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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Do most 11 year olds really have iPhone 14s?

126 replies

MaxwellCat · 05/07/2023 15:35

My son is starting secondary school in September. I was looking at getting him an iPhone but unsure of which one. I want something that is acceptable to not be made fun of (sorry but being realistic here) but not the latest as he is only 11. I asked on a Facebook group and a lot people were saying their 11 year olds had iPhone 14s and “all their friends do” the others were ranging from iPhone 11 and above which is still around £300 so would be on top of all his uniform and shoes etc. I wasn’t expecting to spend that much. Do most 11 year olds really have iPhone 14s? What phone does your 11/12 year old have for starting secondary school (only these ages please)

OP posts:
nopainnogain1 · 05/07/2023 18:59

Mine at age 12 and 10 have iPhone 13s each. And they wear Air Force 1s for school as a PP gasped at. I'm not wealthy by any means, but we're comfortable and managing fine so I like the kids to have decent possessions.

rookiemere · 05/07/2023 19:05

DH, DS 17 and I all have iphone 11s. DS has dropped his a number of times, so he won't be getting a newer more expensive model unless he can pay for it himself.

Skinnybluebody · 05/07/2023 19:08

Our 12 year old has a Google Pixel 7

weqa · 05/07/2023 19:08

Do not buy an 11 year old an expensive phone.

Give them a old / refurbished one and tell them if they can have a new phone for Xmas / birthday when they have proved they won't loose it / damage it / leave it on the bus / on the field / in the coop etc

GameOverBoys · 05/07/2023 19:10

My daughter goes to school in an expensive area, so a lot of the parents aren’t short if a Bob or 2. I’ve just asked her and she’s says no no one she knows has a 14.

Ponderingwindow · 05/07/2023 19:14

The iPhone SE is a perfect phone for a teen. It doesn’t suffer from update fatigue like other models because it is designed and marketed to be bought and used for several years instead of face pressure to update.

I could afford a more expensive version, but then there would be more pressure on her with regards to breakage or loss. She actually understands that makes things more relaxed and also frees up money for other things.

Watchthedoormat · 05/07/2023 19:15

DD 12 Yr7 has an iPhone XR.
I think the norm amongst her pals is the 11.
( She does have Nike air force though in both white and black so she isn't too uncool )😂

ZenNudist · 05/07/2023 19:16

Ds in y7 (at grammar in posh area in NW) says most have iPhone 11 and 12. Barely anyone has the SE, some have 13s. He has 13 mini that he got at Christmas. Went off to secondary with an old Samsung. We got the best one for his Christmas present and planning on not upgrading for most of his time at secondary.

No one has the 14 and he says its not worth it because its near identical to the 13 but better camera and much more expensive. Hes very into phones!

I should imagine a few of the incoming y7 will get 14s because people will do what we did and get a good one to last until GCSE.

lemonyellows · 05/07/2023 19:18

Mine as a hand me down iPhone because we all have iPhones and want to utilise the functionality. But I wouldn't get him a brand new one. Too much possibility of him losing or breaking it.

FinallyLeavingDenver · 05/07/2023 19:18

On the topic of trainers my son always had Nike Air Max 90s or Air Force 1 from year 7 but the school have put a stop to trainers now after years of a no trainer rule that wasn’t enforced. Now if you wear trainers you’re in isolation until you have acceptable shoes.

BillyNoM8s · 05/07/2023 19:22

Our 15 year olds have decent mid range Samsungs which were about £400 new. I'm about to replace with similar.

I don't do iPhones and I don't buy children phones which are as expensive or more expensive than mine. When they have a job they're welcome to buy whatever they want.

I have no interest in what other kids have. They don't use most of the functionality anyway. As long as they have whatsapp, they're sorted.

BillyNoM8s · 05/07/2023 19:27

I wish ours could wear trainers to school. They'd probably hold up better than any school shoes I buy them. They get trashed!

whenindoubtgotothelibrary · 05/07/2023 19:31

Also depends a bit on your child and what you think they can be trusted with. DS (now in his twenties) still has refurbed SEs because he loses and breaks things so often ( not just phones). Buying expensive things for him is akin to setting fire to £20 notes, and I've lost count of the number of phones I had to replace or repair over the secondary school years. On the other hand DD in Y13 is still only on her second phone ever.

Blueuggboots · 05/07/2023 19:35

No! He's got an iPhone 8 that belonged to my OH. I don't have an iPhone 14!! 🤪

TaylorsSwimShorts · 05/07/2023 19:36

11 yr old iPhone 12
14 yr old iPhone 13
16 yr old Galaxy s23
18 yr old iPhone 14

2 of them have better phones than me Confused but they all pass them down, all are insured and in decent cases, have had a few cracked, one robbed and one went for a swim in the sea 🙄

TaylorsSwimShorts · 05/07/2023 19:38

Meant to say, they're fairly typical among their friends, some have better, some have older , nobody cares, I don't think I've ever heard any nastiness about anybody else's phone ...

Tosire · 05/07/2023 19:40

My 11 just got their first phone. It isn't an iPhone. What sort of children are you expecting will make fun of a phone?

3WildOnes · 05/07/2023 19:41

Mine has an an old Samsung. Most of his friends seem to have their parents old phones. I don't think he would know what phones his friends have. Private school in SW London.

Parlourgames · 05/07/2023 19:42

No! They have old ones of ours which are crap but honestly they drop them / leave them in the rain etc etc

wonderstuff · 05/07/2023 19:43

My 15 yo has a refurbished 2020 SE, my son has a second hand Samsung. My son has gone through so many phones! Hes just happy to have anything. My dd we gave a budget of £100 and she topped it up with birthday money because she wanted an iPhone.
I’m a teacher in secondary, certainly some kids always have the latest phone but I don’t think that helps with popularity.

Fizbosshoes · 05/07/2023 19:59

We live in a fairly MC area where most of my DC peers have several holidays abroad each year, some go away every school hol compared to our 1 or maybe 2 UK holidays often camping, and genrrally their families have a much higher disposable income than we do.
so my DC wouldn't have expected to get an expensive phone even if their friends have them (some did, but certainly not all)

Even if every other kid in the school had an iPhone 14 (or the latest one) I wouldn't have been able to afford it when they started secondary even if I wanted to.

troppibambini6 · 05/07/2023 20:06

My year 7 has an iPhone 13 she got it for Christmas last year.

RudsyFarmer · 05/07/2023 20:10

The phone I buy my child for secondary will be something antiquated. No way in hell they’d be getting the latest iPhone. Absolutely bonkers.

smilesup · 05/07/2023 20:18

Don't be ridiculous only someone stupidly rich or stupidly flashy would do such a thing.

Original poster
MaxwellCat · 05/07/2023 21:20

My son would be robbed if he was walking around here with an iPhone 14!

OP posts: