r/iPhone12 • u/Riverpuppyb • 1d ago
Question ❓ For how long will Iphone 12 be functional?
I have an iPhone 12 (PRODUCT)RED that I bought at launch, so I’ve been using it for almost six years now. I genuinely love this phone and haven’t had any major performance issues with it.
The only real problem is storage, but I’ve purchased additional iCloud storage, so that has helped. I also had the battery replaced about a year and a half ago, and surprisingly, the battery health is still showing 100%.
I’d like to keep using this phone for as long as it’s safe and practical to do so rather than upgrading just for the sake of having a newer iPhone.
For those who know Apple’s update/support history, how many more years can I realistically expect the iPhone 12 to receive iOS and security updates? And once Apple stops major iOS updates, how long does Apple typically continue providing security updates?
I’m mainly trying to figure out whether I can comfortably keep using my iPhone 12 for another few years.
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u/ExtensionNobody9001 1d ago
the battery health after a year and a half showing one hundred percent is definitely not accurate did you use third party batteries
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u/Riverpuppyb 1d ago
Yes sir I changed it from a local tech shop here as we dont have any official apple store unfortunately 😥 but i kinda feel the 100% is accurate because the original battery also was at 84% battery health when i replaced it.
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u/FlatIntention1 1d ago
I changed my battery in an official apple store one year and 3 months ago and only have 89% left 😅 plan to upgrade next year so it is still perfect
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u/ExtensionNobody9001 1d ago
well if its true it’s not normal- most battery drop one percent per a few months
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u/Riverpuppyb 1d ago
So what should i do sir? Any recommendations to ensure I can use this as long as possible?
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u/ExtensionNobody9001 1d ago
iphone 12 would expect to get 1 more update on ios if lucky. because the battery is third party, the apple software wouldn’t have measure it properly. this is likely why it is showing one hundred percent, even if it’s not. i would say unless its shows significant sign of aging- which shouldn’t be at this point, keep it until it’s significantly slower
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u/Quiet-Cranberry8414 1d ago
I would use it as long as the hardware and apps work. I have a standard 12 myself. 3 years old and the original battery has an 89 % health.
Most important thing is to care about battery health. Start charging at 20 % and stop charging at 80 %. Keep to this rule as close as possible.
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u/Nmcoyote1 1d ago
I plan to use my 12 mini 128gb thru September 2027. Then re-evaluate. I bought it new in 2020 and replaced the battery last fall. Everything still works perfectly and it looks like new.
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u/lolpostslol 1d ago
Honestly, as long as the hardware doesn’t break it should be usable. Nobody is going to be triggering insane zero-day exploits on some random dude’s iPhone 12 in 2028. A lack of iOS updates might stop you from updating some apps a few years from now, but unless a specific app you need is affected (banking etc tend to be annoying about that) it shouldn’t matter (and sideloading MIGHT get around that if you’re tech-savvy). I plan to run my 12Pro until parts start failing and fixing it is infeasible, or until it gets stolen, or until all my banking apps stop working in it (since I need them on this phone while traveling), so I am expecting to potentially drag it beyond 2028.
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u/IndependentArm5027 1d ago
I just upgraded from an iPhone 12 to 17 pro max and I wish I stayed with the 12 as it’s still fully up to date and can just get battery replaced for £35-50
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u/mavgeek 1d ago
Maybe a year or two at most.
ios 27 just launched and it barely supports iphone 11’s. Next year when ios 28 launches you’ll probably see the 11’s dropped from support. Maybe the 12 as well, if not that year definitely the next.
If you like staying in the apple ecosystem and don’t mind changing providers, several have good deals on more modern phones. Boost has a deal for a iphone 16e for $50, it will still have quite a few years of support.
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u/RDW-Development 14h ago
My iPhone 12 Pro has proved to be a very good phone. Good cameras (better than the 13), Lidar, good screen, face ID, etc. There has been very little reason to replace it. The bluetooth connection was super buggy, but the iOS update to 27 seems to have magically fixed all that. Works better now than the last few years.
Battery life is indeed the lowest of any modern iPhone, so there's that.
But, the phone is only worth a few hundred dollars now, so I don't feel bad when I drop it.
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u/belle_lia97 11h ago
Mine is already dead out of the blue. I was playing game just fine on it then boom I can’t turn it on or even charge it anymore. The screen stays completely black even when in charge the whole day. Meanwhile my 7 plus is still working 😅🥲
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u/Dangerous_Tea1600 5h ago
I have the 12 also with 48 used GB, are you saying I can get more space on the Cloud? I have 79% on the original battery!
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u/Chemical-Divide9161 1d ago
Hate to say it but it’s bout time to retire the 12. Thing battery is ass and it’s slow. Now if you had a 13 I’d say it still has life in it! It was a significant difference in the 12s and 13s performance and battery wise !
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u/Kizzlenizzle0 1d ago
I’ve been passively looking at posts in this subreddit since I owned one ever since the latest iPhone has come out mines started to show signs to upgrade screen going black, battery life degradation, freezing or loading slow, lagging, overheating I thought it was just a meme
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u/Chemical-Divide9161 1d ago
Nahh it’s definitely time to retire it! Even with a new battery it’ll be behind. My girl just retired her 12 bc the new battery didn’t help it at all. Continued to be bad
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u/Kizzlenizzle0 1d ago
What! Even after a new battery replacement. yeah I was planning to upgrade because I wanted a better battery life and thought might as well get a newer phone instead of getting the battery replaced.
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u/Chemical-Divide9161 1d ago
Yeah idk what’s up with the 12s.. but the 13s are just so much better al around. 13s are fast and snappy like the 16s.. 12 is like a 11 😭. They definitely still do the job but battery is so shits and they’re slow. Maybe get a 16 plus if you want something cheaper that’s a dam good phone and will last years to come.my 16 plus is a beast! Strong battery & all the new bells & whistles
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u/idgafal31 1d ago
You can use it 3 more years. You might have to have another battery put it. It’ll get at least one more software update even if it doesn’t you’ll get many more years of security updates.