Other Trading in current iPhone vs keeping it as a backup/emergency device?

[javisan]

Hi everyone,

I will be upgrading to the 12 series coming from an 8+. I always buy my iPhones SIM unlocked at full price directly through Apple and always trade-in or sell my previous iPhone, not because I need the money to be able to upgrade (I don't), but because I've always thought it would be wasteful to just leave an old iPhone in the drawer loosing value to then end up trading it in or selling it years later for close to nothing.

This year though I'm debating if it makes sense to just keep my 8+ around as backup in case anything happens to my 12 (to get me by until I find a proper replacement or wait until the next iPhone release).

Do you guys/gals always trade-in your old iPhones or do you like keeping one around as a backup?

 

[bounty1097]

I guess it depends on how often you needed a backup phone in the past. I never needed a backup phone and so I alwalys trade-in. I am upgrading from 10s max for which the trade-in price from apple is 370. So I will definitely trade-in

 

[canuckRus]

I'll second that especially since my current 6S's trade-in value wouldn't even cover the tax on a new one. In addition I NOW REQUIRE a back-up cellphone just in case to let food delivery people into my building during this pandemic. In the past I used to trade in my old phones.

 

[kanga1622]

We have only one time gone without one of our phones because we didn't have a backup. But we still won't have a backup phone in the house. There are two adults in the house with phones and shortly the preteen will as well. If I was a single person, I could always run to Walmart to grab a crappy prepaid phone to get me through if I was desperate.

The one time it would have been handy: Hubby was out of town. On the last night of his trip, he plugged the phone in to charge and went to sleep. When he woke up, it wasn't charged much. He plugged it in again and it sparked. Phone lasted for most of the drive home before the battery died and it was DOA. Placed an order first thing the next morning and stopped in to a Verizon store for a new phone. All told, he had less than 24 hours without a phone.

 

[MDePew24]

Hi everyone,

I will be upgrading to the 12 series coming from an 8+. I always buy my iPhones SIM unlocked at full price directly through Apple and always trade-in or sell my previous iPhone, not because I need the money to be able to upgrade (I don't), but because I've always thought it would be wasteful to just leave an old iPhone in the drawer loosing value to then end up trading it in or selling it years later for close to nothing.

This year though I'm debating if it makes sense to just keep my 8+ around as backup in case anything happens to my 12 (to get me by until I find a proper replacement or wait until the next iPhone release).

Do you guys/gals always trade-in your old iPhones or do you like keeping one around as a backup?

Personally, I always keep my device to not only use as a backup but I use it as a demo device for what I do for work so I keep mine but it really comes down to personal preference. I also like seeing the changes in technology from the original through current models.

 

[eyoungren]

Hi everyone,

I will be upgrading to the 12 series coming from an 8+. I always buy my iPhones SIM unlocked at full price directly through Apple and always trade-in or sell my previous iPhone, not because I need the money to be able to upgrade (I don't), but because I've always thought it would be wasteful to just leave an old iPhone in the drawer loosing value to then end up trading it in or selling it years later for close to nothing.

This year though I'm debating if it makes sense to just keep my 8+ around as backup in case anything happens to my 12 (to get me by until I find a proper replacement or wait until the next iPhone release).

Do you guys/gals always trade-in your old iPhones or do you like keeping one around as a backup?

I've never sold a phone I was done with and I have only traded a phone in for credit once. That was when we switched carriers after 16 years with the first carrier. I've given away more than one phone because I had it when someone else needed one.

Admittedly, I don't have a use for the old flip phones, but I put the old smartphones to various purposes. Mainly that's streaming music, leaving my Macs and primary phone alone to do their jobs.

I do have a secondary phone (my 6s+) which has an active SIM.

 

[PrimeTimeMKTO]

I pay for mobile protection so I don't ever really need a backup. I always sell or trade in, depending on trade in value. At $440 for a trade in this year, I'll be going that route.