iPhone upgrade time

[Weirdfish]

Currently have an iPhone 12 on sim only and seriously thinking of the iPhone 15 with the 6.7 screen.
How have people found it, or is it like most things apple much the same with a few more apps/gadgets/better camera.
Any deals to be had or should I wait until after Xmas?

[MartynJC (UK)]

I have Iphone 12 pro max and am in similar siuation. It depends if you are happy with the quality of the pictures from your current cameras. I’d say that is the biggest upgrade (better cameras). You will get USB-C on the new phone so won’t work with your old cables (so much for saving on landfill).

If the battery is getting old - you can get it changed for a new battery for a couple hundred pounds at the Istore - a lot less than a new phone.

Iphone 12 runs the latest software so no difference in content.

[RobDad]

Its a lot cheaper than a couple of hundred pounds to get Apple to fit a new battery - I had a new battery fitted to my wife’s iPhone 11 earlier in the year and from memory it was about £70. Walked in without an appointment and it was done within the hour.

[wileeeeeey]

I have the 13 pro max and was excited for the 15 with USB C but the physical quality doesn’t seem the best.

I’m waiting for the 16 but wouldn’t rule out a pre owned 14 Pro in the interim.

[RobDad]

To answer the original question I reckon 3 years or models is the sweet spot for upgrading an iPhone - long enough to notice the advances in tech, you probably need a new battery and you’ll get a few quid back from Apple if you swap the old in against the new. I plan to change my 13 pro for a 16 this time next year.

[walkerwek1958]

What's the true cost in upgrading phones? I use a mobile phone sparingly, I`ve never got sucked into the culture around them, I`m happy with my ageing iPhone bought second-hand for £100 2 years ago, I don't even know what model it is, it makes calls and gives me internet access on the rare occasions I need it away from home. If the phone you have does what you want, why bother upgrading?

Seriously, I don't get it, and I question whether the cost is justified.

[Montello]

I’m on a iPhone 11 which I had fitted with a new battery. Can’t see any value in an upgrade.

It has Face ID and everything seems to work as per the latest models.

What am I missing out on?

[learningtofly]

Blimey. I’ve only just upgraded from an 8 Plus to a 13 Pro Max

[Chris_in_the_UK]

I’m on a iPhone 11 which I had fitted with a new battery. Can’t see any value in an upgrade.

It has Face ID and everything seems to work as per the latest models.

What am I missing out on?

Nothing, personal choice

[Hood]

What's the true cost in upgrading phones? I use a mobile phone sparingly, I`ve never got sucked into the culture around them, I`m happy with my ageing iPhone bought second-hand for £100 2 years ago, I don't even know what model it is, it makes calls and gives me internet access on the rare occasions I need it away from home. If the phone you have does what you want, why bother upgrading?

Seriously, I don't get it, and I question whether the cost is justified.

Do you have an alarm that goes off whenever anybody gets a bit excited about some new or even vintage product.
Quick get to that thread and sprinkle some shit dust on it.


As an aside I have had the iphone13 pro for 2 yrs and was upgrade time.
Quite happy with the phone I have thouigh had heard the 14 pro was a decent upgrade .
I bought the 15 and it's going to my daughter for xmas as she wanted a new one as she has my old 11.
I looked at 14pro prices but it was as expensive as 15 pro.
was a bit tempted by the one on SC today.
Looked a good buy.

[RobDad]

What's the true cost in upgrading phones? I use a mobile phone sparingly, I`ve never got sucked into the culture around them, I`m happy with my ageing iPhone bought second-hand for £100 2 years ago, I don't even know what model it is, it makes calls and gives me internet access on the rare occasions I need it away from home. If the phone you have does what you want, why bother upgrading?

Seriously, I don't get it, and I question whether the cost is justified.

They’re not phones though are they? Mini computer, still and video camera, translator, web browser, music player, alarm, games machine, mini TV - imagine what all that would have cost you separately in the 80’s? And I’ve not mentioned a fraction of their capabilities

[Mr.D]

I upgrade my iphone every time a new one comes out.
The current 15 pro max has an amazing camera , it shoots log prores video and has features that are very close to a professional motion picture camera . I also use it as my preview monitor when I’m supervising film shoots . I take camera data with it . I can also use it to quickly lidar a shoot which is accurate enough to give me reasonable measurements for building cgi.

I can also use it to monitor and trigger my seperate cameras .

The battery life is such that even after a 12 hr day I’ve normally got 20-30% left so I can order an uber and some food to be at the hotel for me . If I’m stuck with bad wifi I usually get decent 5g most places with EE ( O2 was a joke in comparisson) .

In the evenings I can talk to family , watch a film , read a book , play a game or listen to some music or an audio book . If I’m driving I can use it for gps. If I need to charge the car it will tell me where the nearest charger is and if its in use.

If I’m in the middle of nowhere I can send an sos on it via satellite without any cell coverage.

Its also got a torch .

[MattMM]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 14 Pro last year, main benefit for me was the camera capability plus overall speed bump. I’d timed it just before we went on a family break and photo quality was brilliant, even my wife who’s a non-techy acknowledged this.

Upgrade justification is always dependent on what you personally value in a device and whether the generational bump in tech adds to this or not. For me, the second generation bump to a Pro spec more than covered this, your own mileage may vary etc.

[Chewitt13]

I didn't believe in spending the money on the latest phone but realised it's the one thing I use every hour of every day, if a new phone is seconds quicker in each activity I do, it's good spend....

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[lewie]

I upgrade my iphone every time a new one comes out.
The current 15 pro max has an amazing camera , it shoots log prores video and has features that are very close to a professional motion picture camera . I also use it as my preview monitor when I’m supervising film shoots . I take camera data with it . I can also use it to quickly lidar a shoot which is accurate enough to give me reasonable measurements for building cgi.

I can also use it to monitor and trigger my seperate cameras .

The battery life is such that even after a 12 hr day I’ve normally got 20-30% left so I can order an uber and some food to be at the hotel for me . If I’m stuck with bad wifi I usually get decent 5g most places with EE ( O2 was a joke in comparisson) .

In the evenings I can talk to family , watch a film , read a book , play a game or listen to some music or an audio book . If I’m driving I can use it for gps. If I need to charge the car it will tell me where the nearest charger is and if its in use.

If I’m in the middle of nowhere I can send an sos on it via satellite without any cell coverage.

It’s also got a torch .

A modern day electronic Swiss Army knife

[Montello]

Seems the most compelling reason to upgrade is the improved cameras.

[RobM]

If you buy and keep phones for a number of years, the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max are as future proof as any iPhone has ever been, now it supports usb-c charging and data transfer. It carries the usual iPhone benefits and iterative upgrades over the last generation, but the addition of usb-c adds enormous flexibility to charging and data transfer that will be just as relevant and beneficial in 3 years time.

[Montello]

If you buy and keep phones for a number of years, the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max are as future proof as any iPhone has ever been, now it supports usb-c charging and data transfer. It carries the usual iPhone benefits and iterative upgrades over the last generation, but the addition of usb-c adds enormous flexibility to charging and data transfer that will be just as relevant and beneficial in 3 years time.

What do you mean by data transfer?

[blackal]

What do you mean by data transfer?

Assume - transferring pics and vids to and from your laptop using USB-C.

BUT - for majority of people - I don’t see much advantage.

IPhone 13 brought much better camera, and if you bought a high capacity 13/13max (say 128gb) Second hand - you probably have the best compromise, that will stay current for 4yrs+

13max as above for £400?

[learningtofly]

Assume - transferring pics and vids to and from your laptop using USB-C.

BUT - for majority of people - I don’t see much advantage.

IPhone 13 brought much better camera, and if you bought a high capacity 13/13max (say 128gb) Second hand - you probably have the best compromise, that will stay current for 4yrs+

13max as above for £400?

My 13 Pro Max (bought very lightly used from here) is 1TB... will last me for years, I imagine.

[MartynJC (UK)]

What do you mean by data transfer?

Transfering files / photos backing up your phone the old fashioned way etc via cable rather than over WiFi or Bluetooth. If you get the iPhone pro 15 it supports the latest protocols. The iPhone 15 is USB2 but still transfers at the same rate as the older lightning port.

“The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus can transfer data at speeds up to 480Mbps because they are equipped with USB 2 technology. The Pro models have USB 3, which supports transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. That's more than 20 times faster than USB 2“

Also you can plug your 15 into a TV HDMI from USB-C with one cable. (I use this for my MacBook) or even charge other devises from your phone or use external SDD for storage if you want.

Hope that helps.

[blackal]

Transfering files / photos backing up your phone the old fashioned way etc via cable rather than over WiFi or Bluetooth. If you get the iPhone pro 15 it supports the latest protocols. The iPhone 15 is USB2 but still transfers at the same rate as the older lightning port.

“The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus can transfer data at speeds up to 480Mbps because they are equipped with USB 2 technology. The Pro models have USB 3, which supports transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. That's more than 20 times faster than USB 2“

Also you can plug your 15 into a TV HDMI from USB-C with one cable. (I use this for my MacBook) or even charge other devises from your phone or use external SDD for storage if you want.

Hope that helps.

Certainly helps my understanding (without the HTH)

[Skier]

I went from a 12 Pro 256GB that was in desperate need of a new battery to a 15 Pro 512GB. I traded in the 12 Pro with Apple (£340) when purchasing the new phone which I always do outright with a separate SIM only contract. The USB C connector is an improvement though using the cable in the box it only transfers at USB 2 speeds, but that's of little concern, just cheap on the part of Apple. The camera is a step change but they've been superb since about the iPhone X. The increase in capacity was because of iPods no longer being sold, I want to cater for its failure at some point and store music and lots of audiobooks on the iPhone.

[blackal]

My 13 Pro Max (bought very lightly used from here) is 1TB... will last me for years, I imagine.

With the caveat of higher data rates of the 15 - I would say it should!

[MartynJC (UK)]

With the caveat of higher data rates of the 15 - I would say it should!

It should! Apple are getting very cheap - for the sake of a cable that is 20€ more retail - probably a lot less wholesale - Apple are alienating customers. Apparently you can get a USB3 cable for £13 off Amazon that will do the job. The Apple pro phones are shipped with a USB2 USB-C cable!

I may just stick with my 12 max pro for another 3 years and get the battery changed. I may get the 15 instead of the pro if I do upgrade. Certainly not getting the 15 pro max - the camera system is not well thought through as the x2 to x3 is worse than the pro version - the pro max should have had 4 cameras really.

sorry - bit of a rant.

also - with the bigger file sizes for your pictures and vids you’ll need more storage space. I know a friend who has never turned off “liveview” that means every “picture” is a mini video taking a ton of storage.

Then Apple expects you to back up to iCloud and so they can sting you for huge monthly storage plans for minimal space (in today’s scheme).

[blackal]

[walkerwek1958]

Another reason I`m not keen on swapping my ancient iphone.......this one fits nicely in my pocket and to me that's a very important criteria. Phones are now getting too bulky.

Hood, thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

[Mj2k]

I upgraded from a 12 to a 14 Pro last year, main benefit for me was the camera capability plus overall speed bump. I’d timed it just before we went on a family break and photo quality was brilliant, even my wife who’s a non-techy acknowledged this.

Upgrade justification is always dependent on what you personally value in a device and whether the generational bump in tech adds to this or not. For me, the second generation bump to a Pro spec more than covered this, your own mileage may vary etc.

I did a similar upgrade but from the 12 Mini and the camera leap is huge.

I may upgrade to the 16 or hold fire for the 17 tbh, a lot of it probably driven by when my wife wants my 14 pro. She’s yet to buy a phone since the iPhone came out lol.

[noTAGlove]

What am I missing out on?

Spending a bag of sand?

I’m happy with my 12

[Hood]

Another reason I`m not keen on swapping my ancient iphone.......this one fits nicely in my pocket and to me that's a very important criteria. Phones are now getting too bulky.

Hood, thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

No worries
Stay positive.

[Halitosis]

So I'm guessing my iPhone SE is behind the times? Been considering changing the battery because it's at 83%. At least I won't be too suicidal if I break or lose it - though I do always ask another family member to do the honours when a Kodak moment arises.

[M3NTALIST]

As has been said already, every 3rd generation has been good for me, those small annual upgrades/changes become a little more noticeable when you’ve skipped a couple of iterations. I’m on iPhone 14 and I’m sure it will be all I want and need until I upgrade to a 17 at the back end of 2025.


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[noTAGlove]

I am write in thinking that the camera is the real big difference and everything else is just a slower evolution?

[Ivan Drago]

Just upgraded from a 13 to a 15 pro.

Literally no difference for me. Can’t even see a difference in the photo quality.


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[Mr.D]

Just upgraded from a 13 to a 15 pro.

Literally no difference for me. Can’t even see a difference in the photo quality.


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Hmm ok

[Ivan Drago]

Hmm ok

I’ll post some photos from the 13 and the same shot from the 15 pro in the morning.

I genuinely don’t notice any difference.


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[Mr.D]

I’ll post some photos from the 13 and the same shot from the 15 pro in the morning.

I genuinely don’t notice any difference.


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You are entitled to your opinion , its not necessary.

[Mj2k]

You are entitled to your opinion , its not necessary.

And it is wrong & perhaps requires an optometrist to sort !

[RobDad]

I have a couple of colleagues whose iPhones will no longer upgrade to the latest software. When that happens - from a security point of view - I really think it’s time to upgrade!

[Kingstepper]

I’ll post some photos from the 13 and the same shot from the 15 pro in the morning.

I genuinely don’t notice any difference.


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Reviewer here suggests 13 has the best overall camera (suppose I'm disagreeing with you literally though agreeing with sentiment!).

[jukeboxs]

If your 12 does all you need it to do, I see no reason for you to upgrade (unless you want the latest gadget - which many do, nothing wrong with that). I'm still on the 7 (bought 2nd hand from the SC years ago) and I'll be keeping it until either it dies or Apple stops the updates. It does all I need (heavy daily use, for personal and work). I had a new battery fitted last month for £30 (respectable high-street store). When I do upgrade I'll enjoy the improved camera, but I'll miss the compact size.

[R0bertb00th]

I’ve just taken Advantage of the Costco offer off iPhone 15 pro max 256gb £1099 so £100 cheaper than Apple which will replace my 13 pro - great price in store and online if anyone is in the market

Looking forward to receiving it




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[Mj2k]

I’ve just taken Advantage of the Costco offer off iPhone 15 pro max 256gb £1099 so £100 cheaper than Apple which will replace my 13 pro

Looking forward to receiving it




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I always forget to look at Costco for things like this. Great price you got there.