AIBU to buy my daughter's boyfriend a replacement phone?

You might suggest he asks around for an old one to tide him over. It's up to him, not you.

Are you sure he actually wants his phone replaced? Pretending your phone is out of battery or not working is a common and non confrontational/kindly way of avoiding too much contact and interference. It was the kind of thing my best friend's mother would have done for me and as much as I adored her, I did find her a bit controlling when she tried to organise me. As a teenager, I would have wanted my own broken phone rather than feel any obligation towards anyone else's parents.

if you need to make light of it, ‘can’t watch you humping that power bank around a minute longer’
say you got a deal
on your contract

Buy second hand, declutter drawers at home while there and claim that you came across it and offer it to him. Don't pick a fancy model. And make sure it is unlocked to all networks.

I'm going to go against the grain here and say I would find it VERY STRANGE and really wouldn't be happy about my teen child being gifted a phone (used or new) by his girlfriends parents. I'd actually be extremely insulted. Our teen (although younger) has broken / lost / damaged his phone various times and we haven't replaced because he needs to learn to be more careful. Also, whether we had the money or not, we budget a certain amount for new things. If it isn't in the budget yet - tough.

Seperately at 17 I would expect him to be working part-time or doing jobs around the house to contribute toward a new phone. Not necessarily pay it all but certainly contribute.

You say he is currently on holiday with you all... did you happen to pay for that too?

ETA: I understand that your gesture is kind. Personally I just couldn't allow my child to accept it.

I wouldn’t without having a proper chat with the parents, they may have had a convo with him regarding getting him a cheaper newer phone but him taking the less sensible option of wanting to stay with the far more expensive Apple, so them saying okay you have to deal with the annoyance of lugging around a battery pack etc if you want to stay on that OS as we can’t afford it.

I wouldn’t lie or get dd involved in the lie, ask the parents, if they want him to have a phone off you, you can just say it honestly that you wanted to get him a new phone and his parents were okay with it.

I agree, you sound so lovely, just buy the gift Xx

I don’t think is a good idea; you will be overstepping and offend them

It’s a kind thought but imo it would be overstepping and risk humiliating his family. Does he have a birthday coming up? Perhaps you could get him a refurb.

If there is nothing wrong with you replacing his phone, why does it need to be kept secret, who are you protecting @AboutAPhone?

The other thought is, if your own and his parents' roles were reversed, financially, how would you feel if they bought a brand new phone for your daughter because you couldn't afford one?

You sound very kind.
I wouldn't involve your daughter in any lies.

I would either go with the upgrade line or ask her would she like an upgrade and gift him her old one.

Buy a second hand one from CEX or music magpie and say it was lying around did he want it. That’s way you aren’t overstepping but he something he needs

I would buy myself/husband/child a new one and give the old one to the boyfriend then it just seems like you are giving him something that otherwise would have gone to waste.

If you want to do it quietly this would be the best way to go about it I think.

Lots saying it's overstepping but I think it's a lovely idea, keeping your daughter a smidge safer too 😊

Christ no. At 17 I'd have been mortified if my parents done that for one of those silly sixth form schlub boys I was dating. Also if I was parenting a 17 year old, it depends on the kid and circumstances but there are various reasons I might actually prefer them to have a slightly rubbish phone, none of which are to do with me not being able to afford a new one for them, and I would be mightily pissed off if someone else upgraded it for him.

This is the perfect answer. You can't buy him a phone, it's far too much coming from your partner's parents. But you absolutely can offer him an old phone if someone is upgrading 🤷‍♀️

It's lovely that you want to help him out.

Why don’t you just pay for the battery to be replaced?

If I did it, I would say it was a ‘free’ phone that came with my contract renewal but obviously don’t need it because current phone is fine… and would he like it? Ie. White lie. Then parents can’t get offended, BF has a functioning phone, and everyone is none the wiser…

Could you upgrade your daughters phone as a reward for finishing school and suggest she offers him her old one as it is no longer needed assuming her current one is better than his current one?

I think that it would be kind to get him a replacement mobile, OP.

I wouldn't get a much later version, though, just maybe the next version after what he has.

There is a store called CEX near where I live.

You could get one from them and just tell him you saw it online and snapped it up.

I think he will just be pleased to have a working phone.

https://uk.webuy.com/search?productLineId=113&productLineName=iPhones&availability=In+Stock+Online~In+Stock+In+Store