There’s a major iOS update arriving from Apple later this year which includes a swathe of new features including a Standby mode - which makes the screen more useful when it’s lying on your desk - improved phone calls and a new journal app.
iOS 17 should land on most devices this September but, sadly, Apple isn’t offering this blockbuster upgrade to everyone.
Some devices including the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X won’t get the option to install iOS 17. It not only means these call makers losing new features but it could also end up being pretty costly for those that own one.
According to the latest stats from US phone retailer SellCell, these iPhones will lose chunks of value once iOS 17 is launched and the drop could happen as quickly as next month.
Although Apple won’t release the official update until September, a public beta version, which anyone can download, should be made available in the coming weeks and phones that can’t install it could become much less valuable.
In fact, SellCell is predicting that values could drop as much as 50% once iOS 17 is pushed out.
That figure is based on what happened to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 when iOS 16 was released and these devices lost support.
The iPhone 6S and 7 ranges depreciated by an average of 42.8% of their remaining value by the time Apple rolled out the iOS 16 update. The iPhone 8 and X are likely to follow suit.
Speaking about the issue, SellCell said: “Neither the iPhone X or the iPhone 8 will receive the iOS 17 update, which means the phones won’t get security updates either. Owners and their data are more at risk of attack by people with malicious intent, like hackers, for example. These models will become obsolete once the new iOS version rolls out to the public.
“This could spell disaster for iPhone X or 8 owners, who will see the value of their handset plummet considering the news. With Apple no longer supporting the devices, demand will drop significantly. This means that owners of the iPhone 8 or X will be left with a device that is worth a lot less than it was prior to the iOS 17 announcement, potentially up to 50% of its pre-announcement value.”
So, it seems if you want the very best price for these ageing iPhones now is a good time to get rid of them and buy something new.
Right now, the iPhone X can be traded in for around £130 and the iPhone 8 is worth around £70.
This could tumble soon so maybe it’s time to upgrade.
