Other Currently on iPhone 12 Pro Max. Upgrade to iPhone 16 Plus or wait?

[illegaloperation]

I am still quite satisfied with my iPhone 12 Pro Max, but I know that it's an old phone and, in the not-too-distant future, Apple will drop support for it.

I wanted a bigger iPhone, and there was obviously no other option (i.e., the iPhone 12 Plus doesn't exist).

When Apple released the iPhone 14 Plus, I was overjoyed that Apple decided to release a cheaper iPhone with a larger display.

Now, from many indications, there will be no iPhone 17 Plus. Apple plans to replace it with a much more expensive iPhone 17 Slim.

Despite not wanting to retire my iPhone 12 Pro Max, should I upgrade to the iPhone 16 Plus?

Or should I wait until Apple drops support for the iPhone 12 Pro Max and see what options are available at that time (in the future)?

 

[ozapple]

No one really knows what Apple is going to do next year.

If you’re happy with your 12 for the time being, why not wait until the 17 line drops and if nothing takes your fancy, you can pick up a 16 a fair bit cheaper?

 

[illegaloperation]

No one really knows what Apple is going to do next year.

If you’re happy with your 12 for the time being, why not wait until the 17 line drops and if nothing takes your fancy, you can pick up a 16 a fair bit cheaper?

I am worried that Apple might drop the iPhone 16 Plus (leaving only the iPhone 16) when the iPhone 17 launches.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I am worried that Apple might drop the iPhone 16 Plus (leaving only the iPhone 16) when the iPhone 17 launches.

Apple might do just that - but Apple Authorized Resellers (carriers, Best Buy, etc.) will still have stock and will discount them.

I'm still on my 12 Pro and it's fine for my purposes. I'll likely upgrade to the 17 due to an employer subsidy rolling around (I did get a 15 Pro last year, but set it up for my wife instead of myself).

 

[ozapple]

I am worried that Apple might drop the iPhone 16 Plus (leaving only the iPhone 16) when the iPhone 17 launches.

They are stilll selling the 15 plus now, so I’d hazard a guess they’ll keep the 16 plus on board next year as well.

But even if they don’t, there’s a good week to a week and a half between the announcement of the new phone/s and their actual launch.

The 16 line will all be available in store/online during this period.

Even after the 17 hits the stores, you’ll still be able to find brand new 16’s from third party sellers for a while.

 

[illegaloperation]

Apple might do just that - but Apple Authorized Resellers (carriers, Best Buy, etc.) will still have stock and will discount them.

I'm still on my 12 Pro and it's fine for my purposes. I'll likely upgrade to the 17 due to an employer subsidy rolling around (I did get a 15 Pro last year, but set it up for my wife instead of myself).

They are stilll selling the 15 plus now, so I’d hazard a guess they’ll keep the 16 plus on board next year as well.

But even if they don’t, there’s a good week to a week and a half between the announcement of the new phone/s and their actual launch.

The 16 line will all be available in store during this period.

Even after the 17 hits the stores, you’ll still be able to find brand new 16’s from third party sellers for a while.

I prefer to purchase from Apple because it comes carrier unlocked.

iPhone sold elsewhere is usually carrier-locked.

It's not a dealbreaker, but something that I strongly preferred.

 

[ozapple]

I prefer to purchase from Apple because it comes carrier unlocked.

Ok fair enough, like I say - you’ll have at least a week between the announcement of the 17 and it actually hitting the stores to decide.

 

[illegaloperation]

Ok fair enough, like I say - you’ll have at least a week between the announcement of the 17 and it actually hitting the stores to decide.

Thank you. That's a tight timeline, but that's probably what I will do.

That said, if you or anyone else have other advice, I am still listening.

 

[ozapple]

That said, if you or anyone else have other advice, I am still listening.

Go into an Apple Store sometime in the next few months and have a good play around with the 16 line to decide (hypothetically) which one you would buy.

When the 17 is announced, and presuming you don’t want one of those (or you’re undecided at the least), buy the 16 of your choice as soon as possible.

Once you have it, go in store and check out the 17 in person. If you decide you’d rather one of those, use apples 14 day return window to return the 16 and buy the 17.

 

[illegaloperation]

Go into an Apple Store sometime in the next few months and have a good play around with the 16 line to decide (hypothetically) which one you would buy.

When the 17 is announced, and presuming you don’t want one of those (or you’re undecided at the least), buy the 16 of your choice as soon as possible.

Once you have it, go in store and check out the 17 in person. If you decide you’d rather one of those, use apples 14 day return window to return the 16 and buy the 17.

What do you mean?

Isn't iPhone 16 Plus the same aside from color and storage size?

 

[Tech_Fan]

I am still quite satisfied with my iPhone 12 Pro Max, but I know that it's an old phone and, in the not-too-distant future, Apple will drop support for it.

I wanted a bigger iPhone, and there was obviously no other option (i.e., the iPhone 12 Plus doesn't exist).

When Apple released the iPhone 14 Plus, I was overjoyed that Apple decided to release a cheaper iPhone with a larger display.

Now, from many indications, there will be no iPhone 17 Plus. Apple plans to replace it with a much more expensive iPhone 17 Slim.

Despite not wanting to retire my iPhone 12 Pro Max, should I upgrade to the iPhone 16 Plus?

Or should I wait until Apple drops support for the iPhone 12 Pro Max and see what options are available at that time (in the future)?

I’m a fan of getting what you need now. As stated by someone else, we don’t know for certain what models will be introduced next year. Going from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 Plus should be should provide you with noticeable performance improvements in my opinion.

 

[ozapple]

What do you mean?

Isn't iPhone 16 Plus the same aside from color and storage size?

I mean just what i said?

You asked for further advice and my advice is to look at the 16’s in person between now and the launch of the 17, decide which one you ‘would’ buy and then wait for the launch of the 17.

If you don’t want a 17 (after seeing the announcement), use the week between the announcement and the actual launch of the 17 to buy the 16 of your choice.

If you then see the 17 in person and decide you’d actually rather one of those, then return the 16 and buy a 17.

 

[illegaloperation]

I’m a fan of getting what you need now. As stated by someone else, we don’t know for certain what models will be introduced next year. Going from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 Plus should be should provide you with noticeable performance improvements in my opinion.

Well, that is the thing: There is nothing I really want or need right now.

Apple has done absolutely nothing to make me want a new iPhone (at least so far).

The only reason that I am considering upgrading is that Apple might soon drop support for iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Maybe Apple will release new iPhones that wow me, but I doubt it.

 

[frost_horizon]

I regret upgrading to iPhone 16 Pro Max because of how bad iOS 18 is. I would stay on my iPhone 13 Pro Max with iOS 17.7 if I could. But you cannot cancel trade-in once you sent it.

Currently, iPhone is the most irritating device in my life. Absolutely unstable, laggy and unreliable. But maybe it is good for me, I want to use it less and less.

 

[illegaloperation]

I mean just what i said?

You asked for further advice and my advice is to look at the 16’s in person between now and the launch of the 17, decide which one you ‘would’ buy and then wait for the launch of the 17.

If you don’t want a 17 (after seeing the announcement), use the week between the announcement and the actual launch of the 17 to buy the 16 of your choice.

If you then see the 17 in person and decide you’d actually rather one of those, then return the 16 and buy a 17.

I see now what you mean.

 

[illegaloperation]

I regret upgrading to iPhone 16 Pro Max because of how bad iOS 18 is. I would stay on my iPhone 13 Pro Max with iOS 17.7 if I could. But you cannot cancel trade-in once you sent it.

Currently, iPhone is the most irritating device in my life. Absolutely unstable, laggy and unreliable. But maybe it is good for me, I want to use it less and less.

I had an iPhone X that crashed all day, all the time.

I got rid of it the first opportunity that I got.

Now, with the iPhone 12 Pro Max that I currently have, I haven't had a single issue with it.

 

[Tech_Fan]

Well, that is the thing: There is nothing I really want or need right now.

Apple has done absolutely nothing to make me want a new iPhone (at least so far).

The only reason that I am considering upgrading is that Apple might soon drop support for iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Maybe Apple will release new iPhones that wow me, but I doubt it.

With the yearly incremental updates and the focus on health monitoring, I doubt the next iPhone will ‘wow’ you so you might as well consider getting the iPhone 16 Plus or even the iPhone 15 Plus. The alternative is to keep using what you have.

 

[illegaloperation]

With the yearly incremental updates and the focus on health monitoring, I doubt the next iPhone will ‘wow’ you so you might as well consider getting the iPhone 16 Plus or even the iPhone 15 Plus. The alternative is to keep using what you have.

It doesn't have to be the "next" iPhone.

... can just be the one around the time that Apple dropped support for iPhone 12 Pro Max.

 

[snak-atak]

I prefer to purchase from Apple because it comes carrier unlocked.

iPhone sold elsewhere is usually carrier-locked.

It's not a dealbreaker, but something that I strongly preferred.

It sounds like you made up your mind. It’s not a bad decision, but it’s not your only one. Go for it if you want. Or wait if you’re currently satisfied. It’s up to you.

 

[illegaloperation]

It sounds like you made up your mind. It’s not a bad decision, but it’s not your only one. Go for it if you want. Or wait if you’re currently satisfied. It’s up to you.

I have not.

What I mean is that I don't even need to upgrade until Apple drops support iPhone 12 Pro Max.

 

[illegaloperation]

The way I see it, here are my three options:

1. Upgrade to iPhone 16 Plus
2. Wait until Apple releases a new iPhone that wow me (assuming that Apple supports iPhone 12 Pro Max until then)
3. Wait until Apple drops support for iPhone 12 Pro Max and see what is the best option for me then

 

[TechnoMonk]

I upgrade every 6 years. I am on 13 PM. If you don’t need, wait and see what Apple announces. You can always get 16 plus even if Apple doesn’t launch 17 plus. I will probably upgrade to iPhone 19 or 20.

 

[tivoman]

I currently have an iPhone 12 Pro Max too. I just replaced the battery, since it fell below 80%. I’m to the point where I will not upgrade until apps can’t run on it. This reminds me back in the 90s when I used to upgrade PCs every 2 years.

 

[illegaloperation]

I currently have an iPhone 12 Pro Max too. I just replaced the battery, since it fell below 80%. I’m to the point where I will not upgrade until apps can’t run on it. This reminds me back in the 90s when I used to upgrade PCs every 2 years.

iPhone improvements have been incremental since the iPhone X came out.

That's around the time that it stops making sense to upgrade every couple of years.

It's no coincidence that Apple introduced the "pro" models to extract more money from consumers.

 

[idkwhat]

I am still quite satisfied with my iPhone 12 Pro Max

It seems to me like that answers your question. Keep it and don't worry.

, but I know that it's an old phone and, in the not-too-distant future, Apple will drop support for it.

If you mean the latest iOS version won't be supported, then that's in what, likely 3 years? By that time iPhone 19 will be out.
And security updates will come a bit longer than that.

I wanted a bigger iPhone, and there was obviously no other option (i.e., the iPhone 12 Plus doesn't exist).

When Apple released the iPhone 14 Plus, I was overjoyed that Apple decided to release a cheaper iPhone with a larger display.

Now, from many indications, there will be no iPhone 17 Plus. Apple plans to replace it with a much more expensive iPhone 17 Slim.

Despite not wanting to retire my iPhone 12 Pro Max, should I upgrade to the iPhone 16 Plus?

Or should I wait until Apple drops support for the iPhone 12 Pro Max and see what options are available at that time (in the future)?

If I were you I'd just keep the iPhone you have and already like instead of accelerating things and wasting money. There's no need to even follow the rumors or think so much over such things. When you need a new iPhone, get a new iPhone. I find it really unlikely there won't be any big iPhone at that time, too, considering the way the trends have been going. Either way, seems like a problem better put off til that time.