Which iPhone Should You Buy (or Avoid) Right Now?

If you’re upgrading from an iPhone, you can trade it to Apple for a small discount. Before you do that, check whether you can sell it elsewhere for more money. iPhones hold their value incredibly well, particularly if they’re in mint or good condition. We have a guide that runs through the process of selling your phone, and we generally recommend you use websites like Swappa, Gazelle, or Back Market.

We also have a handful of setup guides you should follow:

• How to Back Up Your iPhone
• How to Transfer Data to a New iPhone
• How to Factory Reset Your Old iPhone
• How to Set Up a New iPhone

Most people in the US purchase iPhones from carriers, which means the devices are locked to that network. If you bought an iPhone from Verizon, that means you can't easily switch to another carrier without breaking a contract and paying extra fees. It also poses headaches for travelers who want to use international SIM cards when traveling.

The easier approach is to buy directly from Apple, though there are some things you should know:

Connect to any carrier later: Choose this option for the most hassle-free experience. You get an unlocked iPhone, and then all you need to do is transfer the SIM card from your old iPhone to the new one to get started. This might be painless, though you may need to contact your carrier if the iPhone can't complete the eSIM transfer as it's a carrier-specific feature. Apple hasn't included a SIM tray since 2022's iPhone 14.

Choose a carrier: If you choose a carrier through Apple.com, you will get an unlocked iPhone no matter which carrier you choose. The downside is that Apple doesn't have the same offers as the carriers, so you may lose out on a deal. However, carrier offers often require new lines, trade-ins, or an upgraded plan, and the savings come in the form of bill credits, so these deals aren't as amazing as they may seem.

Finance: You can finance your iPhone through Apple either with Apple Card monthly installments, if you have an Apple credit card, or as Apple iPhone Payments. You need to choose a carrier here, but Apple confirmed these devices are all unlocked. You have to fill out a credit application to see if you qualify. If you opt to finance through a carrier on Apple.com, only the T-Mobile and Verizon models will be unlocked. The AT&T and Boost Mobile options are locked iPhones, so it's no different from buying it on an installment plan directly from those carriers.

iPhone Upgrade Program: Buying directly from Apple also nets you access to the iPhone Upgrade Program. Is it worth it? Broadly speaking, no. Most people do not need to upgrade to a new iPhone every single year. It's expensive, though it does include two years of the company's AppleCare+ protection plan. If you really want to get the latest iPhone every year, then this program makes more sense, but it's still expensive.

All iPhone 14 and newer devices completely ditch the physical SIM tray in the US, meaning you can no longer just pop your physical SIM inside to turn on cellular connectivity. Instead, you'll have to rely on an eSIM. You can read more about them here. This tech has been available in iPhones since the iPhone XS and XR, but now you have to use it. When you're setting up your new iPhone, you'll automatically be asked to transfer your number from your previous iPhone, and the whole process should take a few minutes without any hassle. (eSIMs are more secure than physical SIMs.) Once you transfer your number, your physical SIM card won't work anymore.

There's a chance you may still run into some issues, especially if you're coming from an Android phone (or want to switch back to an Android phone) or use a carrier that doesn't support eSIM transfer. You'll have to check with your carrier to get your cellular connection in working order again. It shouldn't take long, but it's not as simple as popping in a physical card—yet.

The most hyped-up feature in the iPhone 16 range is Apple Intelligence, which rolled out in the iOS 18.1 update. This is Apple's suite of artificial intelligence features, following the wave started by the likes of ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Apple Intelligence is also available on the iPhone 16e, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, not to mention select iPads and MacBooks.

What exactly is Apple Intelligence in the first place? It's a collection of features that draw on the power of large language models to introduce “smart” capabilities. For example, in the Voice Memo and Notes app, you can now start a recording and get a real-time transcription. You can even record a call and get the transcription saved in the Notes app. Siri has been redesigned and can understand when you misspeak, and can even plug into ChatGPT for more powerful responses to open-ended questions. There are writing tools available throughout the operating system that let you change the tone of your emails or proofread text so you don't make an unnecessary typo on Threads.

This is just a small sampling, I've boiled down many of the Apple Intelligence features in my iOS 18 guide, and additional features keep rolling out in iOS updates. For example, Genmoji—which lets you create your own emojis—debuted alongside the AI image generation app, Image Playground, in iOS 18.2.

If you don't care for Apple Intelligence and want to turn it off, you can! We have a helpful guide detailing the exact steps.

Magnetic MagSafe wireless charging is available on the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 models (except the iPhone 16e), and it allows you to magnetically attach various accessories to the back of the iPhone. You can get first-party accessories like Apple's MagSafe Wireless Charger, which sticks to the back for faster charging. Or snag the MagSafe Wallet so you can keep your credit card attached to your phone. There are plenty of third-party accessories (you'll find quite a few in our guide), and MagSafe doesn't just have to be charging accessories like power banks or wireless chargers. There are a wealth of useful tools, from wallets, tripods and camera cages to notepads and ring lights that can attach to the back of the iPhone and add extra versatility.

If you plan to use a case, get one that has MagSafe embedded inside to ensure a strong magnetic connection with Apple's accessories (non-MagSafe cases can interrupt MagSafe and make the magnetic connection weaker). All of the cases in our case guides are MagSafe-tested by yours truly. And yes, a case is a smart investment because iPhones are made of glass, and glass breaks, even if Apple uses ceramic to strengthen it. I cracked my iPhone 16 Plus after a 4-foot drop to the pavement—this model's ceramic glass is supposed to be twice as strong as previous iPhones too! Ouch. See my favorite cases for the iPhone 16, iPhone 15, and iPhone 14 ranges.

The iPhone 15 range ditched the long-standing Lightning port for USB-C, and it's now in the iPhone 16 range too. This is the same charging port on iPads, MacBooks, Android phones, Windows laptops, and many more personal tech gadgets. USB-C is often called the “universal port” because it can technically handle various responsibilities. For example, you can plug in external displays and extend the iPhone's screen or connect the same USB-C accessories you might be currently using on your laptop, like SD card readers. Sadly, it does mean your Lightning accessories won't work unless you get dongles. You can read more about what the new port does here, but there are two important things to note:

The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, and iPhone 16e support the USB 2.0 standard just like the iPhones before, so you'll max out at 480 megabits per second of data transfer speeds.

The iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max support the USB 3.0 standard and are capable of up to 10 gigabits per second of data transfer speeds.