iPhone 7: timing too risky?

[coffeelover]

Hi all

My current phone's on it's way out so my hand may be forced, but do you think the timing is risky to go for an iPhone 7 at this point?

I'll be moving from an old Android so it's not like it's a jump from the previous iPhone, but I wondered how bad you thought the timing could be, considering the 8 seems to be very close but may be faced with many delays until later in the year. I'd likely try to get the phone upfront as opposed to via contract, and am interested in a balance of sustainable performance and value (if there is such a thing!).

Of course if my phone dies in the meantime, I may have to bite the bullet!

Thanks in advance

 

[Mlrollin91]

Hi all

My current phone's on it's way out so my hand may be forced, but do you think the timing is risky to go for an iPhone 7 at this point?

I'll be moving from an old Android so it's not like it's a jump from the previous iPhone, but I wondered how bad you thought the timing could be, considering the 8 seems to be very close but may be faced with many delays until later in the year. I'd likely try to get the phone upfront as opposed to via contract, and am interested in a balance of sustainable performance and value (if there is such a thing!).

Of course if my phone dies in the meantime, I may have to bite the bullet!

Thanks in advance

Buy an older, used iPhone/Android phone to hold you over? We are probably only 8 weeks away from the iPhone event.

 

[coffeelover]

Buy an older, used iPhone/Android phone to hold you over? We are probably only 8 weeks away from the iPhone event.

Thanks for your thoughts Mlrollin.

Have just spied a little iPhone SE for just £177 ('as new' but only 16GB). Think that would be suitable for a while perhaps? (Good value for a couple of months etc?)

 

[Mlrollin91]

Thanks for your thoughts Mlrollin.

Have just spied a little iPhone SE for just £177 ('as new' but only 16GB). Think that would be suitable for a while perhaps? (Good value for a couple of months etc?)

Not sure what the going rate is for the SE right now. But I'm sure if you got a good deal on it, in a couple months you could resell it for near what you paid.

 

[44267547]

Have just spied a little iPhone SE for just £177 ('as new' but only 16GB). Think that would be suitable for a while perhaps? (Good value for a couple of months etc?)

Absolutely. The SE is a great iPhone. 16GB is the Minimum storage, assuming you don't need additional storage, I highly recommend it and then sell it used until you are able to order the new iPhone 8.

 

[CatherineVeraGat]

Keep your old phone until the iPhone 7S/ 7S Plus/ iPhone Edition comes out.

 

[coney718]

Keep in mind the 8 will be the most expensive iPhone ever and if you plan on buying it full price out of contract that might be something to consider.

 

[AlphaGuitarist]

If your old phone is in such a poor shape that it won't last the next 2 months, I'd suggest buying a cheap Android device to hold you over until the new iPhones are announced.

 

[weckart]

I have a friend in exactly the same position. He has a iP6+ with the touch problem because he was too impatient against my advice to wait a few weeks for the iP6s+. This time he knows better and will try to hold out until he can get the 7s+.

Hopefully, he should be able to get one without having to wait as probably the biggest demand (and delay) will be for the iP8.

 

[RadioGaGa1984]

Keep in mind the 8 will be the most expensive iPhone ever and if you plan on buying it full price out of contract that might be something to consider.

Did I miss Apples pricing announcement?

 

[viperGTS]

I might be a little biased with my answer, but I just bought a Verizon iPhone 7 Plus (so it's unlocked + I think has the better Qualcomm modem), 128 GB for $600 in pretty much brand new condition with its AppleCare until June 2018, still had the plastic wrap on the phone and all the accessories. I personally thought it was way too good of a deal to pass up, as the 128GB unlocked models can go for a lot more.

I think if you can find a really good deal like that, then the iPhone 7 is a safe purchase, despite rumors of the 7s/8. It's a tried and tested phone, so you'll at least know what you're getting into if you get one.

 

[dallas112678]

I might be a little biased with my answer, but I just bought a Verizon iPhone 7 Plus (so it's unlocked + I think has the better Qualcomm modem), 128 GB for $600 in pretty much brand new condition with its AppleCare until June 2018, still had the plastic wrap on the phone and all the accessories. I personally thought it was way too good of a deal to pass up, as the 128GB unlocked models can go for a lot more.

I think if you can find a really good deal like that, then the iPhone 7 is a safe purchase, despite rumors of the 7s/8. It's a tried and tested phone, so you'll at least know what you're getting into if you get one.

I also just got a 7+. However I got it on the iPhone upgrade plan. I know you want to buy outright but if you do the plan, you'll only pay 1/2 price of the iPhone 7 and can trade it in in 6 months. It sounds as if there's going to be shortages, not to mention manufacturing fixes that's to be expected of a device that packs so many new features. In other words, you'll be eligible to trade in 4 months after release which might actually be the best time to purchase.

 

[throAU]

Anything not released is based on pure speculation.

If you need a new phone now, buy one.

If you don't, and can wait, wait until september.

The iphone 7 is still a great device.

 

[Melrose]

There's a few things to keep in mind:

• If you always wait "a few months" for the next model (of anything) you'll be frozen and never buy anything. Dishwashers, TVs, cars...iPhones.
• Processing power will increase, but it's not going to be a 200% improvement - the iPhone is already pretty damn quick and power jumps are usually under 50%, and negligible at best for daily tasks. If we're a multi-generation gap between upgrades, it's going to be night and day regardless.
• Processors go in a tick-tock cycle of performance/efficiency (or is it efficiency/performance?), so you won't necessarily always be getting the big jump in power that you think.
• As far as new features, it depends on what your priorities are. A lot of new features in the iPhone are software based, and available to penultimate and last-gen iPhones already because Apple has a good reputation of supporting old devices.
• Any new features are going to be trickling down to the general consumer in the end anyway.
• Rumors are just that: Rumors. You can't rely on rumors - some have been true (very few) and some have been false (the majority). You can't base a decision to buy features on a phone that hasn't been released yet.

I just bought a red 7+ out of pocket, and I absolutely love it and have zero regrets - and I know from past experience I won't have regrets even when a new phone with marginal new features gets released. I'll ooh and and aah over the keynote and ogle a few glossy pictures of it, but that's it because I know I'll have those features eventually anyway, and sometimes in a more refined form (TouchID has been more refined with each generation, for example). The iPhone 7, while encased in the familiar, is new enough inside to be a pretty snazzy upgrade from the 6s.

If you have a really and truly failing phone, go buy the iPhone 7 and be happy. And you will be happy because it's an awesome phone - spending more than a few dollars/pounds for a new temporary phone seems ludicrous (but that's me and I'm not extravagant with spending); the SE is certainly a phone that can last you for longer than a few months. If your phone will last until October, take a chance on luck and see if those new features justified the wait. I knew a guy who waited and waited for the gold iPhone, then they sold out and he was told he'd have to wait weeks on top of that for them to be in stock, so he bought the boring phone in the end anyway.