Should I Bother Upgrading My Daughter’s iPhone 7+?

maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 20:15
Last edited 04/10/2022 - 21:57 by 1 other user

TLDR: My daughter’s had a hand me down iPhone 7+ for the last couple of years now. Is it time to get her a newer phone?

Fuller version:
I’ve been thinking about whether or not I should upgrade my daughter’s iPhone 7+. She’s 14 and had it since the last time I upgraded my phone. So my wife has a XS Max, I have a 12 Pro Max and my daughter ended up with my wife’s old 7+.

I was looking at the 14 Pros and the biggest feature that I want is that macro lens as well as the 120hz refresh rate screen but it still uses the lightning connector which makes transferring files and photos a massive pain in the a@$e. So I haven’t been able to justify upgrading for myself however I found out that ios 16 isn’t supported on the 7+.

So I’ve been thinking whether I should just upgrade my daughter’s phone to maybe an 11 with 128GB of storage for around $400-500 used. Or whether she should just go another year with the 7+ until I upgrade myself to the 15.

The battery health is at 79% however she says to me that it doesn’t bother her too much and she’s fine to take a battery bank whenever we’re away for a while as well she doesn’t doesn’t seem to be wanting for features. I’m actually quite happy with the attitude cos last year she was wanting an iPhone 13 more than anything so it shows that she’s matured quite a bit over the last year. So I’m umming and arhhing whether I should upgrade her phone. The main reason I’m considering an upgrade is I’m not sure how long in terms of security whether Apple will continue to support the 7.

Poll Options

  • 16
    Yes get her a newer phone
  • 77
    No she can hold out another year
Mobile Apple Mobile Phone

Comments

  • Mechz on 04/10/2022 - 20:18
    +8

    Seems like your daughter answered the question already.

    Better phones will be cheaper next year, it's almost a certainty.

    • HeWhoKnows on 05/10/2022 - 22:38
      -1

      The iPhone 7+ is still an excellent phone

      There is nothing really to be gained from a newer iphone…..seriously!

  • SnowDragon on 04/10/2022 - 20:19

    Buy the 14 (or 13), give your wife the 12 Pro Max, give your daughter the XS Max.

    • maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 20:26
      -1

      That was the only plan. But the lightning connector turned me off. I’ve been using my phone more lately with the PC and the slowness of that connector is a real problem.

      My fear is if they switch to usb c next year and I have a 14 that’s gonna give me some buyers remorse. I just can’t do upgrading a phone every year. Been there done that and never going back there again.

      • Twix on 04/10/2022 - 21:55
        +1

        Apple doesn't have to switch to USB-C until the iPhone 16 in 2024.

      • Kangal on 05/10/2022 - 00:41
        +2

        That's for the EU district.
        Apple can literally just keep using the USB 2.0 Lightning port, not even remove it, but just not make a hole/cutout for it. There European Rules met. It will be portless. And we will rejoice and applaud them for the courage. And they will sell us a new "AirCharge Mat" which will charge your iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch etc etc.

  • Hybroid on 04/10/2022 - 20:20
    +7

    Not sure why you're asking random people what you should do for your own daughter's phone.

    Sounds more like you're trying to justify your own upgrade desire.

    Either case, replace the iPhone 7's battery with a new one and it'll be fine for another year or two.

    Or buy her a new one for Birthday/New Year/exams/walking the dog, whatever.

    • maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 20:23
      -2

      Yeah there is a bit of that. I was going to upgrade to the 14 Pro but the fact that it still used the lightning connector turned me off it.

      Yeah I’ll have a think for Christmas maybe.

  • theHMASfriendship on 04/10/2022 - 20:25
    +9

    I think you should upgrade your daughters iPhone to an Apache AH-64 Attack Helicopter

    • maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 20:27
      -1

      Can it make FaceTime calls?

      • theHMASfriendship on 04/10/2022 - 20:30
        +7

        No but it can assist you with any land assault operations.

        • maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 20:50
          +2

          Does that mean she’ll need a user guide to operate the device. I’m guessing several years worth.

          • Transient on 04/10/2022 - 21:18
            +7

            @maxyzee: Not if she plugs into the Matrix in which case knowledge transfer is a matter of seconds

  • pao2x on 04/10/2022 - 20:28
    +4

    I think you are over thinking the security risks of not having the latest software updates, android phones are more vulnerable and most of the software is 2-3 years behind the latest OS. Yet the risk is still miniscule.
    Iphone 7 is fine if your daughter is fine with it. Probably get the SE4 next year

    • Ade99 on 05/10/2022 - 07:40
      +2

      Guessit comes down to how many drops, cracked screens etc you will need to go through. If old phone it does not really matter. If a 14 then I am sure it will be $$$$$$

    • Ozpit on 05/10/2022 - 10:06
      +4

      The 7+ won’t get iOS 16, but it will continue to get security updates for at least a couple more years, as will my 6s+.

  • enzso on 04/10/2022 - 20:58
    +5

    My 14 yr old has an iPhone 8 she's perfectly happy with and there's no reason to change - it does everything she needs. Kids are rough with stuff at this age and the 8 is cheap to fix. My advice is to keep it going as long as you can.

  • KaTst3R on 04/10/2022 - 21:14
    -3

    I never understood the whole hand me down thing. Because by the time you or your wife passes your device to your daughter, the phone is already years old. If you daughter wants an iphone 13, why not give her that?

    Everyone has their own upgrade cycle and as such everyone upgrades at different times. I rather get her a newer phone so that it can last 3-4 years reasonably with better battery and bigger storage. Keep her encouraged to work hard. Sometimes a newer device is just more reliable. Then you upgrade whenever the new iphone has USB C, be it 15 or 16. Trade in the old phone.

    Maybe im just different type of dad mentality.

    • jv on 04/10/2022 - 21:42
      +10

      If you daughter wants an iphone 13, why not give her that?

      Because it costs $1000

      • KaTst3R on 04/10/2022 - 21:57

        Depreciate that over 4 years. It will look reasonable. Plus you may still give a small residual value in the end.

      • maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 22:00
        +2

        Also because she actually stated herself she’s fine with her phone now.

        Back last year when she wanted the 13 without showing any maturity it was an easy No. You get what you’re given and just deal with it.

        Now that she has shown some maturity it actually makes it harder cos now I’m thinking she’s shown that she can be somewhat responsible and reserved so I’d like to reward that. Hahaha

        • Yola on 05/10/2022 - 07:27
          +1

          How is it rewarding her if she is happy with what she has.

  • jv on 04/10/2022 - 21:42
    +3

    Why does she need to upgrade?

    • Kangal on 05/10/2022 - 00:37
      +1

      TikTok

    • Nillionaire on 08/10/2022 - 18:32
      • She's 14. Imo if she's smart and sensible, I would say that's old enough to have a decent phone. She doesn't seem spoiled. She didn't throw a tantrum the past year even though she really wanted an iPhone 13. She's happy with what she has at the moment. That means she's deserving of an upgrade as a treat if OP can comfortably afford it. She'll be pretty appreciative of it and you'll ensure she doesn't become sad or upset over it as she grows older and sees her friends having the latest phones.
      • She's from a generation where that is the norm and we've gotta understand and respect that and find a healthy approach to it since being too restrictive may have adverse affects. Give her a good phone and parent her right and you won't have to worry as much about phone addiction, her becoming spoiled or whatever else you may be worried about. She may also be interested stuff such as videography which are very well complimented by having a high end phone.
      • iPhone 7 bad: The iPhone 7 came out 7 years ago. That is a very long time ago. The phone was discontinued 4 years ago. The phone no longer receives security updates. The phone is no longer able to install the latest version of iOS. The phone's design is outdated and size is small. Gen Z generally prefer larger phones, the Pro Max's are not uncomfortably large for most of them.
      • iPhone 12/13/14 Pro Max good: Phones have now kinda peaked and current or recent gen phones will last a very long time. OP and his daughter won't have to stress about upgrading for a long time. She will have the latest iOS and security updates for a long time. She won't have to stress about running out of battery throughout the day. Her phone will be compatible with any ecosystem products she buys in the future, such as Airtags, Apple Watch, Airpods, etc.
  • branners on 04/10/2022 - 21:53
    +3

    Sounds like there is plenty of life left in the 7+. The 79% rating for the battery is pretty good, and it should be good for a while yet.
    My wife has a 6S+, she received an update the other day. Battery still easily clears a whole day, photos are good, so if it was my choice, I would stay with the 7+

  • Oofy Doofy on 04/10/2022 - 22:08

    Only if the battery can't be replaced for a reasonable sum, but you might have to work on her psychological condition (S.O.B - Shiny object syndrome)

    • maxyzee on 04/10/2022 - 22:11
      +2

      The thing is that S.O.B seems to be ok now. Over the last year anyway. As I stated in the OP she actually said that she’s fine with her phone. If she did have that “S.O.B” then I would have easily said no and deal with it.

      But now that there does seem to be some genuine growth in her it makes it a bit harder.

  • ShannonN on 04/10/2022 - 23:08
    +2

    does the phone work, take calls, can be used to text then nothing wrong with it and no need to update to the latest just for pose value, shes 14, allow her time to get a p/t job and buy her own phone.

  • Kangal on 05/10/2022 - 00:52
    +1

    For those that can't stand FaceID, your old iPhone 8+ still has a bit of life in it. The iPhone SE models are pretty meh, but the latest one at least won't be an overall downgrade from an 8+.

    The A13-Bionic is almost as fast as the latest A16 chipset. It does use a bit more power though.
    Since they're close, I would expect software updates to be similar among them.

    So I wouldn't recommend people buy anything lower than the iPhone 11, and in-particular the Max version. And for the regular version, the 12 Pro is pretty compelling. For the iPhone Mini, because the specs matter more in the small size, I'd say go for the 13 Mini. Not a fan of the 14-series, we will see a substantial upgrade with the 15-series (new ARMv9 platform, new Apple architecture, new TSMC-3nm node jump). They likely won't do any upgrades to the screen, design, or camera.

    So as a recap:
    - Keep iPhone 8+ (little longer)
    - Skip the iPhone X, XS, 11 variants
    - Upgrade to iPhone SE 5G (meh experience)
    - Upgrade to iPhone 11 Max (or better)
    - Upgrade to iPhone 12 Pro (or better)
    - Upgrade to iPhone 13 Mini (or better, rip)

  • Danstar on 05/10/2022 - 05:55
    +2

    Does it still work fine? Does the battery last the day?

    If yes, then don’t upgrade. If no, upgrade.

    • Ade99 on 05/10/2022 - 07:43

      cracked screen, damaged connectors / buttons….then upgrade as the cost to repair is not worth the effort!

  • doctordv8 on 05/10/2022 - 07:46
    +2

    Sure, upgrade her Phone. Teach her early the Concept of Wasting Money.

    • Yola on 05/10/2022 - 08:18

      and that daddy will give you things you do not even want for no reason. Wait till she is 15 and help her get a part time job so she can at least contribute to anything she wants to purchase,

  • Kayrhcp on 05/10/2022 - 08:04
    +1

    Sounds to me like the 14 doesn’t fit you and you’re looking for something to fill that ‘shopping need’. Your daughter will tell you when her phone doesn’t work properly anymore. I reckon you should wait a year.

  • cashless on 05/10/2022 - 08:36
    +2

    $79 for a new battery for the 7+. Or $100's on an upgrade.
    I know what I would do.

  • morse on 05/10/2022 - 08:38

    Upgrade it when she’s ready. Features to think about are the camera, if she’s wanting to take better quality photos it is worth upgrading for this. Also the weight. I had an 11Pro for short period and it gave me wrist pain. I swapped to an SE that my husband now has and now I have 12 mini. Some generations are pretty weighty and for smaller hands can lead to an injury. She might decide to get a part time job when she’s 15 so possibly something she could work towards saving for herself.

  • azero on 05/10/2022 - 10:38
    +1

    I wouldn't let my daughter use a smart phone that does not receive security updates anymore. From what I can see iphone 7 is almost at the end of life as security updates go.

  • Nillionaire on 08/10/2022 - 08:13

    If you can comfortably afford it; Get yourself a new phone. Get your daughter a new phone. Result: You are happy. She is happy. Neither of you have to worry about upgrading for a good couple years.

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