New phone release seems like a never-ending story. People around the world are always in anticipation of new products with more sophisticated features. Every year, companies proudly present their products while hundreds of people gather to see what’s new. But what IS new anyway? Bigger screen? Longer battery life? Better camera? More file storage? If so, why should you spend an extra hundred dollars on these when you can purchase old phone with similar features?
If that does not convince you enough, we have 8 more reasons why you should turn your head away from the “New Arrival” isle. Without further ado and pointless anticipation, let’s get to it!
1. The prices have dropped
The most obvious reason is saving money. Compare any old phone with its new price back when it was first released. You will see a huge price drop. Some even half of its price now! The fact is that you will be paying more than you should when you purchase a new phone. It is not necessarily your fault. It is just the work of one of the laws of the economy: supply vs. demand. When a product is first released, the demand is quite high. As time goes by, the demand decreases, and so does the price. All you need to do is to wait for a little and you will end up saving a lot of money. Defeat the system by choosing to purchase old phone!
2. Its accessories are cheaper
Besides the phone itself, all the accessories you need with it are cheaper as well. From phone cases, chargers, headphones, screen protectors, to even replacement parts are now available at cheaper prices. And you don’t have to compete with other buyers as they are too busy eyeing on the next upcoming products. You have all the choices you want (almost) to yourself.
3. It still works
Some people tend to buy new releases after a new release, tossing the old phone they had only for less than a year. One of the reasons is the fear of owning one that will no longer usable for not having the latest features. This cannot be more wrong. New features are usually just an upgrade from the old ones. So, even if you purchase old phone, it would still work even without the latest features. They won’t still be selling it if it’s not working anymore. Besides, did you know that some phone companies allow old phone users to upgrade theirs to the new phone’s features?
4. Easier to fix
As the price of its replacement parts goes down, old phones are cheaper and easier to fix. Besides the price drop, these parts are easier to obtain. And your phone will not be the first one with the same brand and model that the repair shop had to fix. This way, they are more experienced in fixing yours. Better yet, they may do a quicker job compared to what they do with new phones!
5. It has been tested by real customers
Besides the repair shop’s experience, you will get to benefit from the other buyers if you choose to purchase old phone. When a phone is first introduced, it has only been tested by selected customers, not the entire world. Chances are some products from the first marketed batch are dejected or simply need a little more adjustment. The company will take the feedback and create another batch of product that has been improved. When you purchase old phone, you will get your hands on those later batches. Whatever it was lacking from the previous batches have been repaired and adjusted. Quality assured even more.
6. Many reviews available online
As more people buy one particular product, you will find more reviews online. This will help you decide if the old phone you have been eyeing on is as good as you think. The more good reviews, the more trustworthy a product is. You may also have the chance to ask your friends and family who had first bought the same phone, or at least from the same series. This way, you avoid disappointment most customers get when the product does not meet their expectations. You will have more time and resources to do your research before finally making the decision.
7. Familiarity to its features
Many of us cannot resist the sparks of a new phone that comes with new features. But we don’t realize that it takes effort to get used to them. It’s time-consuming and sometimes, it can be frustrating too. Save yourself from this situation by opting to purchase old phone!
Older phones offer a more familiar feature that we’re all used to. The new feature does the same job as the old ones. Thanks to the familiarity, no need to adjust to a new system that might be confusing. This reason alone should be enough to convince you to purchase old phone, especially if you’re planning on buying a gift for your parents or grandparents.
8. It has all you need minus the exclusivity fee
Let’s take a few steps back and ask yourself this question: what are you looking for in a phone? Most of us use a phone to make a phone call, text, take photos, store downloaded files, surfing the internet, and accessing social media. You don’t need the latest product for all of these. Any phone released in the past decade can do these jobs well. What makes a phone great is not really about the year phone is produced, but the specs and quality of production. Guess what, many old phones are even better than the new ones. And the best part is: they are cheaper!
Conclusion
Old phone works just as well as a new phone. Lacking new features does not mean it won’t do its job. When you can get the same (if not better) quality for the same (if not lower) price, why choose something more expensive? Purchase old phone now to save yourself some trouble while saving money!
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10 Things to Consider Before You Purchase Old Phone
Introduction
When you choose to purchase old phone, you get to take a new product home while saving money. And the benefit does not just stop there. Everything else that comes with the phone – including charger replacement and headphones – are also available at more affordable prices. Buying a new-old phone promises better satisfaction level compared to buying a brand new one hastily, because you will have more time to research, consider, and process everything until you are 100% sure. Now the question is: which old phone is going to be your new best friend? Before making the ultimate decision, here are some things you need to consider.
1. The brand’s reputation today
It is safe to say that the brand you are choosing says a lot about the quality of the phone. Old or new, this is an important factor. We are not merely suggesting you buy phones from popular brands, though. Smaller yet competitive brands can also offer great choices for old phones. What you need to look at is their current reputation. It is wise not to purchase old phone from a company that’s losing money.
2. Specs version
Even some of the latest phones still come with old specs. This is one of the most common moves made by phone companies to produce new phones at a competitive price. However, imagine how far back it would be if you decide to purchase old phone, even way older one from the same series. Besides the year it was first released, check the version of each spec the phone carries. Take a look at the details of the phone’s processor, chips, and RAM. Make sure the old phone you’re buying has a particular year’s latest specs. The better the specs, the more compatible your phone will be with new software and apps.
3. Price comparison
Buying a new-old phone is mostly about saving money. The longer you wait, the lower its price would be. However, how much the price drops depends on the demand level changes as well. In the perfect scenario, you would want to buy the one with the biggest price drop. Spare a little more time researching these price differences. It would be nice to boast about how much you have saved!
4. Warranty
While most newly released phones come with great warranty offers, old phones may not. If you’re okay with that, then we have no problem. Besides, do we use that warranty anyway? Only 10% of phone owners eventually have to the warranty anyway. However, if this is a big deal to you, don’t be discouraged. Some companies still offer a 1 or 2-year warranty with any purchase, even with their oldest product. This is also why looking at the company’s current reputation is important before you decide to purchase old phone.
5. Durability
Even if you are buying a product produced five years ago, it does not hurt to check today’s reviews. This is important. Browse online for any current or former phone users to see how durable this old phone is. Better yet, find someone you know who might own this phone in the past and ask them directly what they think. There’s nothing better than a genuine first-hand review from the people you trust. This will give you an idea if you have made the right choice.
6. Replacement parts
Any electronics, including phones, may require some fixing and tinkering after a while. And this process requires new replacement parts. Even though they are cheaper, old phone’s parts can be scarce and hard to find once the company stops producing it. Why does this matter?
The phone’s replacement parts availability determines its longevity. For instance, if this old phone comes with a removable battery, you have to make sure you can get a replacement in case it’s broken, or else, you have to buy an entirely new phone.
7. Software
These days, we don’t even know how many software updates our phone had to go through in a year. So, when you finally decide to purchase old phone, think about how far back this old phone’s software is. Some phones will automatically download the latest software update immediately upon activation. But some may not. Fortunately, some companies provide free upgrades at their official stores. Regardless, it is still something you need to consider. You don’t want to end up with one non-upgradable phone.
8. IOS Version
Even though most stores provide an IOS upgrading service, some old phones just cannot be upgraded. Or they can only be upgraded to a certain version. Of course, any old phone still can function even with an IOS version from three years back. What you need to consider is the fact that some mobile apps may not be compatible with these older IOS.
9. The latest versions
Before you get too excited when you see how much the price has dropped, take a look at the phone’s latest versions. Sometimes, newer versions are designed to fix the flaws of the previous. This may indicate a fundamental issue carried by the old phone. Take a look at what specs they improved, then compare them to the older version.
10. Market status
Further along, regarding the improvement issue, find out about the old phone’s last market status. Why did the company stop producing it? Is it simply because they moved their focus onto the newer products? Or because it wasn’t well accepted by the global market? Don’t get us wrong. We are not trying to scare you away from your smart decision. These worse cases are not commonly found. Usually, when a product is considered as a defect, there would have been a recall and the product itself will not be sold in the market anymore.
Conclusion
We all agree that buying a new-old phone gives so much more benefit. As long as you consider these 10 things and do your research well, you will end up owning the phone of your dream without having to pay the extra money. Choosing old phones over new phones is the best decision smart buyers should make. So, what are you waiting for? Take your pick today!