IPhone upgrade? Decision not simple
Each year about this time, Apple launches yet another version of the iPhone, and owners of previous models have a decision to make: upgrade or stick with what they’ve got. For those who must have the shiniest new tech, it might not be difficult.
Other mortals might be conflicted.
And it’s even more complicated this year. On Friday, Apple began selling the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, iterations of the same design it has offered since the iPhone 6. Yes, there’s a faster processor, a glass back that allows for wireless charging, an improved screen and a better camera. But when you put one of these in a case and start using it, it looks and mostly behaves like the iPhone you’re replacing.
But next month, Apple also begins selling a redesigned model called the iPhone X (pronounced “10,” not “ecks”). While it shares much of the guts of the
8 and 8 Plus, it has a completely different look built around a more advanced screen type called OLED that extends across most of the phone’s front. It has a bigger display than even the 8 Plus — 5.7 inches compared with 5.5 inches — but the width of the X is closer to the smaller 8. Because of this, it does not look much like your father’s iPhone.
The X has some other things going for it. It has no Home button at the bottom of the screen, nor does it use Apple’s fingerprintbased Touch ID to unlock it. Instead, there’s Face ID, which uses a camera, infrared sensor and even a tiny projector to read your face to unlock the phone. That same technology is used to power animated emojis that record the movements of your face as you leave an audio message, a feature that will either delight or annoy the hell out of your friends.
The iPhone X is the way Apple’s smartphones will look going forward, and riding this new wave will cost you. It starts at $999 for one with 64 gigabytes of storage. If that’s not enough room on your device, you’ll shell out $1,149 for a 256-GB model. (The 8 and 8 Plus also come with only these size choices.) By contrast, the iPhone 8 starts at $699, the 8 Plus at $799.
If you want to upgrade to a new iPhone, it helps to think about the kind of smartphone user you are, and what model you have now.
If you have an iPhone 5S or older
This is pretty much a no-brainer. The 8, 8 Plus or X will run circles around these older phones — and, really, anything older than the 6S series. Apple’s new A11 Bionic processor, which powers all three new models, is one of the fastest mobile chips. The difference in speed alone will be worth it.
In addition, Apple has dramatically improved the camera, display and capacity of its smartphones several times over since 2013, when the 5S was launched. Changes are even more dramatic if your phone is older, such as a 4 or 4S.
One other thing to note: The 5S is the oldest phone that can support iOS 11, the latest version of the mobile operating system — and given that new operating systems tend to bog down the oldest iPhones, it’s probably not a great idea to install it on a 5S.
The iPhone 8 is the most budget-conscious of the newest iPhones, and if you’re moving from a 16GB iPhone to a 64-GB model, the difference in storage space will be a revelation. You could also consider the 7 or 6S, which Apple is still selling, but you’ll start out behind the tech curve even though you have a brand new device.
By the way, if you’re concerned about the size of the larger screens, there’s always the iPhone SE, which has the guts of an iPhone 6S in a 5’s body, with its smaller 4-inch screen.
If you have an iPhone 6 or 6S
Here’s where things get a little trickier.
The 6 series is where Apple increased the base side of the screen to 4.7 inches, introduced the larger Plus model, and launched the design that it has stuck with through the 8 series. If you’ve got an iPhone 6 or 6S, buying the 8 or 8 Plus will get you a device that looks quite similar.
But the camera on both models is much better, with a larger sensor that pulls more information into the 12-megapixel rear camera. The 8 Plus — like the 7 Plus before it — includes a Portrait Mode feature that can blur the background of a shot, and now also allows you to change the lighting style after the fact when shooting portraits.
Those features are also in the iPhone X, which bring Portrait Mode to the front-facing camera, as well. That means your selfies will be even ... selfier!
In this case, the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus may be the best choice if you want to stick with a device that includes the familiar Home button. Face ID is brand new, and while early reports from journalists who tried the iPhone X after Apple’s launch event are positive, it hasn’t been tested in the wild yet.
For those seeking the comfort of familiarity as they leap from the 6 or 6S to a newer iPhone, the 8 series might be a better choice.
If you have an iPhone 7
In the past, conventional wisdom decreed there was no need to upgrade to a new phone if the device you have is just a year old. Indeed, the changes between the 7 series and the 8 are somewhat incremental — a slightly better camera, glass back, wireless charging, the same True Tone display found in the iPad Pro. But one thing that has changed in a big way is how we pay for these pricey smartphones.
Beginning with the iPhone 6S series, Apple introduced the iPhone Upgrade Plan, which lets you get a new phone every year if you want. The cost of the phone is spread out over 2 years, but after 12 payments, you can trade it in for a newer model. The major cellular carriers have introduced similar payment plans. If you’re the kind of person who gets a new phone at least every two years, and you’re always paying on a phone, you may as well get a new model each year.
This is what I opted to do. I went from an iPhone 7 Plus to an 8 Plus, mainly because the Upgrade Plan allowed me to ... and because of the improvements in the camera. I opted not to get an iPhone X because of the cost and because I want to stick for now with an iPhone with a Home button.
If you’ve got an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus and you’re not on one of these plans, you can probably pass on an 8 series. The iPhone X, however, might hold allure if you’re dying to get your hands on its slick new design, want a full-screen display with no bezels or feel compelled to send your friends talking poop emojis.
In that case, knock yourself out.