Should you upgrade your iPhone every year or every three years? Is it worth it?

Should you upgrade your iPhone every year or every three years? Is it worth it?Is it really worth upgrading your iPhone every year? "Frankly, anyone who upgrades their iPhone every year is an idiot. Do you think your money grows on trees?" "Hilarious, you're the idiot if you use a single iPhone for three or four years

Should you upgrade your iPhone every year or every three years? Is it worth it?

Is it really worth upgrading your iPhone every year? "Frankly, anyone who upgrades their iPhone every year is an idiot. Do you think your money grows on trees?" "Hilarious, you're the idiot if you use a single iPhone for three or four years. Upgrading every year is actually the most cost-effective option." The launch of a new iPhone always sparks discussion about how often you should upgrade your iPhone. Is it really worth it to get a new one every year, or is it more cost-effective to hold onto it for three years? After all, a smartphone can cost thousands of dollars, so I'm sure most people would want to get their money's worth by using it for several years. But why do so many people believe that upgrading every year is about the same cost as using it for longer?

01 Is it really more expensive to upgrade every year?

Which option is actually more cost-effective? It's simple, let's crunch some numbers.

Let's consider the situation of using a phone for three years:

Going back three years, the phone would be the iPhone 13 Pro. Let's take the most common 256GB version as an example. Its average resale price on a platform is $330. With an original price of $899.99, it's about $570.00 in cost over three years of use. Add in a new iPhone 16 Pro, and the total cost comes out to about $1470.00.

How about upgrading every year?

Take the 256GB iPhone 15 Pro, which I bought when it first came out last year, as an example. Its current resale price on a second-hand platform is around $520.00 to $570.00. Let's use an average of $550.00. With an original price of $899.99, the cost of using it for a year is about $350.00. Based on this estimate, upgrading every year for three years would cost $350.00 x 3 = $1050.00. Add in the purchase of a new iPhone 16 Pro, which would cost another $899.99, and the total cost over three years would be $1949.99. That's almost $2000.00 gone. This means if you upgrade every year, you might end up paying $500.00 more than if you used it for three years!

• You might think that's all, but it's not! The previous estimates were based on the assumption that the phone is in 99% condition and has almost no damage. However, bumps and scratches are inevitable during daily use. Even slight marks can significantly decrease the resale value on second-hand platforms.

The same iPhone 15 Pro with a slightly scratched case or screen would only be worth around $450.00. This means the cost of use per year would increase to $450.00.

For the 256GB version, the average resale price on multiple platforms has been calculated based on a slightly used phone.

As for the three-year-old iPhone 13 Pro, even with conditions like being out of warranty, battery health below 80%, a scratched and chipped case, and multiple scratches on the screen, it still has a resale value of over $300.00. This brings the cost of use over three years to around $600.00, averaging out to $200.00 per year. Even if the iPhone becomes a battle-scarred veteran after three years, the difference wouldn't be significant.

02 Is the depreciation the greatest in the first year?

Why does this happen?

This is because the depreciation of a new phone is the most significant in the first year. Second-hand phones often only retain 60% of their value. In the following two or three years, the price decrease becomes smaller and smaller, and the annual depreciation rate is only around 10%. Therefore, after three years, you can still get around 35% of your money back. Averaging this out, the annual cost of use would be relatively lower.

Another factor is that second-hand platforms might try to haggle down the price. This could potentially increase the price difference. For example, I previously tested this by taking a brand-new phone to a platform. They found all sorts of reasons to lower the price. Imagine what they'd do to a used phone!

Therefore, if you have an old iPhone that has been used for many years and shows significant signs of wear, I recommend trying Apple's official trade-in program. They might give you a better price. For example, for the same iPhone 13 Pro, Apple's official valuation is $280.00. However, their requirements for the phone's condition and battery health aren't as strict. As long as it's functional, they'll take it back, which might be more cost-effective than third-party platforms.

So, how often is it best to upgrade your iPhone?

Let's keep calculating. Using the iPhone Pro series with 256GB as an example, selling the iPhone 15 Pro and buying the iPhone 16 Pro would require a price difference of $350.00. This means the annual cost of use is $350.00. Similarly, if you upgrade every two years, the annual cost is about $240.00. For three years, it would be $1967.00, and four years would be $1725.00.

It's clear that the longer you use an iPhone, theoretically the lower the average annual upgrade cost will be. Upgrading every year will definitely be the most expensive, but the benefit is that you can experience the latest models every year, and your battery health can be maintained at over 90%, ensuring a top-notch experience across the board. This is a good option for those who don't mind spending.

03 Is upgrading every other generation a good deal?

For most users, however, upgrading every two or three years is a better choice, as the phone's performance, battery, etc. will be in good condition for two or three years of normal use. The cost of use is also acceptable, and you won't miss out on the latest features. You won't need to envy others.

While the average cost of use will continue to decrease after three years, holding onto it for another year will only save you a couple hundred bucks. By that time, the battery will be shot, and the overall experience will be severely degraded. There's no need to torture yourself. It's better to upgrade for a more comfortable experience.

OK, after all this discussion, you probably know how often you should upgrade your iPhone. "Upgrading every year is more cost-effective" is actually a consumerist trap. The only people who upgrade their iPhones every year are tech bloggers or those who are actually wealthy. For ordinary users, you should consider your own situation and budget. There's no need to chase the latest models every year.

So, how often do you upgrade your iPhone?

Source: Zhizhimao