When it comes to upgrading your iPhone, people have differing opinions. Some like to upgrade every year, while others tend to wait up to five years before deciding it might be time for an upgrade.
The truth is, both sides are perfectly fine. If you’re willing to pay for it, why not have the latest and greatest iPhone every year? Or you can hold onto an older model for a while and still have a great working iPhone for many years.
So what is your opinion on upgrading? Do you always want the best iPhone, or are you looking to make the most out of your money? If you’re the latter, here are some things to think about to help you decide if you should upgrade your iPhone.
Wanting an iPhone vs. Needing One
Sure, we all want the most recent iPhone, but that doesn’t mean you really need it. Currently, the iPhone 13 has everything you could ever want from an iPhone, and the iPhone 12 isn’t far behind.
Still, if you’re looking to make the most out of your current iPhone, you need to consider how much the newer iPhone model’s features will benefit you.
Of course, every situation is completely different. Some people may actually need the most recent iPhone for work reasons, but most of us are perfectly well off with the one we have.
What to Consider Before Upgrading
If you’re a person who works in tech or is just tech-obsessed, deciding to skip an iPhone or another cool new tech product can be harder than it is for most.
As we mentioned, it’s not the same for everyone. Here are a few things you might want to consider before actually buying a new iPhone:
Which iPhone Do You Have?
If you’re rocking a fairly new iPhone, you shouldn’t worry about upgrading yet. However, you still need to make the most out of your iPhone to get your money’s worth.
All users who have an iPhone XR or a newer model should wait at least one more year. Doing so gives you the chance to get more use out of your current iPhone and see how much the iPhone changes in the next generation of models.
Is Your Current iPhone Super Outdated?
What’s great about the iPhone is that it can last for years with almost no issues at all. However, with that said, it still gets old at some point.
Fortunately, Apple’s been giving software update support for really old iPhones. As of right now, even the iPhone 6S and first-generation iPhone SE can have iOS 15 installed, which is pretty amazing.
We don’t know if Apple will continue to add support to these old iPhones, but at least we know based on this that Apple will continue to add software update support to iPhones that are up to six years old.
With that said, just because your iPhone can install a new software update doesn’t mean you’ll be able to use every new feature. It’s pretty common for older iPhone model users to have issues following software updates. Your phone will make it pretty obvious that it is outdated when it starts to glitch frequently.
What Features are You Missing Out on?
Every year the iPhone gets new hardware upgrades that enable some cool new features. Even if the updates are minor each year, if you wait a few years before you upgrade your iPhone, you’re going to notice a pretty drastic difference.
For instance, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are the only ones with a ProMotion display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. If you feel like you need these kinds of features, you’ll want to upgrade your iPhone fairly regularly.
How’s the Battery Life on Your iPhone?
Battery life is the most important thing on any device. The iPhone’s battery is good, but it’s not the best. Not only that, but the battery will always age over time, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
If your iPhone’s battery is working at a lower capacity, you have two options: You can get a new iPhone or replace the battery. Replacing the battery isn’t that expensive or as difficult as many of us think. However, it’s always easier to get a new iPhone.
What Does Your Budget Look Like?
This is probably the most important question on the list. How much cash you have will determine if you can get a new iPhone or not, so try to always consider this question before buying a new iPhone.
It’s not the end of the world if you have to miss out on new hardware or software features. Even if your iPhone’s battery life is working at low capacity, you will survive. You definitely shouldn’t use money that you don’t have to buy a new iPhone.
You can always try to save anywhere between $35 to $50 every month, and in just a year or two, you’ll be able to upgrade to a newer iPhone model.
How Long Should You Wait to Upgrade to Get Your Money’s Worth?
If you want to have every new feature as soon as it’s out, you’d need to upgrade your iPhone every year, which is not the best option for many of us. So instead, you should wait a few years to upgrade your iPhone to make the most out of it.
How much you wait will depend on what type of user you are. For example, if you’re a casual user, barely use your iPhone, and don’t care about the newest features available, you should upgrade your iPhone every three to five years. That’ll give you time to save up some money and buy the highest-end iPhone later on, which will likely last you longer.
On the other hand, hardcore users, who use their iPhones every moment throughout the day or need the latest features iPhone releases for specific reasons, might need to upgrade their iPhones every one to three years.
The sweet spot for most people should be two to three years. That’ll give you enough time to save some cash and give Apple time to create the best iPhone ever. At least for another year.