tray for that US sim. At one stage whilst traveling recently I was using both esims and a physical sim. It's definitely peace of mind to have a spare phone if the primary phone becomes physically inoperable, is drowned or stolen.

 

[AlixSPQR]

My main phone is an iphone 13 mini. Have an older iphone se first generation as a backup phone and also have a sim card on it. So have two phones i use with two separate plans. The one with the older iphone se, i pay very little for that plan. My main phone is my mini with my regular plan.


Now the battery on the iphone se is very bad. The battery health is 83 percent. Had a battery change from apple years ago... this was a bit less than 5 years ago maybe. So battery has been bad for many years since then. Now i had this phone for over 6 years at least. But haven't used it as my main phone in quite some time as i been using the mini as my main phone. Now i am still on the old 14 ios and never updated to ios 15 years ago because people say it will make it unstable. But some comments say it isn't true? The thing is this old iphone is still usable... use it to youtube at home and use it more than my iphone mini at home youtubing because i just prefer the smaller size of the old se. But I use my main iphone 13 mini outside and anything else that is important.


My question is should i update the ios or not? What about a reset of my iphone se or should i not do that? Really don't want to do that but would it make it much faster? Again this is the phone i use to youtube at home mainly on wifi. The mini is the one i use primary and outside etc. Now the battery doesn't bother me because it isn't my main phone. But what would be the cost to replace the battery and is it even worth it? Again this old se is like a backup phone but it does have a sim card where i pay monthly for limited minutes. Now the current ios it shows is 14.8.1. Now it also shows i can upgrade to ios 15.7.5. Thoughts?

I also have a 13 mini as my main phone and a 1st gen SE as a backup.
I have the latest stable iOS's possible on both devices and they work just fine. A reset isn't necessary.
I changed the battery myself on my SE, it isn't particularly difficult, just mind the cable to the touch sensor! And use isopropyl alcohol if the pull tapes break.
Links below for guidance (examples, but this is the brand of battery I bought and can recommend):

Battery and tools: https://www.ebay.com/itm/372694830730?epid=12043645189&hash=item56c657ce8a:g:vf0AAOSwZCtjMabW
Only battery: https://www.ebay.com/itm/333244181687?epid=20037807277&hash=item4d96e6acb7:g:vBAAAOSw1ypjMaV5
Battery service manual: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+SE+Battery+Replacement/61303

 

[hanser]

I would upgrade. I noticed no performance degradation in comparison to 14 on this model, and then you will have the most recent security patches.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

I'd get the battery replaced at a shop or with Apple -I've gone with "not certified" shops in the past without issues. And prices have been much better than what Apple and their certified partners ask.

I would, however, not update iOS to a newer version if you can avoid it. I'd only update if there's some app or new feature on the newer iOS that you can't do without.

I had an SE 2016 as a backup until about mid 2021 and definitely felt it was much slower and held a charge much worse on the latest iOS. Each new iOS version made it a little bit slower.

Never unusable, but certainly nowhere near when I got it or equal in speed to my main iPhones on the newer iOS.

I'm sure some versions of iOS are an improvement with some iPhones, and some the opposite. You'll probably find hundreds of posts telling you hundreds of different experiences.

But since very few features are generally worth updating for, I've become much more conservative with updating my devices.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

On a sidenote, with the SE 2016 I had the battery swapped twice.

But it seems like, up to a certain point, many older iPhones, like the SE 2016, had very poor assessments of battery health and wouldn't show wear accurately.

I got the sense that it was much more worn than the reading stated in the Battery Health section.

If you have a Mac computer, then definitely go download Coconut Battery or iMazing and check the SE's stats.

 

[geta]

So at the moment, I want to know... should I update the IOS or not. I really don't have a plan to buy a replacement battery though. Again I use this old iphone SE mainly at home on wifi watching youtube... for some reason I prefer it over the iphone mini 13.

Just go for it, the latest iOS working as smooth as it was with iOS 10.3.1, and with 79% battery health i can finish the day without the need for extra charging…

As for battery replacement, if you dont mind the cost and having authorized Apple shop near by, then why not, it will give extra life for your SE.

Many will disagree, but the OG SE was and still is the best iPhone coz of the size, weight and Touch ID. And as long as my daily apps working smooth, ill keep using it!

 

[mebehere]

For those who don’t update software, are there any concerns regarding security? Do you use it without signing into your Apple ID?

 

[FeliApple]

Just go for it, the latest iOS working as smooth as it was with iOS 10.3.1, and with 79% battery health i can finish the day without the need for extra charging…

As for battery replacement, if you dont mind the cost and having authorized Apple shop near by, then why not, it will give extra life for your SE.

Many will disagree, but the OG SE was and still is the best iPhone coz of the size, weight and Touch ID. And as long as my daily apps working smooth, ill keep using it!

Definitely, absolutely not as smooth as iOS 10. iOS 13 isn’t as smooth as iOS 10, let alone iOS 15. And whilst you can finish the day, I’d like to see what’s your screen-on time…

Agreed on the SE. I’d get one on iOS 10 if I could…

 

[FeliApple]

For those who don’t update software, are there any concerns regarding security? Do you use it without signing into your Apple ID?

No to both.

 

[dan98]

The SE 2016 still works perfectly well, even as a main phone. It does mostly everything the mini does in a better form factor, no silly bumps or notches and most importantly no PWM so it doesn't fry your eyes / brain over time.

- The batteries only work reliably for about 3 years of constant use. Where I am it's about 30 UKP to replace, no need for Apple to get involved, just search locally.

- iOS13 or 14 is the best for speed and battery useage. 15 is sub-optimal (presumably by design as the built-in obsolescence kicks in.)

- The iOS gradually slows as the years go by. Do a complete erase and reinstall every couple of years to make it feel brand new again.

 

[FeliApple]

The SE 2016 still works perfectly well, even as a main phone. It does mostly everything the mini does in a better form factor, no silly bumps or notches and most importantly no PWM so it doesn't fry your eyes / brain over time.

Agreed! It’s a very nice device, totally usable today.

- The batteries only work reliably for about 3 years of constant use. Where I am it's about 30 UKP to replace, no need for Apple to get involved, just search locally.

My experience is different, battery life doesn’t drop regardless of health if the device is kept on the same iOS version. I use 7-year-old devices with good battery life, original batteries too.

- iOS13 or 14 is the best for speed and battery useage. 15 is sub-optimal (presumably by design as the built-in obsolescence kicks in.)

The best would be iOS 10, everything else is sub-optimal, but the amount of A9 iPhones running iOS 10 today is rather minimal.

- The iOS gradually slows as the years go by. Do a complete erase and reinstall every couple of years to make it feel brand new again.

The problem is that restoring forces an update, and honestly, my 7-year-old devices on the same iOS version throughout have seen no slowdown. No battery life drop either, like I said.

 

[dan98]

- in my experience iOS10 has serious compatiibility problems with many current apps so not a realistic option for most people, but I agree it runs extremely well by itself.

- restoring doesn't ever force an update - I'm unsure what you mean with this? (Unless you are using a jailbreak I guess).