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iPhone SE (2020) Should I hang on to my iPhone SE 2 (2020) or sell ?

G

gumbaloom

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 16, 2007
111
55
Hi all,

Main Phone is an iPhone 15 that i got in this years January Apple sale in Japan.

I've got a iPhone SE 2 (2020).
Bought pretty much straight after it came out in early 2020.
Current battery max capacity - 85% - never had battery change
Still covered on monthly Apple care

The question is - is it worth keeping now or sell?

Current gettable resale value - circa 16,000 yen ($90 - $100 USD)

Up till now it's served a purpose as being the place for my UK sim card but I've just done a physical to eSim transfer so now both numbers are on one phone.

However now it's not got that it's got 2 possible use cases
1) A super duper emergency backup phone but iPhone 15 is covered under Apple care so can use express replacement if needed.
2) Keep it till it goes obsolete and give to daughter - but kinda think she's not gonna want a 5 - 7 year out of date smart phone.

So I can either

1) Sell now and get $100 - maybe look at my current iPhone 15 becoming my backup phone in the next Apple jan sale

2) Keep on and pay apple care for one of the above 2 reasons

What would you do ?


gumbaloom
 
For a long time, I always kept an older iPhone in the drawer in case something happened to my current iPhone during the MR "don't buy" window, lol.
 
I tend to use my older iPhones as iPods and media devices. They still function on WiFi. The three I am currently using are a 6+, a 6s+ and a Pixel 3a XL.

PS. My kids have the SE2. It's their primary phone. They are 17 and 21.
 
eyoungren said:
I tend to use my older iPhones as iPods and media devices. They still function on WiFi. The three I am currently using are a 6+, a 6s+ and a Pixel 3a XL.

PS. My kids have the SE2. It's their primary phone. They are 17 and 21.
Click to expand...
I agree. I keep older iPhones too. An iPhone 6s, an iPhone 8, and an iPhone Xʀ all remain in-use for music and other tasks.

For $90 I’d just keep it. I’d only sell if you were to use that money to meaningfully fund your new iPhone like many do, otherwise it has a lot more value as a second device, in my opinion.
 
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I have my 2020 SE sitting in a drawer as a "just in case" phone but that's a bit silly in that there's an Apple Store 20 minutes away, so can be up and running on a new phone if daily driver is damaged in some way (still have AC on current and can always go newer/newest). Plus could only get about $75 for trade, if lucky, due to scratches on screen, so why bother.

But this triggered a different silly idea: keep the old phone around on one OS back should upgrade to 26 on daily driver has major issues. Sure, have that 1-2 week window to roll back to previous OS but have a fallback if 26 gets worse over time.

(But over all the years of iPhone ownership only one OS was horrendous from the get go for me, 11, and it was due to Springboard process dying on a regular basis [fixed a few days later with an OS update])
 
Its discontinued date is March 8th 2022 - so in terms of service Apple are still gonna service it for the forseeable. eg March 2029 and still got monthly apple care on it. Battery health 85% so cant get it serviced...YET

It's weighing up whats more important...$90 or the "just in case" situation where I need a phone.

Got an old ipad 7th gen too - basically use it as a sidecar screen from my now old mac mini - that doesnt have apple care on it - stupidly ignored the warning - hardly been used mind so the battery health is still good.
 
gumbaloom said:
Hi all,

Main Phone is an iPhone 15 that i got in this years January Apple sale in Japan.

I've got a iPhone SE 2 (2020).
Bought pretty much straight after it came out in early 2020.
Current battery max capacity - 85% - never had battery change
Still covered on monthly Apple care

The question is - is it worth keeping now or sell?

Current gettable resale value - circa 16,000 yen ($90 - $100 USD)

Up till now it's served a purpose as being the place for my UK sim card but I've just done a physical to eSim transfer so now both numbers are on one phone.

However now it's not got that it's got 2 possible use cases
1) A super duper emergency backup phone but iPhone 15 is covered under Apple care so can use express replacement if needed.
2) Keep it till it goes obsolete and give to daughter - but kinda think she's not gonna want a 5 - 7 year out of date smart phone.

So I can either

1) Sell now and get $100 - maybe look at my current iPhone 15 becoming my backup phone in the next Apple jan sale

2) Keep on and pay apple care for one of the above 2 reasons

What would you do ?


gumbaloom
Click to expand...
use it?

plenty of things you can do with it at as a client device on your home wifi. too many things to list, even.
 
My opinion is get a 13 mini. Great price, battery and performance. No one likes to buy the mini but that thing was amazing for its size.
 
I always keep a backup phone. I never pay for Apple Care but if I did I would not cover a backup phone that just sits around.
 
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gumbaloom said:
Hi all,

Main Phone is an iPhone 15 that i got in this years January Apple sale in Japan.

I've got a iPhone SE 2 (2020).
Bought pretty much straight after it came out in early 2020.
Current battery max capacity - 85% - never had battery change
Still covered on monthly Apple care

The question is - is it worth keeping now or sell?

Current gettable resale value - circa 16,000 yen ($90 - $100 USD)

Up till now it's served a purpose as being the place for my UK sim card but I've just done a physical to eSim transfer so now both numbers are on one phone.

However now it's not got that it's got 2 possible use cases
1) A super duper emergency backup phone but iPhone 15 is covered under Apple care so can use express replacement if needed.
2) Keep it till it goes obsolete and give to daughter - but kinda think she's not gonna want a 5 - 7 year out of date smart phone.

So I can either

1) Sell now and get $100 - maybe look at my current iPhone 15 becoming my backup phone in the next Apple jan sale

2) Keep on and pay apple care for one of the above 2 reasons

What would you do ?


gumbaloom
Click to expand...
apple's site in japan is now directing (from about 2 weeks ago) people who want to use iPhone SE2 as a trade in when they purchase a new iPhone to a recycle site, indicating it has zero value in a trade-in situation if done through apple.

where in japan are you able to take it to and get about ¥16,000 for it ?
 
SE 2 (2020) here at 100% battery. Functions perfectly fine, so will keep for as long as possible. Debated being on the lookout for an SE 3, but not sure I'd notice much difference. And a shame to discard this one with battery in such good shape.
 
I would sell it while you can.. I just tried to trade in iPhone 5 and they wouldn't accept them and regret not selling it when it was worth something and now going forward I plan to keep phones longer as I'm very conscious how much im wasting on phones..
 
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This thread has me reconsidering hanging onto my 13 mini, that in reality, isn't leaving my dresser drawer any time soon. What is the best avenue for selling these days?
 
It’s pretty worthless on the second hand market so you should probably keep it or give it to a relative who has a worse phone.
 
It will still run iOS26 and will receive updates for at least antoher 2 years so i'd say keep it as a "backup" phone or donate it to someone in need of a phone that can be keept up to date.
 
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