The iPhone 12 is an excellent phone, and getting one now may be better than waiting for whatever the next iPhone turns out to be.
Sarah Tew/CNET
This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.
Apple’s next iPhone, which we expect to be called the iPhone 13, might get its reveal in just a few days. While it’s not confirmed yet, Apple is holding a Sept. 14 event where we expect the new iPhone line to debut, and if it does there’ll like be an iPhone 12 price drop. Especially depending on your personal budget and iPhone wish list, you may only need certain features that you can find in earlier Apple products like the iPhone 12, iPhone 11 or iPhone SE, or may get in the rumored iPhone SE 3.
If you’re on the fence as to which path to take, that’s understandable. But don’t stress. This guide spells out when you should consider getting an iPhone now over waiting just a few more days. This way you can feel confident you’ve made the right call.
Read more: iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: What rumors say about Apple’s next phone
If you’re still using an outdated iPhone, you may be trying to decide whether an immediate upgrade to an iPhone 12 makes sense.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Using an old, outdated iPhone?
One of the best reasons to snap up a new phone is if your current one is hopelessly outdated. If you own an iPhone 11, upgrading to an iPhone 12 now probably isn’t worth it. You won’t see enough of a difference in performance and features, especially compared with what will likely come with the iPhone 13. However, if you can hang on until the next iPhone comes out, your patience will have a chance of being rewarded.
The calculus is very different for owners of older iPhones like the iPhone X series. Going for the iPhone 12 gives you an advanced A14 Bionic CPU, plus an OLED screen. Just those two enhancements represent a massive upgrade over phones from just a few years ago.
That said, if your phone still turns on and functionally does everything you need it to do, just wait a few more days. Phones as far back as the 2015 iPhone 6S are able to run iOS 14 and will be updated to iOS 15, so there’s no reason to make the jump unless your phone is truly broken.
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The need for 5G speed
5G wireless isn’t available everywhere, and its capabilities have been a little overhyped. That said, the iPhone 12 is the first and currently the only iPhone compatible with 5G. So if you have a burning desire to connect to 5G cellular networks and have access to one, then the iPhone 12 will scratch that itch immediately. Of course, the iPhone 13 will most likely also link to 5G, so waiting is fine too.
Living with a damaged iPhone screen is never fun.
Jamea Martin/CNET
Cracked screen, failing battery and other reasons to get that new iPhone now
Living with a device that’s been damaged or functions poorly is rough. For example, it’s hard to ignore a fractured screen since you see the defect daily. The same is true of a failing battery that can’t hold as much charge as it once could. If your iPhone suffers from these types of frustrating issues, an immediate upgrade to an iPhone 12 is justified.
The iPhone 12’s ceramic shield screen held up well during our torture tests.
Chris Parker/CNET
iPhone 12 has a ceramic shield display
One of the iPhone 12’s big improvements is the material of its display. Apple calls it “ceramic shield” glass. Made by Corning, the ceramic shield glass covering the phone’s display is harder than most metals. Indeed, we can confirm the iPhone 12’s ceramic shield’s toughness. When we put the iPhone 12 to the test, the handset came through with flying colors. So if you’re a huge klutz prone to slips and drops, springing for this current iPhone is a wise move. Those who feel they can avoid mishaps may want to wait, though. The iPhone 13 will likely also come with a ceramic shield display.
New features in the works
The iPhone 13 will definitely come with brand-new features the iPhone 12 lacks. If the rumor mill is correct, the device will boast a 120Hz display and would be the first iPhone to do so. Right now the iPhone 12’s screen has a 60Hz refresh rate. The faster refresh rate will translate to smoother, snappier scrolling through apps and websites. Apple will probably enhance the iPhone 13’s camera too, something the company does every year. Also keep in mind that Apple only provides software updates to its phones for a finite amount of time. Waiting too long and eventually you’ll be locked out of the latest OS.
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Price may be the deciding factor
As the saying goes, money talks. If you can find a significant deal on the iPhone 12, it may be enough to ease your indecision. Perhaps you’re planning to switch carriers. If so, the wireless provider you’d like to move to may offer trade-in specials that could offset a lot of the cost of a new phone. Also consider holding out until the iPhone 13 is announced, especially when it’s quite possibly just a few days away. Prices for the iPhone 12 will presumably plummet then. Depending on what the iPhone 13 turns out to be, getting a heavily discounted iPhone 12 may be a better option.
And while we don’t know for certain what the prices of new iPhone models would be, we’ve made educated guesses. Chances are good the iPhone 13 line will be priced similarly to the iPhone 12 line. Then again, Apple could sell it for much less. Samsung and Google asked for less cash for the Galaxy S20 FE and Pixel 5 in 2020. The Samsung Galaxy S21 had a $200 discount compared with the model before it.
Fingers crossed.
For more, here’s how the iPhone 12 compared with the iPhone 11, whether you should buy an iPhone 12, iPhone 11 or iPhone SE and everything coming in iOS 15. You can also take a look at what products we expect from the next Apple event and all the rumors about the Apple Watch 7, AirPods 3 and iPad Mini 6.
