Is now a good time to buy a new phone or should you wait for the next iPhone to upgrade? That’s a question that consumers face all year round. The answer, of course, is that it depends. The best time to buy a new iPhone is based on your budget, needs, and early adopter preference. Our forecasting can help you make an informed decision.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple will announce the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in September. We have a good idea of what to expect:
- A17 chip, the first 3 nanometer processor in a smartphone
- Action button, a programmable button that replaces the mute switch
- Titanium frame, the lighter material will replace stainless steel
- Design refresh, thinner bezels and slight curved edges
- USB-C charging port will replace the Lightning port
- Battery life improvements
- Periscope zoom lens (iPhone 15 Pro Max only)
- New crimson red color option
- Higher storage tiers
- Higher starting price of $1099 and $1199
Normally we would recommend staying away from the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max this time of the year. However, the higher entry price and change to the mute switch and charging port may hold some upgraders back for a while.
We expect the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to be announced around September 13 and hit stores on September 22. We also expect Apple to stop selling the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max when the new pro phones become available.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will also be announced in September. Here’s what we expect from the new phones:
- A16 chip like iPhone 14 Pro
- Dynamic Island like iPhone 14 Pro
- 48MP camera sensor like iPhone 14 Pro
- Design refresh with frosted glass back (yes, like iPhone 14 Pro) and slightly curved edges
- USB-C charging port will replace the Lightning port
- New cyan-like color option
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are expected to start from $799 and $899, respectively. Both phones will be announced alongside the new pro iPhone models.
While we don’t expect to see a price increase for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, we will add the same disclaimer for early adopters who may not be ready to replace Lightning cables with USB-C everywhere.
Early adopters and price factors
Additionally, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will likely see a price cut to $699 and $799, respectively.
For early adopters, waiting for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max is the only way to go.
If you don’t fancy yourself an early adopter, however, there are a couple paths to take.
First, if you prefer to take a wait and see approach to the iPhone 15 lineup, it might make sense to consider upgrading in the spring. Apple often introduces an additional iPhone color around March or April, although there’s no guarantee that this will happen.
What if you know you want to avoid the iPhone 15 lineup altogether in its first year on the market? It may still be worth waiting for the price drop to hit the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in September.
If you prefer the additional camera features of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, however, there’s little reason to wait. In fact, color preferences and storage tiers will likely become less available the longer you wait.
Goodbye, iPhone mini?
We won’t know about the full lineup until next month, but we can speculate about how it will likely look. Here’s one possibility:
- iPhone 15 Pro Max (from $1199)
- iPhone 15 Pro (from $1099)
- iPhone 15 Plus (from $899)
- iPhone 15 (from $799)
- iPhone 14 Plus (from $799)
- iPhone 14 (from $699)
- iPhone 13 (from $599)
- iPhone SE 3 (from $429)
The new lineup would bid farewell to the iPhone 12 as the iPhone 13 moves into its price point.
One interesting thing to watch, though, is what will happen to the iPhone 13 mini. Apple still sells the 5.4-inch display model from $599 for now. However, Apple discontinued the iPhone 12 mini with the current lineup.
Perhaps that’s because battery life was just too lackluster on the iPhone 12 mini. On the other hand, Apple may not see the market for two sizes of its two-generations-behind phone.
If Apple does discontinue the iPhone 13 mini next month, that will mean the end of Apple selling an iPhone specifically designed to be smaller.
Summary
In sum, early adopters should hold off on upgrading until the iPhone 15 lineup is unveiled. For anyone avoiding a charging port change or seeking a better value, the decision to wait or not is less crucial. And if you’re iPhone mini curious, now may be the best time to strike.
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