iPhone SE (2016) Upgrade from old iPhone SE

[Crystal21]

I’ve had this phone for at least 4yrs, maybe 5. When I first got it, the battery would last 3-4 days. It still normally lasts all day but it’s started to have problems. At times the battery will suddenly drain, around 1% every second. There’s a few other issues too so I decided to upgrade to the iPhone 12 mini. I hate it. The battery is even worse than my ancient SE. It drains even when the phone is lying in a drawer, doing nothing. There’s something weird about the screen that’s really uncomfortable to look at and gives me headaches. It’s also got a yellowish tone. The Face ID is annoying when wearing a mask. I’ve only had it for a week so I’m thinking of returning it but I’m not sure what to do now.

Having seen how bad the ‘upgrade’ is, I’d be happy to use my old SE until it completely dies. However, I’d have to get the battery replaced. Does anyone know if Apple would replace it with the exact same original type? Or would it be a more modern one? Since the modern batteries seem a bit rubbish, I don’t know if it’s worth doing. Or, should I buy the 2020 SE? Or try to hold on until next year, hoping a better alternative will be released?

 

[ericwn]

If the new devices aren’t to your liking, have the old battery serviced. Only Apple can tell you what they’ll replace it with at the time but you’ll likely get the same generation device back.

 

[Frankenstein's Fat Foot]

I was in almost exact same situation and I went to a SE 2020, perfect replacement for me.

 

[Crystal21]

I was in almost exact same situation and I went to a SE 2020, perfect replacement for me.

I read that the SE’s battery is even worse than the 12 mini’s battery ?. That’s what put me off. Tbh, it’s hard to imagine how it could be worse. Have you found it to be ok?

 

[Frankenstein's Fat Foot]

I find it fine, wife has a 12 mini and she’s not complained about that on hers either to be honest.

The problem with these battery life threads is that everyone has different daily usage.

Day to day I only use iMessage and some safari browsing and take a few photos. If I play music or navigate in the car it’s plugged in to usb. I never Netflix or YouTube or anything else on it that’s particularly battery intensive.

 

[Paddle1]

What is making your battery drain? Is there anything showing high battery usage in Settings?

 

[canuckRus]

Send back mini you are so unhappy with while you still can. Get battery replaced and save on cost of purchasing a newer phone.

 

[Crystal21]

What is making your battery drain? Is there anything showing high battery usage in Settings?

I’ve no idea. The battery usage shows safari as using 71% which is very weird because I only opened safari for the first time last night and was on it for literally 2 mins. The SOT is showing as 24 mins.

 

[Crystal21]

Send back mini you are so unhappy with while you still can. Get battery replaced and save on cost of purchasing a newer phone.

The only problem is that I live nowhere near an Apple store so I’d have to post it off and be without a phone for a week or so.

 

[Populus]

There are rumors of a 2022 SE, with an A15 it should be efficient enough. Otherwise you can exchange it for a 13 mini which has a much better battery life.

However the safest bet, as canuckRus said, is getting the 12 mini back and replacing your SE battery.

 

[canuckRus]

Currently use and love my iPhone 6s whose battery is getting worse by the day. Am currently waiting for packaging to send it in for battery replacement. Bought a mini in December and keep for emergency use only. LoL
Whether sending in for a battery replacement or ordering a new phone takes time.

 

[MrAperture]

Send back the iPhone 12 Mini.
13 Mini battery life is better.

If you can’t swing for the iPhone 13 Mini then maybe a 2020 SE.

Apple could replace your battery but the batteries for the iPhone 5/2016 SE have been sitting around for years now. I imagine that they won’t be that good anymore.

I had my 2017 SE (128GB model) battery replaced at the end 2018. Even though its at 98% battery health (really light use since then) the battery doesn’t last long on iOS 14.

 

[Crystal21]

I’m going to send the SE in for a battery replacement. I know it might not be much good but I think it’s worth a go. Whatever happens, I still want to keep the SE, even just to use as an iPod so a new battery will be safer. They’ve said it will take 10-14 business days so it’s quite a wait but I can hang on to the 12 mini for a couple of weeks yet.

The 13 mini has the same screen as the 12 mini so I imagine it’ll be just as bad, and even more expensive. The 12 mini feels big to me compared to my SE and the 13 mini is bigger still. I’ve also noticed this 12 mini gets very poor reception compared to my SE. Only 2 bars instead of full signal strength and the sound is fuzzy when on calls. The only positive thing I could say about it is that it’s a very pretty, lilac colour but it’s not worth almost £600 for that.

I wish Apple could tell us what they are planning for next year. If they release a new phone with a better screen etc, I’d hold out for that. But if it’s going to be more of these OLED screens and rubbish batteries, I would order the 2020 SE now.

 

[RRC]

I read that the SE’s battery is even worse than the 12 mini’s battery . That’s what put me off. Tbh, it’s hard to imagine how it could be worse. Have you found it to be ok?

SE (2020) battery is much worse than the 12 mini. You either have a setting draining the battery, a faulty device or you need to reset it and set up as new.

I’m going to send the SE in for a battery replacement. I know it might not be much good but I think it’s worth a go. Whatever happens, I still want to keep the SE, even just to use as an iPod so a new battery will be safer. They’ve said it will take 10-14 business days so it’s quite a wait but I can hang on to the 12 mini for a couple of weeks yet.

The 13 mini has the same screen as the 12 mini so I imagine it’ll be just as bad, and even more expensive. The 12 mini feels big to me compared to my SE and the 13 mini is bigger still. I’ve also noticed this 12 mini gets very poor reception compared to my SE. Only 2 bars instead of full signal strength and the sound is fuzzy when on calls. The only positive thing I could say about it is that it’s a very pretty, lilac colour but it’s not worth almost £600 for that.

I wish Apple could tell us what they are planning for next year. If they release a new phone with a better screen etc, I’d hold out for that. But if it’s going to be more of these OLED screens and rubbish batteries, I would order the 2020 SE now.

Are Apple still providing service to the original SE? Also the replacement batteries they do have in stock are likely going to be aged by now so don’t expect them to last as long as the original did when new.

12 and 13 mini are the same size apart from literally a hairs width of extra depth. Same depth as the original SE and really isn’t that much bigger side by side? If you want a “latest” small phone this is possibly your last chance.

You likely need to get an up to date SIM card, that’s likely why you have varying signal on the two devices. How old is the SIM card you are using to test? Also the 13 mini has much improved modem inside compared to the 12 mini so that’s something to consider.

 

[jbp238]

I’ve had this phone for at least 4yrs, maybe 5. When I first got it, the battery would last 3-4 days. It still normally lasts all day but it’s started to have problems. At times the battery will suddenly drain, around 1% every second. There’s a few other issues too so I decided to upgrade to the iPhone 12 mini. I hate it. The battery is even worse than my ancient SE. It drains even when the phone is lying in a drawer, doing nothing. There’s something weird about the screen that’s really uncomfortable to look at and gives me headaches. It’s also got a yellowish tone. The Face ID is annoying when wearing a mask. I’ve only had it for a week so I’m thinking of returning it but I’m not sure what to do now.

Having seen how bad the ‘upgrade’ is, I’d be happy to use my old SE until it completely dies. However, I’d have to get the battery replaced. Does anyone know if Apple would replace it with the exact same original type? Or would it be a more modern one? Since the modern batteries seem a bit rubbish, I don’t know if it’s worth doing. Or, should I buy the 2020 SE? Or try to hold on until next year, hoping a better alternative will be released?

I just replaced the battery in my 5s last month, but I ordered the battery from iFixit so I'm not sure how similar the sourcing would be to Apple. It did bring the phone from around a half a day to as many as two days under heavier usage, so in theory a significant improvement is possible.

I guess the question is how long you'll need the new one to hold you over. Even if it's a few years, I have a hard time imagining Apple will give you a battery that will degrade so quickly as to be unusable by then. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like a safe move.

 

[Crystal21]

SE (2020) battery is much worse than the 12 mini. You either have a setting draining the battery, a faulty device or you need to reset it and set up as new.



Are Apple still providing service to the original SE? Also the replacement batteries they do have in stock are likely going to be aged by now so don’t expect them to last as long as the original did when new.

12 and 13 mini are the same size apart from literally a hairs width of extra depth. Same depth as the original SE and really isn’t that much bigger side by side? If you want a “latest” small phone this is possibly your last chance.

You likely need to get an up to date SIM card, that’s likely why you have varying signal on the two devices. How old is the SIM card you are using to test? Also the 13 mini has much improved modem inside compared to the 12 mini so that’s something to consider.

The 12 mini was set up as new, not from a backup. I haven’t put any apps on it yet. The only thing I did was delete some of the pre-installed apps. I’ve put it in low-data mode. I’m not sure what could be draining the battery.

My SIM card is as old as the SE, so at least 4yrs. I rang Plusnet last week and asked them for a new one but they said I don’t need one and the current one should work fine. They told me it’s only those in 5G areas that need a new one. Should I ask them to send a new one anyway?

What does the modem do? Unless the screen is better on the 13 mini, I don’t think I’d want it. Yes, I’d prefer the smallest iPhone possible but if the screen is just as bad, I’ll hold out as long as possible.

 

[Juicy Box]

I am in a similar situation as you.

I like my 2016 SE, the size mostly. My phone upgrades went from Original, 4s, 5s, 6s Plus, and now SE1.

Thinking that I would like the larger size, I tried the 6s Plus, but hated it. I hated the rounded edges as well, making ti so slippery. As soon as the 128GB SE1 came out, I got it. Perfect size and weight for me.

Now over 4 years later, my battery is starting to go, and there are times it seems like the OS slows down producing a horrible lag.

I was thinking of getting the iPhone 12 Mini, and now the 13 Mini, most because the size is the closest to the SE1. The price kinda sucks, but this is my main concern:

The Face ID is annoying when wearing a mask.

Just Face ID in general is a concern, I think I will really miss Touch ID. I think I would miss the home button as well, but I guess this is something I would get used to.

Or, should I buy the 2020 SE?

I personally don't like the size nor the design of the SE2, and would probably just replace my SE1 battery instead of getting the SE2.

 

[RRC]

The 12 mini was set up as new, not from a backup. I haven’t put any apps on it yet. The only thing I did was delete some of the pre-installed apps. I’ve put it in low-data mode. I’m not sure what could be draining the battery.

My SIM card is as old as the SE, so at least 4yrs. I rang Plusnet last week and asked them for a new one but they said I don’t need one and the current one should work fine. They told me it’s only those in 5G areas that need a new one. Should I ask them to send a new one anyway?

What does the modem do? Unless the screen is better on the 13 mini, I don’t think I’d want it. Yes, I’d prefer the smallest iPhone possible but if the screen is just as bad, I’ll hold out as long as possible.

I don’t know who plusnet use for their cellular service, but it never hurts to have an up to date SIM card. But the fact you set it up as new, suggests the device may have an issue. Did you add any iCloud stuff? Could it be indexing?

What is bad about the screen you have with the 12 mini? Especially compared to the OG SE?

 

[Crystal21]

I don’t know who plusnet use for their cellular service, but it never hurts to have an up to date SIM card. But the fact you set it up as new, suggests the device may have an issue. Did you add any iCloud stuff? Could it be indexing?

What is bad about the screen you have with the 12 mini? Especially compared to the OG SE?

The only thing that was transferred over was my contacts. I don’t know what indexing is.

The screen gives me headaches and it’s really uncomfortable to look at. I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s like a very subtle flicker. It’s not ‘steady’ the way my SE or my iPad is. It also has a yellowish tint which looks weird.

ETA: Plusnet use EE.

 

[snipr125]

The only thing that was transferred over was my contacts. I don’t know what indexing is.

The screen gives me headaches and it’s really uncomfortable to look at. I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s like a very subtle flicker. It’s not ‘steady’ the way my SE or my iPad is. It also has a yellowish tint which looks weird.

ETA: Plusnet use EE.

You are getting PWM symptoms from the 12 mini‘s OLED screen. The flickering can cause headaches for some people. I get it aswell, but if i leave the brightness at 50% and above where the flickering is at its lowest, i dont get any headaches etc.

Im surprised that your 12 mini battery to be worse than your OG SE. My 12 mini definitely has better battery life than my SE 2020.

 

[lkalliance]

I’m going to send the SE in for a battery replacement. I know it might not be much good but I think it’s worth a go. Whatever happens, I still want to keep the SE, even just to use as an iPod so a new battery will be safer. They’ve said it will take 10-14 business days so it’s quite a wait but I can hang on to the 12 mini for a couple of weeks yet.

I got my battery changed on my SE 2016 after close to four years of use, at a third-party store. It's still in use daily, my stepson now has it, five years after purchase.

The 13 mini has the same screen as the 12 mini so I imagine it’ll be just as bad, and even more expensive. The 12 mini feels big to me compared to my SE and the 13 mini is bigger still.

I know it's subjective, but the 12 (and 13) mini are very close in size to the SE 2016. They are still a touch bigger but they are closer in size than any other phone Apple has made since it came out. I'm not confident you will find something on the iPhone side that will not be bigger.

Unless you are talking about the perception of the screen. That is definitely much bigger than the SE 2016, even though the chassis is very close. That will definitely take some getting used to. If THAT is the case, then your best bet would be the SE 2020. That at least has the same home button setup; the bottom of the screen will be in roughly the same place in relation to the heel of your palm and your thumb than the SE 2016 is now.

Though I understand that the 13 mini is ever so slightly thicker than the 12 mini, it's measured in fractions of a millimeter, yes? (I may be wrong about that one, but it's very very very close).

I wish Apple could tell us what they are planning for next year. If they release a new phone with a better screen etc, I’d hold out for that. But if it’s going to be more of these OLED screens and rubbish batteries, I would order the 2020 SE now.

And I would like advance notice of the Super Bowl winner, as long as they're at it.

Good luck with whatever path you opt to take!

 

[Juicy Box]

Im surprised that your 12 mini battery to be worse than your OG SE. My 12 mini definitely has better battery life than my SE 2020.

The Apple tech specs of the iPhone SE1 and SE2 have the 2016 model up to 25% longer battery life, and real world usage might have people with the SE1 seeing even better than that.

My SE1 used to have great battery life, used to be able to go weeks without charging it other than my 20 minute commute connected to CarPlay, but it is starting to show its age now.

 

[lkalliance]

The Apple tech specs of the iPhone SE1 and SE2 have the 2016 model up to 25% longer battery life, and real world usage might have people with the SE1 seeing even better than that.

My SE1 used to have great battery life, used to be able to go weeks without charging it other than my 20 minute commute connected to CarPlay, but it is starting to show its age now.

I have had both too, and I definitely did get significantly better battery life on the SE 2016. To be fair, I wear a health sensor that talks with my current phone every five minutes 24 hours a day via bluetooth, and my previous SE did not have to do that. That may not make much difference, but it's there. If I'm going to be out and about with no chance to plug in, I tend to turn off wifi and go into battery saver, and that helps some.

Does anyone out there with a 12 or 13 series turn off the 5G antenna? I'm fine with LTE, I can wait until 5G is more ubiquitous. Does that help battery life significantly?

 

[Crystal21]

@snipr125 Is there any other way to get rid of the screen problems? I don’t think I could tolerate 50% brightness. It’s on auto-brightness and is currently at about 30% but still the light from it is piercing and unbearable. My iPad is also on auto-brightness and it‘s much less bright, despite being in the same room. I’ve tried adjusting settings on the 12 mini. I’ve turned down the white point, turned off True Tone, reduced motion etc but it’s still very uncomfortable to use.

I’m surprised at the battery too. It’s astonishing that such an old iphone can outlast a brand new one. 30 mins of SOT is just ridiculous.

 

[Crystal21]

Does anyone out there with a 12 or 13 series turn off the 5G antenna? I'm fine with LTE, I can wait until 5G is more ubiquitous. Does that help battery life significantly?

I turned off 5G as soon as I set up the phone (because it doesn’t exist where I live). The battery is still rubbish. Perhaps it would be even worse otherwise.