Should I buy an old iPhone Guide to buying a second-hand, old or refurbished iPhone ahead of the iPhone 6s launch
If you're desperate for an iPhone but your budget doesn't quite stretch to Apple's newest models - such as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, or the iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 we expect to launch on 9 September 2015 - buying an old iPhone is a great way to pick up a bargain. And with those new models about to launch, now is a great time to pick one up: lots of people will be trading in their older models.
Armed with our guide to buying an old iPhone you'll be able to buy old-gen Apple products with confidence. See also: iPhone buying guide: Should I buy an iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, or wait for iPhone 6S.
Apple makes prestigious products, but the latest Apple kit tends to command a premium price. It's true that, if you visit an Apple Store (online or on your high street) to buy an iPhone, you'll get all the support that comes with buying direct from the manufacturer, and you'll get good advice if you speak to anyone in store. However, you're not going to get any special discounts or deals on iPhones in the Apple Store - it's full price or nothing, I'm afraid.
Because of this many people on a budget consider switching to non-Apple kit, which we think is a mistake. It's often better to pick up an older model of Apple than move to other manufacturers.
Apple typically releases kit using the very latest technical hardware, often to the highest specification and build quality, and you can get a smashing Apple device just by browsing last year's models. Typically older Apple models still have fantastic specifications, and run most of the same features as the latest Apple products. And you'll still get Apple's premium build quality, of course.
See also: Why you shouldn't buy a US iPhone for use in the UK and How to buy a cheap Mac
With the upcoming release of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus (or similarly named devices), now is a good time to pick up an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus - although it'll be even better if you wait until just after the new models are announced.
Apple does still offer the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, the smartphones that were released in September 2013. You can pick up an iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C from the Apple Store or the Online Apple Store if you're looking for a SIM-free model, but there are also carriers and other third-party retailers that sell those older iPhones.
You'll miss out on some features on the older models: the iPhone 5c lacks Touch ID, and both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have smaller screens and older processors than the iPhone 6. We don't think you lose out too much on an older model.
You can pick up the iPhone 5S from Apple for £459 (16GB) or £499 (32GB). The iPhone 5C is only available as 8GB but is only £319. We expect these prices to drop after the iPhone 6S is released. The iPhone 5S may be dropped even further in price, and the iPhone 5C may be replaced by the iPhone 6C.
You'll find the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C available from most carriers in the UK, on much cheaper contracts than the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. These carriers include EE, Three, O2, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Carphone Warehouse.
See also: Best places to buy a new iPad
The oldest iPhone you can get on the Apple Store is the iPhone 5C, but what about picking up an even older model
The first thing to note is that the iPhone 5 is essentially the same as the iPhone 5C but without the plastic casing, so you're still getting a good-spec smartphone if you opt for that model. (See: iPhone 5 vs iPhone 5C)
The iPhone 4S and older, on the other hand, are unlikely to be supported by Apple for much longer, so you may not be able to update to the latest software, and may struggle to install some apps from the iOS app store. However, Apple is supporting the iPhone 4S with iOS 9.
The iPhone 4 and earlier won't run iOS 8, so they're already unsupported by Apple. Plus, the iPhone 4S and earlier have the 30-pin connector rather than the new Lightning connector, so some new accessories won't be compatible.
So while you shouldn't go back as far as the iPhone 4, you can pick up an iPhone 4S and use it with the latest version of iOS. Although expect it to run a little more sluggishly than any of the more recent models.
You'll find models of the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and older on Amazon, but there are also ways to buy the iPhone 4S brand-new from the likes of Tesco, Carphone Warehouse and more. Then of course there's eBay, which has lots of unused iPhones on offer but is perhaps not the most reliable source.
CEX will sell an unlocked iPhone 4S with 16GB storage for just £165. Or as little as £115 if you don't mind having one locked to a specific network.
One of the best ways to get an old iPhone at a bargain price, including models such as the iPhone 5 that are no longer available from Apple, is by buying it second-hand or refurbished.
In fact, you can buy and sell second-hand iPhones right here on the Macworld UK site. With our partner Mresell, we run a service via which you can sell your unwanted Macs, iPhones and iPads. Once a price is agreed we either pick up your iPhone, or you can take it to a certified Apple reseller after which payment is made. Either way the iPhone is then thoroughly checked, refurbished and reconditioned, and listed for sale on the Buy/Sell section of this website.
Apple has a thriving section of the Apple Store known as the Apple Refurb Store. Here is where any Macs and iPads that have been returned to Apple are spruced up and sold on. You can pick up a great deal on older models from the Apple Refurb Store, but so far we've yet to see an iPhone appear in the Apple Refurb Store so you'll need to look elsewhere if that's what you're after.
Other places that offer second-hand or reconditioned iPhones are Amazon, eBay (but be sure to check the seller's reviews), Argos, Tesco, O2 and more.
Read next: Should I buy a refurbished Mac and Should I buy a refurbished iPad
Plus, if you want to erase the contents of your iPhone because you are selling it, or because it's not working properly, here's how to reset an iPhone, erase the contents of an iPhone and restore from a backup.
Finally, here's everything you need to know about Shopping at an Apple Store, Apple Online, and using the Genius Bar.
That's the end of our guide to buying older and second-hand iPhones. But we're interested to hear how often our readers update their smartphones. Let us know by filling in our latest poll.