Is it worth upgrading your iPhone every year? User X explains his ‘leasing model’ | Today’s news
Upgrading to a new iPhone every year might sound expensive, but one X user says his approach makes the cost manageable. Chirag Barjatya claims to have upgraded from iPhone X to iPhone 17 Pro every year by combining the free EMI with the trade-in value of his previous device.
Describing the arrangement as “almost like a leasing model,” Barjatya said the combination allows him to spread payments over time while still trading in his phone before its resale value drops too much.
In a post on X, Chirag Barjatya wrote, “I upgraded from iPhone X to iPhone 17 Pro every year with free EMI and traded in my old phone for around 60-70% of its purchase price.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
You can upgrade to a new iPhone every year by combining the no-cost EMI with the trade-in value of your previous device, allowing you to spread payments over time and reduce immediate costs.
Benefits include no big upfront payments, a new battery every year, a new warranty, the latest features, and keeping cash for other expenses by maximizing the resale value of your old device.
Apple raised the prices of older models due to rising component costs, particularly memory and storage, driven by increased global demand and supply constraints.
If you’re considering an upgrade, consider the benefits of instant access to the latest features with the potential for price drops or better deals during holiday sales.
While annual upgrades can offer convenience and the latest technology, keeping your phone for several years can result in a lower overall cost as you avoid frequent payment cycles.
“For me, it works almost like a leasing model. I pay a manageable amount every month to keep using the newer phone.
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“Pros? No big upfront payments, fresh battery every year, new warranty, latest camera for my content, and trade in old phone while it still has decent value. It also keeps me more cash for my business and other expenses.”
“Obviously it would be cheaper to keep the same phone for 4-5 years. But for something I use every day to work, shoot content and run my business, I’m willing to pay for that convenience.”
“I know good content and use can easily be done on a 10k android phone, but that’s not the point of this post. Who understood, understood.”
Annual iPhone upgrades fuel the X debate
The post has since attracted more than 844 likes, along with a number of reactions from another X users.
One user argued that frequent upgrades can make financial sense compared to keeping the phone for several years, writing: “Actually, upgrading an iphone every year is less expensive than upgrading after 5-6 years. Iykyk”
Another user focused on the wider value of using a premium smartphone and said: “People underestimate how much a good phone improves quality of life. I stopped using iphones and switched to oneplus flagship devices for the same reason.”
Others questioned Barjaty’s reasoning.
“Cut the gyans and get it straight… I’m upgrading this year because Apple relies on fools like you willing to pay any price,” wrote a third.
“Zero cost EMI is a trap, you were expected to do better than saying such things to influence ppl,” wrote a fourth.
Another commenter who identified himself as an Apple fan questioned the argument for annual upgrades.
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“Big Apple fan here too, but the last line misses the point. No need to justify annual upgrades by comparison to cheap Androids.
“For most of us who love iPhones, the biggest value is long-term durability, not feeling pressured to feed an EMI loop every September,” wrote a fifth.
The discussion highlights the trade-off at the heart of the annual upgrade strategy: while trade-in value and installment payments can reduce the immediate cost of upgrading to a new device, keeping the same phone for several years can still result in lower overall spending.
iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max brings new upgrades
The debate comes as Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its “Surprise and Shine” event, introducing several hardware changes over the previous iPhone 17 Pro series.
The new Pro models are powered by the latest generation Apple A20 Pro chipset and feature a new proprietary C2 modem. Apple claims that the iPhone 18 Pro can provide up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max has up to 30 hours of battery life.
Both models are available in Black, Silver, Glacier and the new Burgundy color.
The iPhone 18 Pro has a 6.3-inch display and offers up to 34 hours of video playback. Storage options include 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB.
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The iPhone 18 Pro Max comes with a 6.9-inch display and offers up to 43 hours of video playback. It is also available with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB of storage.
One of the main changes to the camera is the new 48MP Fusion main camera, which features a physical variable aperture – a first for the iPhone range. This feature is designed to give users more control over depth of field and low-light photography, while the automatic mode can adjust the aperture according to lighting conditions and desired depth of field.
Apple says the variable aperture system uses laser-cut components thinner than a human hair.
iPhone 18 Pro Price in India
In India, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900.
Both models are available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage configurations.
