It’s a question you’ve probably asked every time you’ve found yourself in the market for your next mobile device: Apple or Android? While there are definitely purists on either side of the debate, the truth is that most customers care more about their own experience and less about brand loyalty. That experience can change when you’re buying a used device, though. The qualities you might look for when shopping for a phone that’s been around for a generation aren’t necessarily the same as those you’d seek from a phone that’s just hit stores.The most important thing to consider when buying a used phone is its lasting power. Simply put, how compatible is your older phone going to be with the current technology you care about? Getting an amazing deal on a phone that lags or won’t run current apps may not be worth it, especially when it comes to having a phone for business purposes. Even if you use your mobile device primarily for gaming or social purposes, you’ll want to make sure it can handle the demands you put on it.The short answer is that different phones will stay relevant in different capacities—it all depends on what you care about most. Let’s break things down and look at a few specific examples.
If you’re buying a used iPhone in 2017, it’s likely that you’ll be looking at the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s. Earlier models may experience functionality problems that prevent them from being viable choices—for example, anything older than an iPhone 4 won’t be able to run WhatsApp, and other popular apps are set to stop working on older iPhones in the near future as well. While phones like the iPhone 4 and 5 are still generally capable for the time being, we can expect to see them phased out by most app developers within the next few years. Before you take that as a reason to avoid used Apple products though, let’s look at the bright side: the 6 and 6s are still really good phones.Yes, the 6s is now a generation behind the current model—but not all that much was changed from the 6s to the 7. In fact, the biggest changes with the 7 are considered by many to be some of the most annoying, like the lack of a headphone jack on the iPhone 7. One area in which the 7 got a big upgrade was to its camera, which now features a dual-lens arrangement. Other than that though, it’s not actually that much of a step up from the 6s, unless you plan on using its water resistance to text in the shower.
The truth is that the iPhone 6 and 6s remain highly competitive smartphones even by current standards. With 2GB of RAM and an A9 CPU, there’s more than enough processing power here to handle contemporary games and applications, which means that you won’t be rendered obsolete by updates or new releases anytime soon. An average 12 to 14 hours of battery life also makes it respectable in this regard, and provides enough usage for most professionals.One other area in which the iPhone makes a strong long term investment is its trade-in value. If you decide to exchange your iPhone for a new device at some point, many companies will give you a larger credit towards your next purchase than if you try the same thing with an Android phone. The reason for this is simple: Apple phones enjoy a certain pedigree simply because of their branding. People still associate the Apple name with style, quality and staying power, so even their older products retain a certain amount of value. Is it logical? Not exactly, but it’s true—and it’s something you should consider when you’re looking at used devices. Of course, this can also mean that buying a used Apple product is more expensive. Is it worth the money? Let’s look at some older Androids and find out.
Android phones have never been as sleek or stylish as Apple products. Their interface doesn’t feel as effortlessly intuitive, their designs aren’t anywhere near as iconic, and they don’t carry the same reputation as a status symbol. Does that mean that an older Android can’t stand toe-to-toe with a used iPhone, though? Absolutely not. In fact, many last-generation Android phones eclipse their Apple counterparts in a number of ways.It depends on the Android you choose to look at, of course, for since many companies make Android phones, the hardware in different models can vary greatly. However, the best examples—like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge—have the iPhone 6s beat on several fronts. The Edge is lighter, has more RAM, a better camera, and offers wireless charging (whereas the 6s does not). Plus, it’s water resistant, so you don’t have to worry about spills frying your phone.Even when you look outside the hardware, Android phones offer some important advantages to their users. Take the Google Play store for example, which has more available apps than Apple’s App Store. Then there’s AI. While Siri might be fun to talk to, Google Now is a far more powerful tool for serious purposes.
Ultimately, it’s impossible to take a black-and-white approach to determining which type of used phone you’re going to be more satisfied with. You have to look at the criteria that matters most to you, and consider each option accordingly. If you’re looking for style, Apple is the way to go. Ditto for user-friendliness, trade-in value, and technical support. Apple products are also more consistent in terms of their quality, since one company oversees the production of every device.On the other hand, Android often has Apple beat when it comes to raw hardware, and their best older models can even compete with Apple’s newest devices. Furthermore, older Android phones are often less expensive than their used Apple counterparts, which means you can get more functionality for less money. Just make sure you do some research to avoid getting a poor quality Android phone, as this can eliminate those advantages. In the end, you’ll have to decide where you stand on the spectrum between freedom and consistency—but there are advantages to each.
