Can't afford iPhone 7, should you buy an older version?

The iPhone 7 is just out and as Apple likes to claim, it is the greatest iPhone right now.

In some countries, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus are already available but they are coming to the Indian markets on October 7.

But if you are eyeing them, also get ready to deal with a hefty credit card bill.

The iPhone 7 will have a starting price of Rs 60,000 in India. The iPhone 7 Plus will cost at least Rs 72,000.

But that is all for new iPhones. The pattern, and it has happened year after year, is that as soon as the new iPhone comes in, the older ones start selling at a discount.

Apple, for example, is officially reducing prices of a few iPhone 6S models in India by up to Rs 22,000.

Then there are the discounts from dealers. The iPhone 5S, for example, is now selling for a price of around Rs 20,000.

The key question, however, is: should you buy an older iPhone? Even as the iPhone 5S seems tempting with its new low price; it is worth noting that this is a three-year-old phone.

The answer to this question until last year was no. Mostly. But this year, the answer is - tentatively - yes.

For the last few years, slowly and without creating much ado about it, Apple is equipping the iPhone with fantastic hardware.

This has allowed iPhones to age very well. Even the iPhone 5S, although it has a small four-inch screen and that is always a problem, remains a very capable phone with fast performance and a decent screen.

Phones like the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6S are even better and are as good as their Android counterparts.

Then there is the way Apple is handling software updates. Unlike in the world of Android where software rarely come, Apple's iOS 10 update is even rolling out the iPhone 5, a phone that is four-years-old. This keeps the older iPhones useful and functional.

This good hardware and long software support has created an Apple ecosystem, where even its older iPhones remain fairly competitive.

The iPhone 5C is not a good choice and neither is the iPhone SE because it is still overpriced for a four-inch phone, but if you get a good deal do consider iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6S.

And if you want the cheapest iPhone, the iPhone 5S at its current price of Rs 20,000 is a very valid option.

(Courtesy of Mail Today.)

Also read - The good, bad and ugly things about iPhone 7