iPhone Deals

How long iPhones receive software updates

Software support is the strongest argument for Apple on a comparison site organised around total cost, because it determines how long the handset stays useful rather than just how much it costs each month.

Apple documents a minimum support period of five years from first supply for iPhones from the iPhone 15 generation onwards, published to meet UK product security requirements. In practice its record has been considerably longer than that minimum. Most iPhones have received between six and eight years of major iOS releases, followed by critical security patches on older iOS branches for a further period.

The current position illustrates the point. iOS 27, announced in June 2026 and arriving in autumn 2026, supports the iPhone 11 and newer along with the second generation iPhone SE and later. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max reached their final major release with iOS 18 but have continued to receive security updates. Apple has issued security patches to models released more than a decade earlier.

The practical consequence for a 36 month contract is that an iPhone bought today should still be receiving major updates when the contract ends. That is not true of every handset at the same price, and it is worth weighing against a cheaper device with a shorter support window.

Release timing and when to buy

Apple has launched new iPhones in September in most recent years. That timing matters if you are comparing in the weeks beforehand, because two things usually follow a launch: the new models arrive at full price, and the previous generation becomes cheaper or moves to fewer networks.

If you are reading this shortly before an expected launch, there are three sensible options. Wait, and compare the new range when it appears. Buy the outgoing generation once prices settle, which is frequently the best value point in the year. Or buy now if a specific deal already suits, accepting that the same handset may cost less within a few weeks.

Apple has not committed publicly to launch timing for any specific future model, so treat any expected date as an expectation rather than a fact. What is reliable is the pattern: previous generation iPhones tend to fall in price once a successor exists, and they retain years of software support, which is what makes them good value rather than merely cheap.

Storage cannot be changed later

No iPhone supports expandable storage. There is no memory card slot on any model, so the capacity you choose at purchase is the capacity you keep for the life of the device.

That makes storage the one specification worth settling before you filter on price, because moving up a tier changes the handset cost and therefore the total contract cost. It is also the decision people most often get wrong in both directions, either paying for capacity they never use or running out within a year.

Our guide to what storage size do I need on a phone explains how much different types of use actually consume and how to judge which tier fits. iCloud storage can relieve pressure on a smaller device, but it is a recurring cost that should be added to the comparison rather than treated as free.

eSIM and physical SIM on iPhone

Every iPhone from the 2018 XS generation onwards supports eSIM, which lets you activate a plan without a physical SIM card. The iPhone 13 and later can run two eSIM profiles at once.

The iPhone Air goes further and has no SIM tray at all. That applies in every market worldwide, including the UK, so there is no version of it that accepts a physical SIM. UK models of the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max keep a nano-SIM tray alongside eSIM support, although the same models sold in the United States and several other countries ship without one.

This matters when buying an eSIM-only handset, because there is no fallback if your network cannot issue an eSIM. It also matters when buying imported or second-hand stock, since an American iPhone 17 has no SIM tray and a mainland Chinese one has no eSIM, and neither difference is visible in a listing. Our guide to eSIM explained covers how to check a handset and which UK networks issue eSIMs.

eSIM also makes it easier to add a local plan when travelling without removing your UK SIM, which is worth knowing if roaming charges are part of your decision.

Where the value usually sits

The newest iPhone is rarely the best value on total cost. Because Apple supports devices for years after release, a previous generation model frequently offers most of the same day to day experience with several years of updates remaining, at a materially lower total.

The cheapest iPhone in a price comparison is not automatically the best value either, and on this page it usually will not be. The lowest cost model listed is typically several years old and close to the end of its major iOS support, which means a long contract on it could outlast the updates. Check the model against the current iOS support list before treating a low monthly figure as a saving.

Two other things are worth checking on an older model. The number of networks still stocking it, since availability narrows as a model ages and fewer stockists means less competition on price. And battery condition if the handset is refurbished rather than new, because a battery partway through its life behaves differently from a new one. Our guide to phone battery health explains what to expect. Mozillion is the network on our site most likely to list certified refurbished stock.

What to compare when choosing an iPhone

Compare iPhones on the total amount payable across the full contract term rather than the monthly figure. A longer contract lowers the monthly cost and raises the total, and on most networks it also exposes you to more annual price increases.

Settle storage first, because it cannot be changed later and it moves the handset between price tiers. Then check how many networks stock the model you want. Every network we track lists iPhones, but an individual model may be carried by only one or two of them, and that leaves far less competition on price than a model carried across the full range.

If you would rather own the handset outright and pair it with a cheaper plan, you can compare SIM-free phones. If a low monthly commitment matters more than the total, no upfront cost deals filters to deals with nothing to pay at the start, though the handset cost is recovered through the monthly price instead.

If you are moving from another provider and want to keep your existing number, our guide on how to keep your number when switching explains the process. If you are still deciding how much data to pay for, our guide to what is a good data allowance covers what different types of use consume.