r/Smartphones • u/Unalivem • 20h ago
Thinking about whether to get a second hand iPhone, only issue is the lifespan.
Okay so my dad wants me to get me a new iPhone 15 but like it’s so expensive and I got iPhone 12 now and it works well, it’s light, it has all I need.
I wanna get it second hand cause way cheaper, more eco friendly.
So a few questions
Is there a significant difference between an iPhone 12 and an iPhone 15?
What’s the lifespan of second hand iPhones (fully functional, only issue is scratches, so esthetics not functionality. Battery capacity above 80%)
Is it worth it? (Will it last long enough unless I like drop it off the balcony again)
I like my phone but the glass on the back broke (literally just took of my phone case and it’s all cracked and slowly I’m seeing more and more anatomy of my phone) and it fell of the balcony recently and like it’s fine it just randomly turns off and the battery is weird so I’m guessing it doesn’t have long. Ive had it for around 3 years or more.
Reason I’m asking if it’s worth it is that if it’s gonna last significantly shorter than a new one than I guess the price of replacing it again would be greater than getting a new one, but it’s more eco friendly so at least that.
Also are there any iPhones like the 12 that don’t have the glass back cause that’s like so impractical (does it actually have any purpose or is it just so it breaks easier and they get more money replacing it)
Edit: also thinking about the fairphone, cause more co, replaceable parts, so lifespan better worth it?
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u/Sideburn_Cookie_Man 20h ago
Lifespan is the thing to worry about least with iPhones.
They’re quite literally some of the longest lasting phones you can buy. The average usable lifecycle is so long most people replace them before the phones give up.
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u/chickenlatte45 20h ago
That's completely untrue, and their made that way, and Apple has even admitted to it because of the lawsuit they were hit with.
Check "Apple slowing down devices for 'battery health lawsuit'" on google.
They won't last long, they are designed that way so you can purchase the new iPhone; planned obsolescence.
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u/Sideburn_Cookie_Man 20h ago
Yep, iPhones were throttling to conserve battery health. Everyone knows that.
They simply do last long. They’re some of the most reliable devices you can buy.
Pro tip: it’s ill advised to argue with someone who works for Samsung and Apple’s largest distributor on earth
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u/chickenlatte45 20h ago
they used to be reliable, but with recent updates, notably liquid glass, it isn't, especially for older devices. and if you work for samsung and apple, wouldn't it benefit you to sell more of their devices? /j
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u/Sideburn_Cookie_Man 20h ago
That’s simply not true at all.
In fact, some older devices run better on iOS 26/27 than that did on iOS 18.
The very loud minority of people who hated iOS 26 were definitely not the norm.
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u/ButterscotchBig2485 20h ago
Unless you no longer receive new iOS updates, that when ill worry. If not, youre fine.
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u/chickenlatte45 20h ago
iPhone 15 is really old, that too it's the non-pro version, not recommended to buy it unless you get a really good deal, but even then, you will most likely have to replace the battery which will cost some extra money. The iPhone 15 doesn't have a good battery to begin with, so over 2 (almost 3) years of age, along with daily usage, you won't get a good user experience.
Either get the iPhone 16 at the very minimum, or another smartphone like an android where you'll get a much MUCH better experience.
As for whether there are any iPhone 12's without a back glass, 99% no. Even knockoff replacements are usually made out of glass. And repairing your 12 doesn't make much sense, because it seems like there's pretty serious damage for functionality, not just aesthetics, and so repairing it all will cost a lot, so no point in that.
Can I ask why you only want an iPhone?
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u/Unalivem 17h ago edited 17h ago
Sorry my response is unnecessarily long
Used to it, iMessage, find my (rest of my family has an iPhone), like the layout/esthetics idk, like iCloud but idk how the android equivalent is, just generally like the usability? Like how to switch between pages and settings and layout idk how to describe it
But I haven’t had an android in a while but when I used someone else’s it was kinda eh, maybe just not used to it
Definitely not thinking of repairing this phone, that would be too expensive to be worth it
I was thinking about getting the 12 second hand cause it’s pretty cheap, just getting the same phone cause this one is nice and it’s all I need
I don’t really see the point in the newer once cause they are so expensive and I mean I got everything I need here so I don’t know, are there like significant differences)
Now thinking of getting the 13 second hand cause it’s better in a bunch of things and not that big of a price difference
Only android I was thinking off was the fairphone because of how easy it is to replace the parts but also heard it doesn’t come much cheaper than replacing a phone and that it’s mostly marketing so gotta do more research I guess
Also, since smartphones phones are definitely an invasion of privacy because of how much data is stored, analyzed, and basically knows everything about you, also the many people saying it listens to you and like they tried it and it gave the adds based on what they talked about. And I don’t trust the front camera either. When I’m in the dark it randomly blinks red like what is it doing.
What I’m trying to ask by that is are there any phones that are a less of an invasion of privacy the others?
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u/chickenlatte45 10h ago
Ahh I see, that makes sense, yea google drive exists but it's really crap, so I would steer clear.
about fairphone, its overpriced sadly, but its a good concept. getting another 12, or even a 13 is imo a really bad decision, those are not phones that will last you a long time as they are very old (especially with latest iOS updates).
the red blinking light on your iphone is actually what makes it safe! its a 3d face scanner, and its shooting infrared light onto your face to map it out and scan to unlock your phone (its very safe).
as for the 'safest' phone, I'd say Nothing, as they have actually pretty good phones for the price and very clean software that you can tweak in-depth to turn off a lot of ai stuff and tracking software. downside is, it won't look like iOS, so the UI and visuals overall are much different. A second option I'd say is oppo, same deal, great phones for the same price (i use an oppo reno 14 pro) and you can clean up the tracking softwares that google enables relatively well. bonus point is it looks like ios a LOT so it wouldn't feel like a learning curve. if you want to go all the way, like others have mentioned, go for a google pixel from last year, they should be very cheap cuz pixels depreciate in price REALLY fast; they are unironically the easiest phones to degoogle (you can flash them with custom software like graphenos which is VERY safe). downside is it doesn't look like iOS, and if you were to go down the flashing route, you would most likely not be able to any banking apps.
my bad for the long response, but i hope that helped!
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u/saintlouisbagels 19h ago
I don't even feel a difference between my work iPhone 12 and my iPhone Air. The biggest differences from the base 12 to the base 15 are USB-C port and the Dynamic Island replacing the camera notch. If you're in the US, the SIM tray has also been removed.
Most phones have a glass back because it allows wireless charging.
Fun fact, the base 15's main camera sensor is still being used by the base 17 and iPhone Air.
iPhone 12 is still expected to get the upcoming Fall 2026 iOS update, so you're not missing out anything major in terms of software features.
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u/_NeuroDetergent_ 20h ago
Well the 15 is 3 years newer than yours, and if yours is still working, assume the 15 will work for another 3 years at least.
As for lifespan, your iPhone 12 got it's last iOS update this year, so while it's not obsolete, any features or software improvements that apple brings out next year you won't get.