GoKawiilApple's yearly iPhone releases usually offer small iterations on the design. And while there are under-the-hood spec bumps, many of the best annual upgrades come via the revamped OS. Thankfully, the upcoming iOS 27 will work with iPhone models dating back to the iPhone 11 and second-gen iPhone SE.
That may make you think that an iPhone 15 (our review), currently two generations old and soon-to-be three, is still worth getting today. It's the oldest model still offered by retailers and carriers, often available for a discounted rate, and it has decent specs and cameras. However, upon further inspection, it's not as good a deal as you think.
Apple does support its phones for a good while, with typically five to seven years of software updates. But when you consider value, you can get an iPhone 17e for roughly the same price as an iPhone 15, and it beats the iPhone 15 in nearly every relevant area. In fact, some carriers at the time of writing, like T-Mobile, are charging slightly more for an iPhone 15 than the iPhone 17e.
The main distinction is the dual-camera system of the iPhone 15 compared to the 17e's single back camera. But if you're only snapping casual shots for social media, this may not make a difference to you.