With Apple, Samsung and Huawei dominating the global smartphone industry with new smartphones coming out every few months, it almost feels like a never-ending cycle of feeling the need to have the latest smartphone model. All three of these tech giants have entry-level, mid-range and high-end models ranging from affordable to exorbitant.
With new contracts offered at multiple times in a year, a science to figuring out the best and worst times to start a new contract has almost been developed – and Mobile Store is here to share it with you! Let’s take a look at the best times to get in on epic phone specials.
Sometimes being first doesn’t mean you win
When a new smartphone is released by your favourite manufacturer (may that be Apple, Samsung or Huawei), the feeling of excitement can be overwhelming. Trust us, we get that more than most! However, getting a new contract as soon as the latest model is released means you’re going to be paying the highest possible price for that particular model for two reasons: It’s new and it’s in demand. So, although it is thrilling to be unboxing the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy before most of the world is, you’ll be paying for it in the long run.
Three ways to get the best deal on a smartphone contract
Pre-order before the official release
During the last few years of the smartphone boom, customers have been able to pre-order a smartphone. Because retailers want to boost pre-sale orders, they make these prices very enticing and more affordable than the post-release price. On top of that, pre-sale orders often include exciting tech goodies like hard drives, music players, smart watches, Wi-Fi routers and sometimes even an additional entry-level phone. You’ll still be one of the first people to have the model and you’ll beat paying the higher price!
Go for the previous model up to one month before a new model’s release
If you go for this option, you’ll be choosing the model that was released the previous year – which, by the way, is still an excellent choice. For example, there are very few differences between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 12, and it’ll likely be the case with the iPhone 14. However, you can get a great deal on a smartphone contract for the iPhone 13 one month before the iPhone 14 is released this coming September because retailers and the smartphone brands they stock want to push as many units out of the door before the new model comes in.
Wait for Black Friday
Ahh, yes. The one day everybody who loves a sale around the world goes absolutely bonkers. Black Friday is perfectly positioned just before Christmas and the festive season, which means smartphone stores will want to get rid of stock before the festive season shopping scurry where they can up the price on the more high-end, expensive phones.
What other factors increase the price of a phone contract?
Memory storage
If you’re choosing a phone with 16 GB of storage versus a phone with 512 GB of storage, you’re going to be paying a couple of hundred Rands less on your monthly contract. The more storage a phone has, the more it costs.
The phone’s dimensions and grading
Within a phone series such as the iPhone 13, you get the iPhone 13, the 13 Mini, the Pro and the Pro Max. That’s a lotta phones! It grades from the Mini as the smallest and most basic of the series and climbs it’s way to the Pro Max, which is the largest and most sophisticated. The higher it climbs, the more expensive your contract will be.
Get epic smartphone specials with Mobile Store
Like we said, there is a science to finding the best phone specials. It’s all about being patient and relying on the experts like us to give you the lowdown on what to do and when to buy. Who’s ready to get the best out of their phone contract?
Browse hundreds of phone contracts across four networks and five smartphone brands today!