Apple enthusiasts are voicing their frustration after the company officially moved the first-generation iPhone SE to its list of obsolete products.
According to MacRumors, the change takes effect right away, meaning the device is no longer eligible for repairs or any form of support at Apple Stores or through authorised service providers.
The original iPhone SE, launched in 2016 alongside the iPhone 7, gained a reputation as Apple’s first genuinely affordable smartphone, coming in at approximately $604 AUD, Mashable noted. For comparison, the entry-level iPhone 17 now starts from a hefty $1,399 AUD.
The compact handset borrowed many beloved traits from the iPhone 5, such as its 4-inch screen, Touch ID home button, and the recognizable aluminium-and-glass design.


It also ran on the A9 chip, giving it a noticeable performance boost over other small phones at the time. Users enjoyed longer battery life, twice the processing speed, and improved graphics relative to the iPhone 5.
Apple discontinued the model in 2018. Under the company’s policy, devices become obsolete once they have not been distributed for sale for more than 7 years, which places the original SE squarely in that category.
For reference, Apple labels products as “vintage” when they have been off the market for at least 5 years.
With the new obsolete status, Apple is not required to service the first-generation SE even if it breaks, essentially turning the once-popular phone into a piece of tech history.
The company’s support page notes that “Apple discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products.”
Fans of the device were unhappy to see it retired so definitively. One user wrote, “They will pry my 2016 iPhone SE from my cold, dead hands,” while another commented, “I do not replace mine unless I absolutely have to. My SE works perfectly.”
Others accused Apple of intentionally pushing older devices aside to encourage more spending. One critic argued, “There is a never ending effort to make you buy more. Digital planned obsolescence. That generation of phone works fine.”
Apple later released second-generation and third-generation SE models in April 2020 and March 2022, both resembling the iPhone 8 in design.
The SE line was eventually dropped from Apple’s near-term roadmap after the company replaced it with the iPhone 16e.
The original SE now joins a growing list of Apple devices that have reached obsolescence. Among the latest additions are the iPad Pro 12.9-inch second generation, the Apple Watch Series 4 Hermes editions, and the Apple Watch Series 4 Nike editions.