The iPhone launch is today and the Samsung Note 8 arrives on Friday

There are two important events happening this week in the world of smartphones. Today, Tuesday the 12th of September the new tranch of iPhones are due to be revealed and then on Friday the first of the superb Samsung Note 8 will be delivered or available to pick up in store.

Already on the iPhone side there have been a ton of leaks predicting an iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone X with an expected price tag of around £1000 will have for the first time what have become pretty basic features – a glass screen that covers the whole of the phone and WiFi charging. It’s also supposed to have a 3D camera but all will be revealed in a couple of hour’s time.

So far as the Samsung Note 8 goes the specs have been out a while, but one is due to be delivered to my on Friday so I’ll let you know what it’s like to live with by next week.

How to maximise return on your old tech

There is a hidden story to each new release of tech and especially for iPhones and that is each and every Apple launch sees Brits trading in their old models to fund their latest upgrade. It’s what experts have dubbed ‘the circular economy’ and involves consumers trading in their old goods for money rather than throwing them away, putting the proceeds towards an upgrade or new purchase.

175,000 iPhone 6’s found new owners via eBay within 90 days of the iPhone 7 release last year. The decade-long popularity of the iPhone has taught savvy shoppers that they can purchase ‘good as new’ refurbed or older models, to get the brand they want at a price that suits them.

In anticipation of the launch of the iPhone 8, sales of the 7 are up by two thirds since July, attracting an average price of between £396 and £434, as consumers prepare to trade up yet again.

eBay’s top 3 tips for Brits to make the most of this annual tech moment

1. The best time to list your old iPhone: just after launch day – when there are over 250,000 searches across the eBay marketplace.
2. The best time to sell a new iPhone: launch day each year’s sees the most sales every year as buyers snap up new devices as soon as they see one – keep refreshing the page to snap up the model you want!
3. The best time to buy a bargain older model: two weeks after the latest launch, when the highest number of older devices sell.

How the iOutlet cashed in on the circular economy

Sellers aren’t shy to cash in on the trend to replace tech on an almost annual basis, the iOutlet launched in 2012 when friends Matt Green and Liam James found themselves unable to afford to upgrade to new iPhones, so instead purchased damaged ones to repair.

Seeing an opportunity to sell to people who wanted to own premium smartphones without paying for a brand new model, the pair began purchasing and refurbishing iPhones to sell on eBay. The business has since expanded its product range (to include Samsung phones, iPads and a repair service), employs 15 people, and generated £8.5m turnover in 2015.

“As I shopped for a cracked iPhone to refurbish, I noticed a lot of people were buying and selling refurbished phones on eBay; rather than spending a fortune on new ones. Liam and I saw a business opportunity here; and we’ve seen year on year sales growth of up to 251% since we launched our refurb business. I think that the refurb market will continue to grow, with so many new phone models being released each year there will always be a demand to keep up and offer people the option to purchase decent phones at a reasonable price.”
– Matt Green, iOutlet co-founder