3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Buy the iPhone 5 in 2024

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone in 2024, do yourself a favor and cross the iPhone 5 and Phone 5c off your shopping list.

Buying one of these devices might be tempting, but the iPhone 5 isn’t a top option for those looking to save some cash and/or pickup a phone with a 4-inch display.

If you have your eyes on the iPhone 5, or the colorful iPhone 5c, you’re better off going in another direction. Here’s why.

Software Support

Apple ended software support for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c back in 2017. Both devices stayed on iOS 10 and neither will device will get iOS 11, iOS 12, iOS 13, iOS 14, iOS 15, iOS 16, iOS 17, or Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 update. This has some major implications.

If you buy the iPhone 5, you won’t get features from iOS 11, iOS 12, iOS 13, iOS 14, iOS 15, iOS 16, iOS 17 or any of Apple’s upcoming iOS releases. This might not seem like a huge deal, but remember, features aren’t the only thing you’ll miss out on.

These devices will no longer get official bug fixes or security patches from Apple. You might be able to deal with a few problems, but it’s the lack of security that should have you worried. Apple’s devices aren’t immune to exploits.

If you store sensitive data on your phone, this alone should have you thinking about making the jump to another iPhone or an alternative.

Performance

We used the iPhone 5 for many years and we used every single iOS update Apple released for the device. Our experience was mostly good, but performance started dragging in the latter stages of the device’s life.

We had a pretty good run on iOS 10, but our iPhone 5 wasn’t immune to problems. It was laggy and, towards the end, extremely frustrating to use as a daily driver.

There’s no way to go back to an older version of iOS and there’s no way to upgrade to a newer version of iOS. You’re stuck with the performance you get.

If the iPhone 5 you’re looking to buy has a clean install, you might get good mileage out of it at first. However, over time, your experience will almost certainly start to deteriorate as you accumulate more photos, apps, and other data.

Wiping the phone and restoring from a backup will always be there as a nuclear option if the phone becomes unusable, but it’s a huge, time-consuming pain. This is especially true if you have to do it over, and over, and over again.

At this point, with the phone being as old as it is, and with iOS 10 running like it is, it’s probably a better idea to invest in a newer, more capable device. Fortunately, you’ve got plenty of options.

Better Options

If you’re determined to go the iPhone route and you really want the 4-inch display, your best option is Apple’s iPhone SE.

The iPhone SE is cheap, comes with a 4-inch Retina Display, and delivers a better all-around experience thanks to its processor, RAM, and cameras. It’ll also get occasional security updates.

If you aren’t tied to the 4-inch display, make sure you take a look at Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2 or iPhone SE 3. They both possess better hardware. And, like the original iPhone SE, they’re extremely cheap.

If you aren’t in love with the iPhone SE or iPhone SE 2, you’ll also want to check out the iPhone XR, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone 6s.

And let’s not forget about the mind-boggling amount Android phones out there. You can get an outstanding Android device for under $200.

We loved our time with the iPhone 5, but do yourself a favor and avoid it in 2024. If you’re looking for a new device you can do a lot better without breaking the bank.

Wait for Design Improvements

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After the iPhone 15 launched, users started complaining about overheating issues. Apple eventually fixed them with a software update, but it looks like the company might make some upgrades to the iPhone 16 to reduce overheating. According to leaker Kosutami, Apple may introduce a new graphene thermal system on board the iPhone 16.  The leaker also says the company may also switch to a metal shell for the battery of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max to help prevent overheating issues.  The leaker has released an image that showcases the redesigned battery on a prototype.  The device in question currently features the rumored glossy metal shell and a 3355 mAh capacity battery. The iPhone 15 Pro has a 3274 mAh battery. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman also believes the iPhone 16 will get a new capture button for shooting videos.  The Information says the button is mechanical, not capacitive, and it will respond to pressure and touch.  The site claims iPhone 16 users will be able to zoom the camera in and out by swiping left, and right, on the button. Users will also be able to activate video recording with a hard press and focus using a light press. Leaker Instant Digital corroborates this and adds that a light press on the button will let users adjust the camera's focus. CAD images from 91Mobiles show off what this button, and the overall iPhone 16 Pro design, could look like.  A report from MacRumors also outlines a potential design change to the base iPhone 16's design. Apple is apparently testing a slimmer camera bump with a pill-shaped design language. We expect the iPhone 16 to look a lot like the iPhone 15, and the images appear to confirm this, but these changes would give the new models a bit of an edge over their predecessors. There's also chatter about improved titanium technology on board the iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple reportedly plans to use a method that "improves the previous titanium processing and color processing" which could in turn lead to a more glossy material.

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