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Be Smart About Your Next Smart(er) Phone
Here’s why smartphone upgrades don’t have to cost a fortune
With the latest flagship smartphones like the iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S10 carrying price tags near — or over — $1,000, upgrading to a premium phone may seem out of reach to someone on a limited budget.
But it doesn’t have to be. The pace of smartphone innovation has slowed from the breakneck speed of a few years back. In fact, the most recent tweaks to brand-new models have tended to be more about refining existing features than rolling out indispensable new technology.
What that means is that slightly older models — the flagships of two or even three years ago — can offer a great deal for users looking for an upgrade that won’t break the bank.
Older versions priced to sell
Think of buying a smartphone the way you would buying a car. Dealers always put the latest models, with the biggest price tag, out front. But look around the lot and you’ll find plenty of perfectly good choices from recent model years that have gone unsold — and that the dealer needs to move.
