Acquiring a brand-new iPhone is thrilling, yet it's costly and often unnecessary. The latest features may appear enticing, and it’s easy to get carried away by the buzz and make an unwise purchase.

If you’re aiming to save cash or reduce waste, here are ten common justifications that sound convincing but aren’t valid reasons to upgrade your iPhone.

10 You Desire the Latest Design

Most times, new iPhones receive only minor design tweaks and a selection of color options. However, every few generations, Apple introduces a completely fresh look, creating a clear distinction between old and new models.

It can be tough to find yourself on the "wrong" side of that divide, instantly feeling your iPhone is outdated and unattractive. Yet, this is undoubtedly the weakest justification to shell out for a new phone, particularly since major redesigns typically coincide with fewer actual changes to the phone itself.

If you're not fond of your iPhone looking dated and unfashionable, simply get a new case, alter the wallpaper, and try to move past it.

Related ##### How to Refresh Your Old iPhone

Achieve that fresh iPhone vibe without overspending.

Posts 9 Your Contract Is Finished -------------------------

When your phone is on a contract, it's tempting to grab an upgraded phone with a new contract once the term ends, but this is usually a blunder.

Cell providers depend on people renewing their contracts frequently, as it ensures customers will spend more over time. Instead, keep the phone you’ve been paying for the last few years, exit that contract, and switch to a much cheaper SIM-only plan.

Start setting aside the money you save each month, and in a few years—when your iPhone is truly old enough to justify an upgrade—you’ll have a lump sum you can use to buy one outright, likely with some extra funds left over.

8 You've Run Out of Space

Constantly receiving alerts that your iPhone storage is full isn’t enjoyable, but it’s not necessarily a reason to upgrade your iPhone. If you’ve just received this alert, there are numerous ways to tackle storage issues before considering an upgrade.

First, head to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and think about offloading apps and media to save space. Be sure to review the largest apps on your phone and see if you can free up some iPhone storage from them.

Related ##### 6 Tips to Keep Your iPhone Storage from Filling Up

I prefer having ample free space on my iPhone.

PostsIf none of that helps, consider subscribing to iCloud and uploading all your photos to the cloud. For years, I’ve happily paid for the 2TB iCloud tier and never faced any storage issues, despite having over 18,000 photos in my library.

Lastly, think about moving media to a computer instead of keeping it on your phone. This isn’t as convenient as cloud storage, but it’s cheaper, and many people feel more comfortable with it.

If you can’t find another way to create more space on your iPhone, only then should you start contemplating an upgrade with more storage.

7 It's a Bit Sluggish

There are numerous ways to fix a sluggish iPhone without jumping straight to an upgrade. One of the main culprits is running out of storage. So make sure to follow the advice above before proceeding further. Ideally, you’ll always keep about 10% of your storage space free.

If that doesn’t help, check for software updates—you might have a bug that needs fixing. Then close all apps and restart your iPhone. Background apps typically don’t slow down an iPhone or drain battery, but if one of them has malfunctioned, it could happen.

Finally, check your battery health by going to Settings > Battery. You might be surprised to learn that a degraded battery can also impact an iPhone’s performance. If your battery health is below 80%, you’ll likely notice it runs faster after a battery replacement (which is hundreds of dollars cheaper than a new phone).

Related ##### How to Speed Up a Slow iPhone

Regardless of whether your iPhone is old or new, there may be something you can do to enhance its performance.

Posts 6 The Screen Is Cracked ------------------------

Breaking your iPhone screen is frustrating, but you can simply replace the screen instead of spending five times that amount on a whole new phone. Even if other components are damaged, like the camera or charging port, you can often get affordable repairs before needing to consider replacing the entire device.

Of course, there are instances where your iPhone is so damaged that a repair doesn’t make sense. This is frequently the case with water damage, which affects all internal components, but it can also occur with a cracked screen if the damage is severe enough to harm the parts beneath.

In any case, take your iPhone to a professional repair shop—Apple or otherwise—before starting to think about an upgrade. Repairs may seem pricey initially, but they can extend the life of your smartphone and still save you hundreds of dollars on a new device. Just ensure you get a decent screen protector moving forward.

Related ##### The Best iPhone 13 Screen Protectors of 2024

Phone screens are the most fragile part of your device, so why not protect it with something you can easily replace?

Posts 5 You Want a Superior Camera ----------------------------

Although Apple enhances its iPhone cameras annually, the improvements are minor, and you’re unlikely to notice a big difference if you upgrade solely for that reason. Here’s an entirely unedited photo I took eight years ago on an iPhone 6S. In my opinion, it still looks fantastic.

A newer phone might have a better zoom, improved night mode, and smoother videos, but the vast majority of photos we take don’t require these features. Moreover, if you genuinely care about high-quality photos, you’re better off investing in a digital camera instead.

iPhone cameras are incredible, but they rely on tiny sensors that still can’t match the full-sized versions found in dedicated cameras. You can get a good camera for far less money than a new iPhone (especially if you shop used), and it’ll likely last you longer as well.

Related ##### The Best DSLR Cameras of 2024

DSLR cameras offer unparalleled quality to photographers seeking more creative control.

Posts 4 The Battery Life Is Poor --------------------------

The ongoing issue with aging smartphones is poor battery life. When phones reach a certain age, they need charging twice daily. Shortly after, you might need to plug them in after every meal to make it through the day. This is a major inconvenience and a common reason for people to upgrade their iPhone.

However, if the only problem with your iPhone is its battery, you can replace the battery for a fraction of the cost of a new phone. You can even use services like the Apple Repair Program or a kit from iFixit to do it yourself and save even more money.

You’ll be amazed at how much of a difference a new battery can make. Not only will it get you through the day again, but a new battery can even speed up your iPhone.

3 You Want New Hardware Features

The iPhone 16 series introduced significant hardware features by incorporating Action buttons and the Camera Control across every model. At first glance, these hardware features seem worthwhile, but they’re rarely as transformative as they appear.

Take the Action button: the most popular use for it is toggling the flashlight, but there’s already a button for that on the iPhone lock screen. Similarly, the Camera Control offers a quick way to launch the camera, but there’s already a button for that on the lock screen as well.

Related ##### First Impressions: The iPhone 16's Camera Control Falls Short

Camera Controls is a great shortcut button that’ll quickly be overlooked.

PostsEven hardware features people rave about—like a 120Hz ProMotion display—are not worth the price of a new iPhone. Sure, it makes the screen buttery smooth when I’m browsing the web, but that’s a minor quality-of-life enhancement and one that’s easy to live without.

Truly groundbreaking hardware features are incredibly rare in iPhones. Apple has already done an outstanding job creating an excellent smartphone, and any changes now are minor refinements that are mostly unnecessary.

2 You Want New Software

The above is the detailed content of 10 Bad Excuses to Upgrade Your iPhone. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!