My annual iPhone 8 return

As Apple announces its annual iPhone lineup update, I’m going back to my iPhone 8. You know, it’s been a good year. The iPhone 8 has the incredible Touch ID “button”and a few other key features of the day. And while I’d love to use my iPhone 13 Pro Max all year long until the newest flagship is in my inbox, I just can’t afford it.

The return of the iPhone 8.

For the better part of the last decade, I updated my iPhone every year. My role in iDB kind of requires it, at least that’s what I’ve convinced my spouse and myself. After all, this wallpaper of the week needs to be tested on Apple’s latest display technologies, right?

As you can imagine, this is getting expensive. I buy my device right away every year. I have not trusted Apple’s update program since its second year of launch. Customers who received the update received their devices after everyone who paid through carriers or directly. I also don’t buy through a carrier plan because I don’t want to be burdened by their many rules and regulations regarding upgrades, cycles, and billing scenarios. Consequently, I buy an unlocked iPhone from Apple every year at full price.

This means that I need to sell or trade my iPhone devices as much as possible. In order to save the most value on the trade-in and/or sell the current year device before the general public realizes there is something new to buy, I started selling my current year model device about 3-4 weeks before the Apple iPhone event in September or as soon as rumors confirm the date of the event. This allowed me to lose only about 25% of the price paid 11 months before, selling it for $700-$900.

But this requires me to have a reliable backup device. For the last 3-4 years, this has been my iPhone 8. Released on September 22, 2017, the 4.7-inch screen now leaves much to be desired. The Home button takes a while to get used to again, and swiping up from the bottom to access the Control Center is a special kind of hell. Coming back to the LED-backlit IPS LCD, it always looks gray on everything that should be black.

However, it is quite well preserved. I don’t have many apps that weigh it down. I’m really surprised how well my 12,000+ iCloud Photo Library, even the corresponding Home widget, works on iOS 15.0.

After using the Pro Max for the past few years, the iPhone 8 has become a welcome contender for a lightweight smartphone and I often feel like it’s out of my pocket, even with a case. So this has its advantages. But of course, you’re feeling a little behind this year, taking on the iPhone 13 Pro Max with all the power.

But using a five-year-old iPhone for a month isn’t terrible. I find it a little nostalgic. Most importantly, it gives me one last chance to sell the current year model at the best price. And after a month of using an old iPhone, the newest flagship feels even faster.

As soon as Apple has an iPhone rental program where I can just subscribe to the latest device and it costs no more than 25% of the full retail price, I’ll jump on board. Until then, I’ll stick to my annual tradition of buying the best on day one and selling it 11 months later.

And for one month out of the year, I enjoy the good old days with the home button… but no headphone jack.