Can anyone please help me with iPhones?

I know you want second hand, but I would highly recommend a new one. I got a refurbished one from Apple and I got two years out of it before it became a real pain - apps just closing on me, freezing, battery being at 90% then dying within 10 minutes, not switching back on but when I connected to power again it was still at 90%.

I switched to Sky as they were offering the cheapest pay monthly ones, and I’ll keep this now until it dies on me.

IPhone 12

No one has actually answered your question have they
If you are tight on money, and really want apple get at least a 12. Ideally get an se, this is a lower grade model but newer and will last longer while being more cost effective.
However I wouldn't recommend any apple phone personally, especially if cost is important.

CEX

I had a 7 but the battery lasted about a hour max unless it was on charge, my banking app stopped working on Friday, it couldn’t download Teams, and the storage space was rubbish.
I switched yesterday to a 12, bought for about £180 in a very good independent phone shop in our town, where they sell and repair phones. And dd had a black screen (think it’s a Chinese make) but was having problems with it so went for an iPhone 13 which was about £240.
The shop transferred all of my photos and notes and everything from my old phone for me so I’m very happy. Just have to get used to not having a home button and a fingerprint.
I’m not one who would spend £1,000 on the latest all singing all dancing phone so long as it’s functional.
If you don’t have an independent phone shop near you, perhaps try a CEX branch.

Wish I had seen this thread a few hours ago! I also have an 8 and lots of apps not working. Went for a 12 refurb but now wish I’d gone higher. Oh well. Next time!

If you know anyone with a Costco membership phones are always slightly cheaper there.

My mum has just done exactly the same thing, she had an eight and it was just no longer functional. I went on live chat with apple and they recommend a iPhone 16. He said it had all the features that she would need without all of the razzmatazz that she doesn’t.

She has been going to sessions at the Apple Store to acclimatise to it. You book online and they have one every day at every Apple Store. She’s not incompetent or anything! Quite the opposite but it is quite a big step up. No button and Face ID being the big ones.

You need a good amount of storage in order for the phone not to go obsolete as quickly apparently.

My DS has a 12 and it won’t update. His birthday is in 5 weeks and I plan to get him a 16 or 17. Lots of 0% deals around.

I would probably go for the 13 at the oldest. The 11 is no longer getting updates I believe, and if you want to keep it long term, then the 12 will probably only get a year or 2 before they stop updating it

I’ve had iPhone since day dot, generally I love them, but I will say - don’t get a 14 pro max! It was the wordy phone I ever
had, the camera was woeful.

If you aren’t needing high spec graphics and video editing, it’s not worth getting the pro version. I went from an 11 to 16 last year and there was a noticeable difference with everything. Going from an 8 to either a 17 or 18 if you can hang on until Sept will be huge.

Might be worth buying a portable battery pack in the meantime just so you can enjoy listening to your music on your trip and not worry about running out of battery. You can pick one up from so many shops these days and you charge the pack and then plug your phone in using a USB cable that you’d usually use to charge your existing phone. Mine is a Belkin and it charges my phone so quickly.

If you want a small phone, I think your only iPhone choices now are 12 mini or 13 mini. Apple did say they wouldn't be making any more mini phones. That may change if they ever decide they have to compete with some of the flip phones

Yes, you're right, I think the 13 series has much better choice of capacity, better than the 12

I have a iPhone 11 and the next big update that’s coming (September I think but don’t quote me) I won’t be able to update to it, so make sure it’s newer than the 11.

My 12 mini was fantastic for battery on ios 16, but both 18 and 26 do drain the battery faster, I'm afraid. The nature of the beast. I think The Big Phone Store guarantees at least 85% battery capacity, but you might be able to ask them to put in a brand new replacement battery, probably not an Apple battery but similar

I’ve just inherited dd1s 13 (I pay the dds contracts and then get there old phone as I don’t care about phones as long as they work).

it’s better than the 12 I was using mainly because it comes with more storage as standard and as everything takes up so much space these days I was struggling with the old one. It’s fine, does everything and don’t think I’m missing out on anything great not having a newer modal.

I have just recently updated my 12 mini to 18.7 for the new security patches, and they have also offered me ios 26. So looks like at the moment at least, Apple are still supporting and updating the 12 mini. If you went for a 13 or 13 mini, my guess is it would update to ios 26 as soon as you set it up ( which is what mine did), and you would probably get a few years out of it

Yes - BackMarket. I have bought my last 2 iPhones from them and they've been great. You can choose the condition you want, and that obviously affects the price, but they have some great deals and their customer service is excellent.

I would check online reviews of Back Market before you buy. The reason I went with The Big Phone Store is because at the time Back Market were getting some bad reviews. Might have improved by now