Maybe youre jumping the gun.
Consider saving your money or spending it on something else instead.
And even if you are seeing some slowdown, there could be a cheaper resolution to that problem.
Benedek Alpar/Shutterstock.com
A Battery Upgrade Is Cheaper
As your iPhone ages, its battery will begin to fail.
Paying for an $89 battery upgrade fromApplecan restore this performance and your battery life too.
it’s possible for you to check your battery health under prefs > Battery > Battery Health & Charging.
PassMark Software
If your iPhone reports anything other than Peak Performance Capability then your battery is holding your gadget back.
But for the standard iPhone range, updates have been far more gradual.
As the iPhone matured, Apple sought to improve each new model.
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This isnt a new development.
Apple has been shipping great cameras on its iPhones for years.
In the right conditions, even an older iPhone camera passes the good enough bar for most people.
Apple
Smartphone cameras can only go so far, even in the latest models.
Thats why one of thebest ways to get better photos is to buy a real camerainstead.
These updates add new features, revamp core apps, and keep even older models feeling fresh.
Marcus Mears III / How-To Geek
On average, your iPhone should receive around six years of support.
If youreno longer receiving iOS updates, you might want to upgrade your iPhone to enjoy the latest features.
Youll miss out on major updates to apps like Safari, which could restrict web browsing capabilities.
Despite this, many old devices still get important security updates.
Although iPhone 5S support officially ended in September 2019, Apple issued a security update in January 2023.
The reality is that a minority of iPhone owners are using the latest and greatest hardware.
It benefits both app developers and users themselves to keep software compatible with and performant on older models.
Many developers will test their apps on older hardware to see how they perform.
Therefore, most app requirements are tied to the iOS version, rather than specific hardware.
The main exception here is demanding 3D games, which can have wildly varying performance depending on your hardware.
Even then, developers may tweak the software to boost performance on older models with lower resolutions.
You may be wondering why you should spend all that money to have the same user experience.
Maybe youre better off saving your money?
If youre determined to spend your money elsewhere, there are probably better things to spend it on.
If you dont yet havewireless earbudsor headphones, these might be a better buy.
Getnoise-canceling headphonesfor an even better experience.
There areeasy smart home upgradesthat are more transformative to your life than iPhone upgrades, and theyre cheaper too.
For intrepid explorers, the Emergency SOS satellite connectivity added to the iPhone 14 might have tipped the balance.
For others, thearrival of iPhone USB-C chargingmight be a big deal.
Factor in the many years of upgrades before you upgrade to assess the real value proposition.
For example, lets say you have an iPhone 11 and youre thinking of buying an iPhone 15.
