the side button doesn't end the call in iPhone 7

That's the only way to end calls. Either double tapping with two fingers when device is away from ear, or double tap on the end call button.

That’s the way it should be, in my opinion. I frequently talk on my phone for long periods of time, so I want to be able to lock the phone so the screen is off. It saves a bit of battery and prevents voiceover from blabbing random stuff iN my ear. It actually annoys me that the Alexa app will hang up if you press the lock button when I have a call through it. Unfortunately, using the lock button to hang up is currently not an option I’ve found anywhere in the iOS settings, so you will have to continue to hang up by Magic tapping with voiceover.

Oh, it does end call on my iPhone 7 latest iOS!
Have you tried pressing the power button while the phone is on you ear? Press it twice maybe?

This has always fascinated me. I've had iPhones since the 5, and the side button (or top button back then) has never ended a call for me. I tried and tried with my first 2 or 3 iPhones, and have finally given up and haven't tried since the 6S. I know of a few people who have gotten this to work, but nobody I know has ever had any luck.

I can end call using power button on iphone se first generation, but no luck with ending call using the side button with the new SE. Is this just not working on newer devices or is there something that can be tweaked?

Thanks.

Hi. Personally I hate the sound of my fingers doing the dumb two finger "magic" tap. Magic? I mean that stupid tap plays stuff randomly not to mention just looks, unattractive. I'll test out the side button, it's been awhile. I'd try twice but I thought there was a setting where the call was either routing to speaker or earpiece. Sorry I'm not more help, no coffee yet. ;) I just had another idea. what if you turned off voice over, or at least speech with a two finger no sorry, three finger double tap, before answering the call.

i've had mixed results with my 8+. At first, when I got it two years ago it sometimes worked, then it didn't. I haven't tried it lately, but as far as I know, ending a call with the side button isn't supposed to work anymore. Good, because I like to lock my phone when I'm on a call that I know will be a long one.

This use to be a setting that could be toggled in one of the older IOS versions possibly 12 or 11. I enjoyed when it was a feature, but was taken out of IOS 13. For me it is much easier to hit a physical button to end a call. AS others previously mentioned sometimes a double tap to end the call will end the call as well as start playing music, resuming a podcast, etc.