At the start of this year, I set a goal to avoid upgrading my tech in 2024, or at least the main three computers. So far, I’ve stuck to that. But I’m not gonna lie: I’ve been shopping for an iPhone upgrade (contentment is hard). A blog post hinted at this possibility a few weeks ago. Now with the fresh iPhone 16s out in the wild, I’m trying to wait for prices on older refurbished smart-handsets to drop so I can score a good deal. If I’m gonna upgrade, I’ve gotta at least save some money in the process. And this viewpoint helps: consider a “certified pre-owned” phone purchase like buying a years-old used car.
Like cars, smartphones are mobile devices. Also like cars, they’re now basically the same each year. iPhones still get new hardware or software features and sometimes different styling, but changes are small. Every year-model is a smartphone that does all the smartphone things, just as a car from ten years ago still gets you from point ‘A’ to ‘B’ like the current year-model car. It may not have heated seats, but it drives just fine.
My iPhone 12 mini, released four years ago, doesn’t have Apple Intelligence, but it makes calls just fine. It’s still a smart-phone.
That said, my phone’s battery life is not great (I manage well enough, but still…). And though I do love how hand-holdable it is, mis-typing on the tiny keyboard has gotten old and frustrating. I honestly don’t recall so many typos on my previous iPhone 11 with its larger display. I even compared the 11 side-by-side with the 12 mini and confirmed that keys on the 11 are indeed bigger. Further, I then confirmed online that the Pro Max phones are physically wider (not just taller) than regular-sized iPhones. So a Pro Max keyboard and its tap-targets must also be bigger. My thumbs — and my psyche — need that.
Ah, but trade-offs. A giant Pro Max phone, while it has a big display, is also a bit unwieldy compared to a mini. Switching to it might be swinging the pendulum too far; that’s a risk to think about. Hmmm…
What I’m also really thinking about, though, is the challenge and bigger risk of spending hundreds of dollars on a four-year-old phone (it makes me balk). I’m considering a move from iPhone 12 mini to Pro Max for its big battery and big tap-targets. Plus, I like the “bells and whistles” of its expanded camera system with LiDAR. There’s more: my 12 mini has 64GB of storage while every 12 Pro phone and beyond starts with double at 128GB. I could use that much for future-proofing, if nothing else. Okay, maybe several data-chonky mobile games would be nice too.
While in some ways a used smartphone is like a used car, computer tech ages faster. Is a phone that’s several model-years old a good investment? How much serviceable life does it have left? Maybe it’s better to think of today’s advanced smartphones like appliances that last five to ten years. Apple typically supports iPhones for at least five or six years. In fact, the newly released iOS 18 works on the iPhone XR, which is now six years old.
I’m sure my iPhone 12 mini has at least one or two good years left in it, possibly needing a battery replacement in the meantime. Otherwise, the hardware and CPU inside are plenty powerful for my needs.
This longevity is another reason to upgrade now; it benefits my family. One upgrade goes a long way. When I get a “new” iPhone, I hand down my current still-good device to one of my teens, who in turn hands down his still-good iPhone to his younger brother. Keeping all our phones up to date is important because of Apple Family Sharing, Parental Control in Screen Time, and having feature parity for things like Messages and Apple Cash.
It’s a fairly safe bet to invest in a 12 Pro Max. Since the 12 mini with 4GB of RAM has a few supported years left in it, a 12 Pro with 6GB of RAM is sure to thrive even more. The hard-to-shake risk factor, though, is akin to buying a used car and wondering if you’re buying someone else’s mechanical problems. You must trust the seller.
I have some trust in Amazon’s refurbished phones because I’ve bought more than one that way and have always ended up with a good deal on a great, albeit years old, smartphone. I’ve not bought from Back Market before, but I’ve read good things. Both are marketplaces for seemingly random third-party sellers. With respectable return policies or other guarantees, risk is minimized.
So I’ll be checking for deals and trying to wait and see. Will iPhone prices drop considerably since folks are now buying the new 16s, trading in their older models? Maybe. I might end up with a new-used iPhone that lacks Apple Intelligence but does all the other smartphone things; incomplete, yet not obsolete. If I decide to plunk down the cash for a 12 Pro Max, well, a four-year-old flagship is still a flagship. Especially these days.
Blogging about this is partly to help convince myself that spending hundreds on an old device isn’t crazy or dumb. I also hope it might help some others who struggle to resist the temptation to buy the newest tech and strive to balance wants versus needs, sprinkling on a dash of thrift.
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