Apple may have found the secret to eternal smartphone youth, leaving the 2022-released iPhone SE (3rd Gen) without a sequel last year. That obviously doesn’t make the big-bezeled 4.7-incher look any less outdated, but in the absence of a more modern alternative, many cash-strapped “iFans” need to settle for this thing until a fourth edition arrives… eventually.
Because that seems unlikely to happen very soon, you might be delighted to see the iPhone SE (2022) priced at a measly $49 at Verizon for a limited time. As you can imagine, slashing no less than 380 bucks off the handset’s $429.99 list price does come with a few strings attached, but because this is a prepaid-only deal, monthly installments are not part of the equation.
Even better, you don’t have to trade in your existing device or port in a number to Big Red to claim that almost unbeatable discount. What you do need is a new Verizon Prepaid Unlimited plan (of course) and a little patience.
Specifically, you’ll have to wait six months after you pay $149 for your brand-new iPhone SE 3 for Verizon to give you $100 back as service credit. In those six months, you’ll obviously need to keep your account in good standing and make your six service payments on time, after which you’re free to take your almost complimentary 5G-capable handset with Apple A15 Bionic power to whatever other carrier you please.
Of course, we advise you to stick with Verizon just a bit longer to actually use that $100 credit before deciding whether the competition’s plans and coverage are better or not.
The third-gen iPhone SE, meanwhile, is not really much better than many younger smartphones from Apple or other brands, especially from a design perspective. But at $49 (all things considered), it’s very hard to argue with that aforementioned processor, the stellar long-term software support, and the overall user experience, especially if you happen to value portability above all else.
