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Fast Charge: Don’t buy an iPhone right now
In This Article
OPINION: Got your eye on an iPhone? Maybe your old phone is on its last legs, or you’re thinking about making the switch from Android to iOS. Well, I am telling you that youshouldn’tbuy an iPhone right now, and here’s why.
September is just around the corner, bringing with it the annual IFA tech showcase in Berlin and countless gadget launches. While the summer months have seen Samsung unveil theGalaxy Z Flip 6andZ Fold 6and Google launch theGoogle Pixel 9 Prorange earlier than expected, nothing compares to the latter part of the year for huge product reveals.
Rumours arehinting a PS5 Pro revealcould be coming within the next month, while Qualcomm will likely tease the next generation of Android phones with its yearly flagship SoC release. Before all that though,Apple will hold its annual autumn event on September 9– and it’s going to be a big deal.
Apple typically unveils the next version of its iPhone at an event like this, and all signs point to theiPhone 16and iPhone 16 Pro getting their big reveal in little over a week. After the reveal, expect the phones to go up for pre-order the same week, with a release date following a week after. That means in less than a month, the choice of which iPhone to plump for is going to look very different.
The worst time
This is why now is quite probably the worst time to buy an iPhone, whether it’s an iPhone 15 or even an older version. Just wait a couple of weeks, and you could get a newer device that’ll last longer or save money on an older model.
Apple typically moves the previous year’s iPhone – in this case, the iPhone 15 – down the range, slotting it below the new iteration. It also usually cuts the price, possibly by around £/$100-200, to make it a tempting proposition for those who either don’t need the features of the new model, or don’t want to pay full price.
If you were to buy an iPhone 15 today, there’s a very good chance it’ll be cheaper in a few weeks. And that’s not even taking into account retailers reducing the older models to clear up inventory space for the iPhone 16.
Apple Intelligence
But, the biggest reason to avoid buying the iPhone 15 for now – especially the standard models – is thatApple Intelligenceis coming, and the new AI system simply won’t work on anything but the new iPhones announced this year, and the iPhone 15 Pro series.
The standard iPhone 15 doesn’t have the capability in its chipset to power the upgraded Siri and all the genAI features coming in a future version of iOS 18, however rumours have suggested that all new models in the iPhone 16 family will support it.
Other rumours for the new phones suggest theAction Buttonwill be available across the whole range, rather than being a Pro-only feature – and there might even beanother button dedicated to content capture. The smaller Pro model should inherit a better zoom camera, and both sizes of Pro will see larger screens than their predecessors. All models could have an A18 chipset of some kind (this will be what enables the AI skills) and, of course, there will be some moderate design tweaks and new colours.
So, whether you want to save a little bit of money in the long run, or get a more capable device – now is a very bad time to buy an iPhone. Wait a couple of weeks, and your decision will be a lot easier.
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Max is the Editor of Trusted Reviews, and has been a mobile phone and technology specialist for over nine years. Max started his career at T3 straight after graduating from Kingston University. Max ha…
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Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
