Back in April 2020 I picked up an iPhone SE (2nd generation) for iOS development and demo use on a side project. Now, in 2026, that same phone is still in daily use on my desk — running iOS 26, paired with Xcode, and holding its own against devices released years after it. The SE (2nd gen) was discontinued in March 2022, but discontinuation doesn't mean obsolete: Apple continues to support it with the latest software, and the used market has made it genuinely affordable. If you're looking for a capable, low-cost iOS development device in 2026, this remains one of the smartest buys available.
TL;DR – The iPhone SE (2nd generation) is compatible with iOS 26 and remains an excellent device for development and testing. As of early 2026 you can find them on Amazon Renewed for around £75 — which, given iOS 26 compatibility, is a remarkable amount of phone for the money.
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2026 update: still supported, still relevant
The headline news for 2026 is straightforward: iOS 26 supports the iPhone SE (2nd generation). Apple's official compatibility list confirms it sits alongside the iPhone 11, iPhone SE (3rd generation), and the entire iPhone 17 line — including the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17e — as a supported device. That is a remarkable lifespan for a phone released in 2020 and discontinued in 2022.
For developers, this matters enormously. A device running the current shipping OS is a device you can use to test production builds, reproduce user-reported bugs, and demonstrate apps to clients. The SE (2nd gen) covers a real segment of the installed base: users who hold on to older hardware longer than the upgrade cycle suggests they should. Testing on this device keeps you honest about performance on modest hardware.
The wider iPhone 17 family — iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e — also runs iOS 26, so if you're building for the latest hardware too, the SE (2nd gen) gives you a useful lower-bound comparison point in your device matrix.
Specifications at a glance
The SE (2nd gen) shares its processor with the iPhone 11 Pro. That was a bold claim in 2020 and it still holds up as a statement about the device's capability ceiling.
| iPhone SE (2nd generation) | iPhone 11 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A13 Bionic | |
| Speed | 2.66GHz | |
| Architecture | 64-bit ARMv8.4-A | |
| CPU Cores | 6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency) | |
| Neural Engine | 8-core | |
| Built-in Memory | 3GB | 4GB |
| Graphics | Apple-designed 4-core GPU | |
| Display | 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD, 1334×750, 326 ppi, True Tone, P3 wide colour | 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Rear Camera | 12MP Wide, f/1.8, OIS, Portrait mode | Triple 12MP system |
| Water Resistance | IP67 (1 metre, up to 30 minutes) | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, Gigabit LTE | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
| Dimensions | 67.3 × 138.4 × 7.3 mm, 148g | 71.4 × 144.0 × 8.1 mm, 188g |
Source: Wikipedia / Apple support specifications
Worth noting: Wi-Fi 6 support was not a given on a device at this price point in 2020, and it remains a useful capability in 2026 — fast enough to pull large Xcode builds and simulator runtimes without frustration.
Press release image
Source: Apple Newsroom, for personal or editorial use
Unboxing
This is the original retail version of the iPhone SE (2nd generation), which shipped with a power adapter and EarPods — both of which Apple removed from the box in subsequent iPhone releases. If you're buying refurbished today, expect a generic or third-party charger and cable rather than original Apple accessories.
Source: ezone.co.uk
Where to buy in the UK
Around £95 buys you an iOS 26-capable iPhone on the Amazon UK Renewed marketplace in early 2026. Amazon Renewed devices are professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned by Amazon-qualified vendors. They are not Apple-certified refurbished units, but they come with a one-year Amazon Renewed Guarantee. Condition is graded "Excellent" — no visible cosmetic damage from 30 centimetres — and battery capacity is guaranteed above 80% relative to new. Accessories may not be original Apple parts but will be compatible and fully functional. The device may arrive in a generic box.
At this price, the value proposition is hard to argue with. A brand-new entry-level iPhone — the iPhone 16e — retails for considerably more. For a dedicated development and testing device that you intend to leave plugged into your Mac, spending a fraction of that on an SE (2nd gen) is a rational choice.
Protect your device
A clear case is the obvious choice — it shows off the (PRODUCT)RED finish while providing meaningful drop protection. Pair it with a tempered glass screen protector to guard against scratches. Neither will cost much, and both are worth it on a device you'll handle regularly in a development environment.
Developer setup
Getting the SE (2nd gen) set up as a development device is straightforward. Transfer your accounts and settings from an existing iOS device using Apple's own guide: Set up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Once that's done, connect the phone to your Mac. Xcode will detect it and walk you through the steps to configure it for development. A couple of settings are worth adjusting immediately:
- Go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock and set it to Never. This prevents the device locking mid-build and interrupting your deploy cycle.
- Use automatic signing in your Xcode project. It handles provisioning profiles behind the scenes and removes most of the friction from device registration.
The first time you deploy a build, Xcode will prompt you to register the device with your Apple Developer account. Follow the prompt and it's done. After that, the device behaves exactly like any other in your fleet.
Source: ezone.co.uk
First impressions (2020, still holds)
iPhone SE is for people who want a full-powered iPhone experience, including the best single-camera system on any smartphone, in a compact design at an affordable price.
That quote from the original launch holds up. Out of the box this phone felt fast and well-made — aerospace-grade aluminium frame, durable glass front and back, a quality build that belies the price. The 4.7-inch Retina HD display is sharp at 326 ppi, with True Tone and P3 wide colour coverage that makes it genuinely pleasant to look at. The all-black front gives it a clean, focused appearance.
Coming from an iPhone X or 11 Pro, relearning the Home button takes a day or two. After that it becomes second nature. Haptic Touch replaces 3D Touch without any real loss in day-to-day use.
One thing that surprised me at the time: wireless charging. For a device positioned as the affordable option, support for Qi wireless charging and fast charging (up to 50% in around 30 minutes) felt like a bonus rather than a given.
Long-term view: six years in
This phone has now been in continuous use for six years. It runs iOS 26. It is fast, reliable, and has never given me cause for concern as a development device. The black bezels and physical Home button are the only visual reminders that the underlying design dates from 2017 — everything else about using it feels current.
Battery life remains solid, even accounting for the age of the cell. I leave it plugged into my Mac for extended periods during active development, which has probably helped. For a device that spends most of its life tethered to Xcode, this is the right trade-off.
The 3GB of RAM is the one area where you'll occasionally notice the hardware ceiling — complex apps with large memory footprints may behave differently here than on a 6GB or 8GB device. That's actually useful information for a developer: it surfaces memory pressure issues that you might not catch on newer hardware.
If you're building for the broad iOS installed base and want a reliable, affordable secondary device that runs the current OS and connects cleanly to Xcode, the iPhone SE (2nd generation) in 2026 remains exactly what it was in 2020: the smartest value in Apple's ecosystem. Get one.
