It feels like a lifetime ago that we were all huddled around our screens watching Apple’s “Peek Performance” event, but the calendar doesn’t lie. If you’re wondering when did the iPhone SE 3rd gen come out, the official date was March 18, 2022.
Apple announced the thing on March 8, 2022, opened up pre-orders a few days later on March 11, and then it hit the shelves. It was a weird time for tech. We were just starting to see the world open up again, and here was Apple, dropping a phone that looked exactly like a device from 2017 but had the engine of a supercar tucked under the hood.
I remember the initial reaction was... mixed, to say the least. People were hyped about the A15 Bionic chip—the same one in the iPhone 13—but the design was basically a time capsule.
The Weird Logic of the 2022 Launch
Honestly, the timing was classic Apple. They knew they had a segment of the market that just refused to give up the Home button. You’ve probably met these people; maybe you are one of them. They don't want to swipe. They want a button that clicks (even if the SE 3’s button is actually a haptic trick).
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When the iPhone SE 3rd gen arrived, it carried a starting price of $429. That was a $30 bump from the 2nd gen model, which used to retail for $399. People grumbled about the price hike, but Apple justified it with 5G connectivity and a more durable glass back—the same glass used on the iPhone 13 series.
What actually changed in 2022?
If you put the 2020 SE and the 2022 SE side-by-side, you literally cannot tell them apart until you turn them on.
- The Chip: It moved from the A13 to the A15 Bionic. This was huge for longevity.
- 5G: This was the headline feature. It was Apple’s cheapest 5G phone ever.
- Battery: They managed to squeeze a bit more life out of it, roughly two extra hours of video playback compared to the old one.
- RAM: It jumped from 3GB to 4GB. It sounds small, but it keeps the phone from lagging when you've got twenty tabs open in Safari.
Why the SE 3rd Gen still matters today
Even though we’re well past the launch date, the SE 3 occupies a very specific niche. It’s the last "classic" iPhone. With the recent release of the iPhone 16e and the general move toward edge-to-edge OLED screens, the SE 3 is basically the final evolution of the iPhone 6-era design language.
It’s durable. It’s small. It fits in a pocket without feeling like you’re carrying a literal brick.
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Some critics called it "recycled parts," but for a specific type of user, it was the perfect "set it and forget it" phone. You get the iMessage ecosystem and the crazy-fast processor without having to learn how to navigate a phone without a chin.
Breaking down the timeline
Sometimes people get the generations confused because Apple doesn't number them like the flagship series. Here is the actual sequence so you don't get mixed up:
- iPhone SE (1st Gen): Released March 2016 (Based on iPhone 5s design).
- iPhone SE (2nd Gen): Released April 2020 (Based on iPhone 8 design, A13 chip).
- iPhone SE (3rd Gen): Released March 18, 2022 (Based on iPhone 8 design, A15 chip, 5G).
Basically, Apple seems to like that March/April window for their "budget" releases. It’s a way to boost sales mid-cycle between the big autumn flagship launches.
The Camera: A Software Miracle?
The hardware in the camera is sorta ancient. It's a single 12MP wide lens. No Ultra Wide. No Telephoto. No Night Mode (which is still a crime in my opinion).
However, because the A15 chip is so powerful, the SE 3 uses Smart HDR 4 and Deep Fusion. Basically, the software is doing all the heavy lifting to make photos look halfway decent. In broad daylight, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a shot from this and a much more expensive phone. Once the sun goes down, though? Yeah, it struggles.
What to do if you're looking for one now
If you’re hunting for an iPhone SE 3rd gen today, don't pay full retail. It was officially discontinued by Apple on February 19, 2025, when they pivoted the budget line toward the iPhone 16e.
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You can find these refurbished for under $150 now. At that price, it’s an incredible backup phone or a great first device for a kid. It’s confirmed to support the latest iOS versions well into the late 2020s, so you aren't buying a paperweight.
Next steps for buyers:
Check the model number in the settings to ensure you aren't being sold a 2nd Gen (2020) model by mistake. Look for the A2595 (USA/Canada) or A2783 (Global) model numbers. If it doesn't have 5G in the status bar, it's not the 3rd gen.
Stick to reputable refurbishers who offer at least a 90-day warranty, as battery health on these smaller devices is the first thing to go. If the battery health is below 85%, keep looking.