We are approaching the end of 2025 and Christmas shopping is just around the corner. If you need a new smartphone, is it better to buy a discounted model early or wait a little longer for the next big thing? New technology always brings something new, but it’s the end of the year and new phones usually hit the market in January and sometimes even before the end of December.
Whether you have to wait depends on two factors. First things first: which phone do you want to buy? Is it for sale? Some phones, like the Google Pixel, go on sale every year around Christmas. Other phones, like Apple’s iPhone, never get deep discounts. I will show you the best deals you can expect.
The Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro were launched in August
The second question is to what extent you need a new phone and why you are replacing your current device. Do you really need a new phone or are you just tired of the one you have and want something new? In either case, I can help you.
Is your phone broken? Even if the screen is broken, it may be worth more to replace it than to repair it and replace it later to get it working again.
While there aren’t significant discounts on new models, some phone manufacturers and carriers offer deals that increase the trade-in value of your existing phone, and sometimes those deals ignore defects like a small broken glass. It’s worth checking with your favorite retailer to see what they’re offering for your current contract, regardless of the terms.
If you want an iPhone deal, don’t hesitate: BUY NOW
Apple will never lower the price of its iPhone. You can find deals on Apple computers like the MacBook Pro or Mac Mini, but even at third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, you’ll rarely see an iPhone price drop.
Instead, you’ll find long-term offers from mobile operators to give you a phone for free (or at a very low monthly cost) if you sign a two- or three-year contract. These are not bad deals, as long as you consider signing a contract with a carrier.
There are much bigger discounts on Apple computers than on Apple iPhones
Even if Apple were to release a new iPhone like the current iPhone 17, the prices of older iPhone models would not drop much. An iPhone 16 now costs just $100/£100/AU$150 less than when it was new last year.
The biggest discounts are quite common on Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel mobile phones. So if you really want to save money, you should check out the competition’s offers.
Google Pixel phones are the best deal of the sales season: BUY NOW
Google Pixel 10 Pro discounts likely this Christmas season
Like clockwork, the price of Google’s Pixel family drops every year during the holiday season. I think Pixel fans can save hundreds of dollars on the new Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro if they wait until late November to buy them.
The Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 families dropped in price at the time, even though the Pixel 8 launched as an all-new phone just over a month before the Thanksgiving weekend.
The Google Pixel 10 was launched in August, so the phone is new and has made some changes from last year’s model. I tested all the Pixel phones this year and they’re worth buying, especially with the Black Friday deals I’m looking forward to.
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 May Be Delayed, But Will Arrive ASAP – WAIT, Maybe…
If you want a Samsung phone, deals and discounts are common, and Samsung can even be more aggressive with their trade-in bonus offers (as I mentioned above). Therefore, check the transaction value to see how much of the deal you are actually getting.
Samsung has been releasing its new phones in January for a few years now, but this year we heard rumors that the Galaxy S26 phones might be delayed and released a month or two later than usual.
These Samsung phones are great, but new devices may be coming soon… or not
We haven’t heard much else about the new features that will make these phones worth waiting for, other than the usual claims that everything from the processor to the cameras, design and materials will be slightly better than last year.
In my experience, phone prices usually drop the most between two and three months before the new model hits the market. We could see very low prices for the Samsung Galaxy S25 this holiday season, or we could see another sales event in January when retailers anticipate the launch of the S26.
The bottom line: If you buy a Pixel or Galaxy phone, acquire Your new phone if you find a Black Friday deal this month. Don’t worry about waiting for the sequel. Today’s phones are amazing devices and you won’t be able to get them for less if history is to be believed.
If you want the fastest phone possible (maybe with the biggest battery ever?), absolutely WAIT
Back in September, Qualcomm took me to Maui to test the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and we already know that the OnePlus 15 will be the first phone most of us will be able to buy with this new platform.
The OnePlus 13 was one of my favorite phones in 2025, but the OnePlus 15 is coming soon
In my benchmark testing of a reference unit with the new Snapdragon in it, this is by far the fastest chipset you’ll find in a phone. I tested it with my iPhone 17 Pro Max and it won all benchmark competitions.
The OnePlus 15 will launch in China first, but will be available in the US, UK and hopefully Australia before the end of the year if OnePlus follows its normal schedule. We’re not sure what else this phone can do, but OnePlus traditionally offers incredible performance and battery life at the price of a base model flagship phone or less.
The OnePlus 13 won’t get the same discounts as the Google Pixel 10 or the Samsung Galaxy S25 because OnePlus doesn’t have the sales volume or retail partnerships to lower the price further. However, you can still get about $100 off if you have a phone (even an old, broken flip phone) to trade in. However, I would wait for the OnePlus 15 if you are a fan of the brand. OnePlus hasn’t released a blind product in years, so the upcoming model is definitely worth a look.