Upgrading your phone usually costs anywhere from $0 to hundreds of dollars, depending on your carrier contract, phone's remaining balance, condition, and if you trade in your old device, with common fees like early upgrade charges ($99-$249) for damaged phones or a few months of your old plan's remaining cost if still under contract. You can reduce costs significantly with trade-ins, refurbished options, and timing upgrades around sales.
Your wireless provider may charge you upgrade processing charges or early termination penalties. If you're on a financing plan, you may also have to pay off the balance on your current phone before upgrading.
TL;DR - Buying the most recent device at a discount is a better choice than buying an older one (for 25% cheaper) because of it getting 1/2 more years of updates, the device having normal specs for said year instead of specs that were normal two years ago, etc. In general, more value/cost.
Often, people choose to upgrade due to new models being released, which can be quite tempting. But if there is nothing wrong with your phone in terms of functionality and you are still able to get the latest updates, then we suggest keeping hold of your phone for longer.
Products are considered obsolete when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 7 years ago.
The 20-80 rule for iPhones suggests keeping the battery charge between 20% and 80% to minimize stress on the lithium-ion battery, thereby extending its overall lifespan and health by avoiding the high-stress points of full discharge (0%) and full charge (100%). While not a strict necessity for daily use, this practice reduces battery degradation by avoiding deep discharges and the taxing final 20% of charging, helping maintain battery capacity longer, though modern iPhones have built-in features like Optimized Battery Charging to manage this.
Generally, buying a phone outright and getting a SIM-only plan is cheaper in the long run, as you avoid inflated plan costs and potential interest, allowing you to use more affordable plans and retain flexibility. However, plans can be better if you can't afford the upfront cost or if you want the latest flagship and find a great deal, though you're locked in and pay more overall due to higher monthly service fees.
What to know before you upgrade your phone. And how to protect your new one
We're giving some customers complimentary handsets to ensure they stay connected after the 3G network closure on 28 October 2024. From today, we will be providing around 12,000 complimentary mobile devices for some of our customers who are in difficult situations, live rurally or are elderly.
With proper care, a smartphone can last up to 2-5 years or more. Regular maintenance, such as using a protective case, avoiding full battery depletion, and keeping the software updated, can significantly extend its life.
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
If you're buying outright your plan won't change. If you're going to finance the phones you may need to change the plan if you're going to take advantage of a promotion.
In order to upgrade, you need to make or have made the equivalent of at least 12 payments. You can pay any remaining balance needed to meet your 12 payments at the time of upgrade.
If you'd prefer to carry out extensive research and find satisfaction with the perfect phone, go for an online purchase. But if you want a smooth, simple experience with straightforward expert advice, in-store might be the best place to buy your phones.
Upgrade Fee means the fee payable by a customer in exchange with an Upgrade.
7 ways to transfer data from one android smartphone to another
Dialing *#21# on your phone checks the status of your unconditional call forwarding, revealing if your calls, texts, or data are being redirected to another number without you knowing, often without leaving traces on your phone bill; it's a standard network code to see your carrier's call forwarding settings, not a definitive "hacking" tool, but useful for detecting unauthorized forwarding.
everything else that isn't your phone number, will still be on your phone after you remove the SIM card.
For the best budget phone in Australia, the Samsung Galaxy A56 is a top all-rounder, while the Google Pixel 9a excels at photography; for ultra-budget, the Motorola Moto G15/G35 offers great value, and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro provides strong features under $400, but Samsung's A-series and Google's Pixel a-series consistently lead for overall budget quality, screens, and cameras.
Gen Z is buying dumb phones to combat digital addiction, improve mental health, and regain focus by reducing constant notifications and social media comparison, allowing for more present, intentional tech use with simpler devices that offer calls/texts without the overwhelming features of smartphones, leading to better sleep, productivity, and less anxiety, says www.abc.net.au. This trend is a conscious move towards digital wellness, prioritizing real-world connections and reducing "compare and despair" cycles from curated online lives, The Guardian.
Yes, the iPhone 15 is still a great buy in 2025, especially if upgrading from an iPhone 12 or older, offering significant improvements in battery, camera, Dynamic Island, and USB-C at a much lower refurbished price. It delivers excellent performance and long-term value, but users coming from Pro models or wanting the latest AI features might prefer the newer iPhone 16 or 17, as the base 15 lacks the 120Hz ProMotion display found in Pro models.
It's especially important to avoid exposing your device to ambient temperatures higher than 95° F (35° C), which can permanently damage battery capacity. That is, your battery won't power your device as long on a given charge. Charging the device in high ambient temperatures can damage it further.
You can charge your iPhone every night even if the battery isn't fully depleted. iPhone automatically stops charging when the battery is fully charged, so it's safe to keep your iPhone connected to a charger overnight. Charging resumes automatically if your battery level drops below 95 percent.
So while charging to 100% won't “ruin” your phone, it can make your battery age faster. Luckily, most modern smartphones do have settings now to help you optimize charging, but a good rule of thumb is balancing convenience with constant overcharging.