Overview
- A price study published July 23 by Stiftung Warentest shows buyers can save up to about 40 percent by delaying purchases, with July and August often offering the deepest average discounts.
- Apple keeps iPhone prices near launch levels for roughly 90 days before modest drops appear by spring, Samsung models fall faster to about 75 percent of launch price by July, Google Pixel models trend to roughly 70 percent after a year, and Xiaomi T-series often hit their lowest prices in autumn.
- The European Union now requires five years of software updates and up to seven years of spare parts for phones and tablets, which reduces the urgency for routine two-year upgrades.
- Industry commentary warns that 2026 component pressures, especially a shortage and price rise for memory and storage, are keeping new-flagship prices high and strengthening the case for waiting for discounts.
- Practical guidance for shoppers is to wait for summer or brand-specific post-launch windows unless a device fails, while remaining flexible on color and storage because popular variants can sell out and push prices up again.