Brian X. Chen, in his iPhone 11 review for the New York Times:
It’s time to reset our upgrade criteria.
That’s because we are now living in the golden age of smartphones, when the gadgets’ improvements each year are far from seismic. Devices that debuted three years ago remain zippy and more than capable. Those with the iPhone 7 from 2016, for example, still have a very good phone with a stellar camera and fast speeds.
So now is the moment to ask: Do we really need to upgrade our iPhones every two years?
Based on my tests of the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, the answer is no. Don’t get me wrong: The newest models are nice. Apple has made them speedier, improved the cameras and lengthened their battery life. The new lineup also starts at a lower price of $700, down from $750 a year ago, which is a relief in an era of skyrocketing smartphone costs.
But none of this is enough to warrant an immediate upgrade if you have had your smartphone for only two years. The latest iPhones just aren’t a big leap forward from last year’s iPhones or even the iPhone X from 2017.
I agree with Chen in part here, but I think each person has a different set of criteria to justify an upgrade. This year’s iPhones are big leaps forward, but mostly in terms of camera performance, battery life, screen brightness. Processing power doesn’t seem to have gotten a huge jump, and that’s totally fine. iPhones from the past few years have been plenty powerful and continue to hold their own today.
The iPhone X I bought (and just recently paid off) at the beginning of 2018 is still quite fast and suits my needs just fine.
Joanna Stern, writing at The Wall Street Journal, in one of her two iPhone 11 reviews—this one specifically “for owners of aging iPhones”:
Are you…the iPhone X owner considering holding out for one more year? You, my iPhone X-owning friend, have it hardest of all. You’ve got the most modern design but you’re now behind on battery life, Face ID improvements and camera tricks. Yet if you upgrade this go-round, you might miss out on next year’s expected big refresh with 5G and more.
If you can live with the current phone, hang onto it for another year. If not, go with the iPhone 11 and skip the iPhone 11 Pro. You might miss that telephoto camera and OLED screen, but you can put $300 toward next year’s upgrade, and enjoy some extra battery life in the meantime.
Despite a momentary lapse in restraint (from which I’ve since recovered), I won’t be upgrading at all this year. But Joanna’s recommendation to hold off has been some of the sensible, reassuring advice I’ve needed in this frenzied time of shiny new gadget fever.
On the eve of preorder day, I talked some sense into myself and will instead be keeping my current phone. Several of the technological leaps in this year’s models (battery, screen brightness) don’t matter all that much to me. Even the highlight feature—the new camera system—is almost inconsequential. Although I often tell myself that I’m going start, I just don’t take a ton of photos.