Let's get the caveats out of the way: no one knows anything for sure about the next iPhone, not even its name. (Sure, iPhone 5 is a pretty good bet, but it could just as easily be "the new iPhone.") There have been no official announcements from Apple. The best launch date report we have, September 12, is based on some (very good) guesswork.
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Apple's top suppliers have recently reported a massive jump in sales, prompting suggestions of one of its biggest launches ever, but it's guesswork still.
Got it? Good. Now: are you an iPhone owner who's prepared to roll the dice on a new model coming out in a little over a month? Do you want one? And most importantly, can you do without your current phone for that long?
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If the answers to all of those is yes, then it may be time to sell your current iPhone -- as it will only decline in value from here on out. That's according to eBay resale data compiled by NextWorth, an electronics recycling company.
Prior to last year's iPhone 4S launch in mid-October, the resale value had been declining steeply since early August. By the time the new phone launched, the previous models had lost between 15% and 25% of their resale value:
If hanging on to your old iPhone for a month isn't too much of a burden, however, other electronics resale sites suggest you'll still get a good price for them.
"There is an optimal time to sell your old iPhone to make the biggest profit -– the month before and after the new version is released," says Drew Lieberman, CEO of Glyde. "We’d suggest selling your old device as soon as the new version is announced and in most cases you’ll pay nothing for the new device, if you’re upgrading."
"That being said, the great thing about iPhones is that they retain their value for up to two years – you’ll still get $200 for an 16 GB iPhone 4S a year from now.”
Lieberman's site has seen a 340% increase in inquiries from people looking to sell their old iPhones (3GS, 4 and 4S) this month, compared to October 2011.
Glyde's current resale price estimates for an iPhone 4S: between $380 for a 16 GB model, and $460 for the 64 GB version. On NextWorth, you can get between $263 and $330 for the same model.
What are your iPhone upgrade plans: sell now, wait until September, or hold on to your current model regardless? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.