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iPhone 17 Would you hold on to your old iPhone, which continues to receive the latest iOS updates, without succumbing to the hype of purchasing a newer model?
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The phone itself doesn't magically "slow down". The only thing that's changing is the software you're running on them, and maybe the battery health. You can solve the former by leaving it with some usable version of the OS. You can solve the latter by having a new battery put in.
I think what you’re describing is the norm for the vast majority if iPhone users. The “get the latest shiny new thing” is mainly a result of YouTubers and influencers and their need to keep churning out new content, and only followed by a relatively small number if people.
“Everyone” isn’t talking about the iPhone 18. A relatively tiny amount if people, almost exclusively YouTubers and tech forum commenters. People outside thus group will only start thinking about te iPhone 18 range immediately before and then after those phones launch.
If you’re getting your phones via your network carrier, you’re more than likely upgrading very 24-36 months, based on the plan the carrier offers. If you buy your phone outright as a purchases seperate from a carrier, about 3 to 3.5 years is normal, and te older phone is either sold on the second-hand market or passed down to family member.
It’s worth remembering the hype on “enthusiast” forums doesn’t really represent the vast majority of users.
“Everyone” isn’t talking about the iPhone 18. A relatively tiny amount if people, almost exclusively YouTubers and tech forum commenters. People outside thus group will only start thinking about te iPhone 18 range immediately before and then after those phones launch.
If you’re getting your phones via your network carrier, you’re more than likely upgrading very 24-36 months, based on the plan the carrier offers. If you buy your phone outright as a purchases seperate from a carrier, about 3 to 3.5 years is normal, and te older phone is either sold on the second-hand market or passed down to family member.
It’s worth remembering the hype on “enthusiast” forums doesn’t really represent the vast majority of users.
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This. A lot of people online get all worked up about things the mainstream consumer often couldn’t care less about.
I always skip 2 or 3 or 4 versions. I don't need the latest version, unless it has features I really need. Most new models have only incremental improvements, not usually significant enough to me to justify upgrading. If you take care of them, they're good for at least 5 years or so. YMMV
No one outside of sites like MR is talking about the iPhone 18. In the real world people are focused on what is here and now, the iPhone 17, and some still asking for the 16 because they don’t like the look of the 17 Pro and ProMax.
What was your battery health before replacement and how was the phone perfeormance?
Did performance improve noticeably after replacement?
Yes, I am planning to keep my iPhone 14 Pro Max from Jan 23 to Sept 27, when the Fold 2 and the XX come out. I felt very hyped for the 17, but I managed to resist. Why change when I have a device that has one of the best camera arrays available still?
Although when I change, I admit I will think about more options than outright buying the phone (renting for example)
Although when I change, I admit I will think about more options than outright buying the phone (renting for example)
i would've updated to a 17 Pro from my base 11 if I didn't drop the latter in spring , completely shattering the display. both display and battery (health below 80 percent) were uneconomical in tandem to repair so I just got a 16 Pro. Felt awful to upgrade to a new phone only after having had the 11 for a little over 3 years but hopefully gonna run my 16 Pro until iPhone 21 at least
I'd still be using my 8-plus if I didn't drop it and shatter it. I went to the 15 as a result.
My son is using my wife's 8-plus - suits his needs to play a few games and chat with us and his friends.
This whole "must update yearly" is a bit exagerrated. Sure the "influencers" do it or suggest to do it, because very often they're paid to say that.
Get a new battery and enjoy your device as you see fit. If it works financially, then update and either trade the old phone in or sell or hand it down to someone else.
My son is using my wife's 8-plus - suits his needs to play a few games and chat with us and his friends.
This whole "must update yearly" is a bit exagerrated. Sure the "influencers" do it or suggest to do it, because very often they're paid to say that.
Get a new battery and enjoy your device as you see fit. If it works financially, then update and either trade the old phone in or sell or hand it down to someone else.
Agreed; yearly iPhone upgraders are something in the range of 8-10%. That's a lot of people, but it doesn't mean it's common. Influencers and enthusiasts are the majority of that, I'm sure.
I haven't heard ANYONE talking about the 18, outside of forums. I know plenty of iPhone uses that don't even know the 17 is available, they just buy whatever the newest device is when it's time to upgrade.
I would and DO. I'm still using an iPhone 12 Pro, and really, it about serves my needs just fine, just as it has for five+ years. Phones are expensive these days, and I'm not going to upgrade until there's some compelling reason to do so. No more security updates would do that. A folding phone might. Also possible but less likely is some other new feature. Eventually I'll run out of storage - that would be a reasonable time to upgrade too.
I *AM* a photographer (as in professional), so I don't need the best available camera. Generally speaking if I'm that concerned, I'll use my "regular" cameras, although the iPhone 12 Pro's cameras actually do a mighty fine job for many things.
I *AM* a photographer (as in professional), so I don't need the best available camera. Generally speaking if I'm that concerned, I'll use my "regular" cameras, although the iPhone 12 Pro's cameras actually do a mighty fine job for many things.
Just saw this about upgrading. It's happening less-and-less:
I have no personal attachment to my iPhone. It isn't something I need to hold onto. It is just a tool. A window into my content. When a better window comes along, I will trade it for the better one, without thinking twice about. The monthly cost is minimal, and far less than other things we pay for and receive far less value for.
My last two upgrades have been at 3 and then 2 years. The 2 year upgrade only happened because we switched carriers and I got it for free. I'm hoping to keep this phone for 4 years, maybe more. I don't see anything on the horizon that would make me want to upgrade earlier than that.
Well that can be true to a degree, but for example I'm *hardly* having my iPhone 12 Pro get in my way. The things I do with it simply aren't stressing even this "old" technology. If they were getting in my way, I'm one of the first to upgrade something. I had a perfectly powerful M1 Max MacBook Pro for my photography business. At three years old it was probably half of the way through its lifetime. But then I needed to do heavyweight CAD, and the M1 was staggering around and getting in my way. It took me about two months to upgrade to an M4 Max Studio - because I clearly saw that that M1 was getting in my way. And that was a much bigger, more expensive upgrade than a phone.
The truth of the matter is that hardware is mostly growing faster than applications, so it just doesn't hurt much for people like me to run a 5-6 year upgrade cycle.
I have been. Still using an iPhone 11 Pro Max on iOS 26 I got at launch.
Battery is shot, storage (lack thereof) is constantly butting heads with iCloud optimize storage, safari tabs can be really slow and constantly reload, etc...
But considering its age and the amount of usage I got out of it I really can't complain. I have over 140 hours of talk time on it which is crazy to me considering how fast I try to get off the phone.
I've been eyeing up a iPhone 17 Pro though, MIGHT wait till the 18.
Battery is shot, storage (lack thereof) is constantly butting heads with iCloud optimize storage, safari tabs can be really slow and constantly reload, etc...
But considering its age and the amount of usage I got out of it I really can't complain. I have over 140 hours of talk time on it which is crazy to me considering how fast I try to get off the phone.
I've been eyeing up a iPhone 17 Pro though, MIGHT wait till the 18.
Right how silly. People are worried about cost of living issues more so than an dumb phone come on now.
I had an iPhone 5, then for 8 years was on Samsung flagship phones from S5-Note 8, then went to iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and my current iPhone 17 Pro Max. I only upgraded this time because my fiancé’s oneplus was acting up (dying during the night with sufficient battery that should’ve lasted him which resulted in him missing his alarm for work - he’s in the military so you know what happens when you’re late) and if it charged it would take forever to get to 5%. He couldn’t afford to get himself a new phone outright so I asked him if he’d be interested in my 15 Pro Max (because he mentioned that he’d be willing to try for an iPhone) then I could get myself the 17 Pro Max. He agreed and so we went that route. I only upgraded so he could have the 15 Pro Max that way he can gain experience on it and learn the phone and eventually he could get himself the latest model when he sees fit. He’s usually not the type that cares for having the latest and greatest. He just wants something that’s reliable and that works for his needs. With that being said, I plan on keeping my 17 Pro Max for a while. I have apple care plus on it so if I need to replace the battery when it goes below 80% I will do so. But I won’t upgrade again unless I absolutely have to because these phones are built to last and I don’t need a new phone every single year. Besides I got the 2TB for my 17 pro max and my 15 pro max has 1tb so we’re both set on storage! Plus our cameras are great on both phones.