Apple announced its new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max today. Like in past years, that means discounts for older models and discontinuations.
Apple has lowered the starting price of its iPhone 8 and iPhone XR models by $150. The iPhone 8 and iPhone XR now start at $449 and $599, respectively. At the same time, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. You’ll still be able to get these phones if you look hard enough, but not through any official channels.
If you’re not interested in this year’s phones, now is the best time to get a “new” iPhone without paying the premium for the latest and greatest. Exact pricing will vary depending on your country, taxes, and whether you’re buying directly from Apple or from a carrier. As of today, here is the new iPhone lineup (all starting with 64GB of storage):
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These phones can of course be upgraded to iOS 13, which Apple is releasing on September 19. That’s extra incentive for buying 2017’s and 2018’s models, but keep in mind they won’t get new software updates forever.
Three years ago, Apple debuted the iPhone Upgrade Program, which lets you get a new unlocked iPhone every year directly from the company rather than from your carrier. If you can afford it, you’re probably better off simply buying a new phone upfront — it’s almost always better to handle the reselling and purchasing yourself. If, however, you’re looking for convenience, or just don’t like paying your carrier, then the iPhone Upgrade Program is a decent option.
This is not the first time that Apple is selling so “few” iPhones at once: iPhone 8 ($449), iPhone 8 Plus ($549), iPhone XR ($599), iPhone 11 ($699), iPhone 11 Pro ($999), and iPhone 11 Pro Max ($1,099). In 2017, Apple upped the ante from five to eight iPhones. In 2018, the company cut back the number of iPhones to seven. This year, Apple is back down to six iPhones.
