The iPhone 14 launch is a perfect time to buy an iPhone 13

Older iPhones will be easy to buy.

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Usually, when a big new smartphone is coming, we advise you against buying the current model; theiPhone 14is expected very soon, so you’d think that theiPhone 13would therefore be a bad buy. However, that’s not quite true.

At the time of writing this story, we’re seeing modest discounts on some of the members of the iPhone 13 family, making them a little more affordable - sure, 6% isn’t huge, butAppleis a total stranger to large discounts.

So if you really need a new iPhone right now, rather than discourage you, we’re saying “go for it!”. But if you can wait, there might be an even better time just around the corner.

That’s because the iPhone 14 itself is expected to launch within the first two weeks of September, and that could have an impact on the older models. The exact effect will depend on whether Apple discontinues its older phones (as it sometimes does) or gives them a slight discount. But either way, there will be changes to the iPhone market.

When TechRadarspoke to refurbished tech company Backmarketearlier this year, it told us that the best time to buy second-hand gadgets was when the new model launched: “lots of devices become available as millions ditch their device in favor of the latest tech”. Presumably lots of iPhone fans will trade in their older models for newer ones, leaving lots of iPhone 13s on the market.

This influx of supply could affect sales prices, and you might be able to pick up a refurbished (or any second-hand) iPhone for a big price cut.

With the iPhone 14 just around the corner, it’s possible that some people have already started planning for their new phone, and you might be able to buy at a lower-cost discount already. But if you wait a little longer, prices will likely go even lower.

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So if you’re looking to buy the iPhone 13, it’s a pretty good time to right now, and will get even better in a week or two. That’s unless you can wait until theBlack Friday salesat the end of November, which could bring even better price cuts (or might not - there are no guarantees).

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.

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