Own an iPhone 5S and want an upgrade? Wait for the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7
While the iPhone 5S is certainly starting to show its age, it’s still a very capable smartphone, and provides users with pretty much every functionality one would desire. Sure, the iPhone 6 launched in 2014, and it’s better in many regards, but the difference between the 5S and the 6 or 6 Plus isn’t big enough to warrant the significant cost of buying Apple’s newest flagship right now. However, we understand the desire many iPhone 5 or 5S owners might have for something better or simply something new. So is shelling out cash on the slightly better iPhone 6 or the bigger iPhone 6 Plus?
Probably not. If you don’t own an Apple phone, or have an even older one, now would be a good time to pick up an iPhone 5S. It’s still holding its own fiercely, it’s benefiting from the latest iOS updates (yes, iOS 8.1.3 is coming to it too), it still has a great screen, runs well, is stable and has a good camera. Sure, battery life can be a pain sometimes, but it’s not like the newer iPhone 6 stands much better in that regard (or most high-end Android phone, for that matter). And while the phone is still rather expensive brand new and off contract, Apple and many retailers have recently shown a tendency to offer significant discounts for older tablets and smartphones from the Cupertino-based company’s line-up, as we’ve seen recently with the iPad Air 2.
Now, assuming you already own an iPhone 5S, we advise you to hold off on buying an iPhone 6 at this point, unless the urge to upgrade is too great to resist. Why? Mainly because Apple is expected to release a new smartphone later this summer or early in the fall of 2015. Whether or not it will be the iPhone 7 or the iPhone 6S remains unknown, although the latter scenario seems more likely. As Apple has shown us already, S variants are always better in many aspects than their initial siblings, and this will most likely will be the case with the iPhone 6S or 6S Plus. It’s not going to cost a lot more than the current iPhone 6 retail price, and it will certainly be better, so waiting a few more months is advisable. If Apple will go for the iPhone 7 route instead, the same principle applies – you’ll be getting more phone for the same buck. We’ve already seen signs of a new CPU in the upcoming iPhone family member, a CPU tweaked to make the most of the confirmed iOS 9, which might not make it to older phones. Add to that the confirmed rumors that Apple is developing DDR4 RAM for its next flagship, and you have solid reasons to keep your money in your wallet for now. Compared to the current DDR3 RAM, DDR4 comes with twice the bandwidth, and Apple is believed to double in RAM size as well, not just in speed.
Even if you’re not interested in the upcoming iPhone 6S or 7, the current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will definitely become cheaper as the new models are launched, so upgrading later this year will save you money. And until then, you can still use your iPhone 5S knowing that there aren’t that many advantages to upgrading to the 2014 sibling right now anyway. Sure, Apple would love its customers to upgrade to each new phone every year, but this is hardly necessary and cost effective to the end-user, so unless you have excess money lying around, we strongly recommend you hold off until the summer.