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The Device is Right

What you need to know before upgrading your phone

We can all be tempted by the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, but before we rush to upgrade, how can we be sure that the device we are choosing is the best option for us?

With so much noise ahead of any new phone release, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and not consider if you really need the latest new device on the market.

As we all look for ways to save some money and reduce our monthly outgoings, rethinking our upgrade habits can be a great place to start. After all, going for a brand new device isn't the only way you can get a phone just right for you.

Here at musicMagpie, we wanted to know more about what motivates us when it comes time to trade in our current phone, and get to the bottom of exactly how much it costs to upgrade and how we fund it. In June 2022 we surveyed 2,000 people across the UK to get their thoughts and here is what we found:

95% of UK adults currently use a smartphone

The average person keeps a device for 2 years & 7 months

The average person upgrades 27 times in a lifetime

3.3 million UK adults upgrade their phone every year

What motivates us to upgrade our devices?

From being nudged to upgrade as part of your contract to always wanting to get your hands on the latest iPhone - there are loads of reasons you might want to upgrade your device.

3.7 million UK adults upgrade because they love the status of having the latest phone on the market

17% want to get their hands on a brand new phone

1-in-5 want a device that has access to 5G

What do people want from their upgrade?

Better battery life

Increased storage

Improved camera quality

A faster operating system

Despite wanting to see really practical improvements when upgrading their device, 80% of the people we asked didn’t feel that upgrading their smartphone improved their user experience.

Which is no surprise since we found that only one third of smartphone users would actually look for a device that is best suited to them and their needs.

How much are we willing to spend on an upgrade?

It is no secret that upgrading your phone can be a big investment, with prices for the new iPhone 14 starting at £849 to buy outright. Not to mention that upgrading as part of your contract can add hundreds to your annual bill.

With the cost of everything seemingly increasing at the moment, we wanted to understand how much people would be willing to shell out to upgrade their phone today:

£395.83

The amount the average person would be willing to spend outright to upgrade their phone to the latest device on the market - nowhere near the amount you would need to spend to buy the latest models outright

16-24 year olds

Were willing to spend the most on a new phone, with the average amount rising to £483.14, but even this wouldn’t be enough to purchase many devices

26%

Of people would be willing to spend over £500 outright on a newer device, but this would still leave people short when it comes to the latest models being released

7%

Of those asked would be happy and willing to splash out over £800 for a handset - roughly the amount needed to even consider buying the newest iPhone or equivalent on the market

What about when it comes to upgrading as part of your contract?

With the majority of UK adults paying for their device monthly as part of their phone contract, we wanted to know if people would be willing to up the amount they pay each month in order to upgrade their phone:

£417.36 is on average how much extra people would be happy to spend on top of their current contract over the course of 24 months, in order to have the latest phone on the market

17% of those asked would be happy to up their monthly phone payment by £30 or more in order to get their hands on the most recent release. This means that over the course of 24 months they could be paying in excess of £720 extra for their phone contract

Over 55s are willing to spend the least money to upgrade their contract, with them wanting to spend on average £12.75 more than they are currently paying a month for the newest phone available

30% of people don’t want to increase how much they spend every month in order to get a new phone

1-in-5 people would now consider upgrading to a refurbished smartphone instead

What do we know about phone contracts vs buying outright or renting?

27.4 million
UK adults (51%) secured their current device as part of their phone contract (often paying a higher monthly fee for a more expensive device)

23.7 million
Adults in the UK (44%) chose to buy their current phone outright

So when it comes to sticking with your current contract, opting to buy your next phone outright or even renting your phone, what is the best option?

Buying your handset outright offers you more flexibility in terms of where and when you choose to upgrade your device. Those who bought their device outright tended to keep hold of their phone for seven months longer, than those with a two year contract.

For those looking at different ways to get their hands on a device, renting has clear benefits. For example, renters have more choice on how long they have their device, with many able to upgrade every year for no additional cost. Renters might also see their payments reduced every year they keep hold of a single device. Below is a small sample of our great value prices for popular devices!

Handset	Monthly Payment
iPhone 13	£23.99/mo
iPhone 13 Mini	£19.99/mo
iPhone SE	£9.99/mo
iPhone 12	£18.99/mo
Samsung Galaxy S21	£22.99/mo

Is there a better option?

When it comes to upgrading your phone, it can be easy to think you need the latest device on the market to get the most out of your investment, but in reality this isn’t always the case.

For many people, opting for a refurbished model is a great way to get the device that best suits their needs for a fraction of what you would be paying new.

As Steve Oliver, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder here at musicMagpie, explains: “While we all will need to upgrade our device at some point, having the latest, shiniest device, isn’t always necessary.

“With so many people admitting they don’t notice a difference to their device, or change how they use it when upgrading, it’s clear that we could all think a little harder about what we are really hoping to get out of our phone and what device would be best for us.

“Thinking about your usage and handset separately can be a really easy way to help save money and ensure that you aren’t overpaying for your phone. SIM-only contracts are really competitively priced and can allow anyone to replace their device whenever they want, rather than because their contract has come to an end. Renting is also a great option when looking for a device, particularly if you want a newer model, but need to reduce how much you pay monthly for it."

Just how much could you save?

Handset	Buy brand new	Our price	Savings
iPhone 13	£749	£639.99	15%
iPhone 13 Mini	£649	£579.99	11%
iPhone SE	£449	£194.99	57%
iPhone 12	£649	£419.99	35%
Samsung Galaxy S22	£769	£529.99	31%

Don’t just take our word for it, last year we resold over 400,000 consumer tech products, including refurbished phones and helped thousands of people choose the device that was best for them and how they like to use their phone.

When it comes to buying refurbished, these are the most in demand phones we are selling:

If you are looking to upgrade your phone, why not see if musicMagpie has a refurbished iPhone or equivalent smartphone that could be perfect for your needs? Don’t forget to trade in your old phone when upgrading to make some money and help limit tech waste.

Methodology

This research is based on an independent survey carried out on behalf of musicMagpie by Censuswide. Data collection took place between 28th -30th June 2022. The total sample size was 2,000 adults (aged 16+) living in the UK. Quotas were applied to nationally representative proportions for age, gender and region.

Data collected for UK population size relied on the ONS 2019 mid year estimate for the number of adults in the UK - 54,098,971. Where the number of Brits has been predicted, musicMagpie accounted for the proportion of UK adults that do not use a smartphone.

Media regulator Ofcom reported in 2019 that fifty per cent of the UK's 10-year-olds owned a smartphone. The ONS most recent research on UK life expectancy across the UK predicted the mean age of life was 81 years. This data was used to predict how many devices a person would have in their lifetime.

To compare savings when buying a refurbished device vs. new, musicMagpie compared the cost of buying the device brand new against a refurbished, 'good' grade, unlocked alternative. All comparisons used the 'from' price, based on the lowest GB available. Prices correct as of 17th October 2022.

The 'top selling' refurbished devices are based on musicMagpie Store sales data, correct as of 17th October 2022.

All rental prices correct as of 17th October 2022.