The old trope that old people are hopelessly illiterate when it comes to technology is somewhat unwarranted. The home computer revolution is decades old at this point, and smartphones have been around for over 15 years. Seniors may not operate their smartphones as adroitly as their grandkids, but they aren’t just sitting around pining for the days of rotary dial phones. Social media has, in particular, provided a way for seniors to more easily keep in touch with family and connect with friends, and smartphones help make it all possible. It’s also an increasingly important part of healthcare services.
Seniors need iPhones, too, but they may have unique needs. They’re often on fixed incomes and may have difficulty reading small text, or suffer from arthritis or have other accessibility needs. The best iPhone for seniors is one that won’t cost an arm and a leg and will continue to be updated for at least a few years. Beyond that, we’re going to make two recommendations: a small iPhone for seniors who find large phones difficult to carry and manipulate, and a large iPhone for those who need larger text and images.
1. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Pros
- Low price
- Small size
- Touch ID
Cons
- Small screen
- Single camera
The iPhone SE is a godsend for seniors or anyone on a fixed income. Starting at only $429/£429, you get an iPhone with an A15 processor (same as the iPhone 13 and 14). Battery life runs around 15 hours, so they will need to remember to plug the iPhone in at the end of the day.
Even with just a single lens, the camera is quite good with features like Deep Fusion for better low-light photography, and Photographic Styles if they want to get creative.
Some seniors will find Touch ID easier to deal with than Face ID (especially if their previous smartphone was an older iPhone).
The iPhone SE is small. If a senior is coming from an iPhone 8 or older, that size will be familiar and comfortable. However, the small 4.7-inch display may be too small for someone with failing eyesight.
The iPhone SE supports 5G and comes in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities. We’d usually dissuade buyers from the 64GB model if they are likely to take a lot of photos and store music on the device. Since the 128GB model only costs $50/£50 more we recommend the extra storage, but you could instead set them up with an iCloud account for additional storage.
2. Apple iPhone 14
Pros
- Price
- Display size
- Face ID
Cons
- Older processor
Not every senior wants an iPhone as small as the iPhone SE. An iPhone with a larger display will be much easier for old eyes to see clearly. There is big and there is bigger though. If it’s the biggest iPhone you want then there is a Plus version of the standard handset with a 6.7-inch screen, but if that is too heavy then the best choice is one of the 6.1-inch iPhones. That could include the iPhone 16, iPhone 15, or iPhone 14.
We’re recommending the iPhone 14 as the top choice here primarily because it represents the best value for money right now. At $599/£599 it costs $200/£200 less than the iPhone 16, and $100/£100 less than the iPhone 15. The iPhone 14 offers the same A15 chip that’s in the iPhone SE), but the iPhone 14 has a dual camera system. It can also shoot 4K video at 60 fps. The iPhone 14 also offers Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance via satellite, and Messages via satellite–that’s a lot of stuff not on the iPhone SE.
That processor is more than fast enough for email, checking social media apps, taking pictures, making FaceTime calls, and everything else a senior wants an iPhone for. And it’ll still get several years of iOS software updates.
Face ID might take a little getting used to if the user is used to Touch ID and the Home button, but could prove to be an easier way to secure an iPhone for those with arthritis.
3. Apple iPhone 15 Plus
Pros
- Large 6.7-inch screen
- Lightest large screened iPhone
Cons
- Bulky and heavier than smaller iPhones
The large display of one of the Plus-sized iPhones will be much easier for old eyes to see clearly. Excluding the iPhone 16 Pro Max, there are three choices with a 6.7-inch screen here: the iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 16 Plus. Again, you can save $100/£100 by buying the iPhone 15 Plus (at $799/£799) instead of the newer iPhone 16 Plus (at $899/£899). This time we recommend spending the extra money if there is budget available because the iPhone 15 generation is a leap ahead of the iPhone 14 in terms of processor and camera. Another reason to choose the iPhone 15 Plus: it is lighter than the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Plus.
But if you’d prefer to save the money we don’t think you would be disappointed with the iPhone 14 Plus.
For more advice about accessories for your Mac, iPad or iPhone see all our Best Picks.
Author: Karen Haslam, Managing Editor, Macworld
Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.