Top Tech: Apple’s most powerful iPhone is £570 off hours before iPhone 17 launch event

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 line-up on Tuesday, but the tech giant’s previous model has just received a hefty discount ahead of the big reveal

Apple is hours away from unveiling its new iPhone 17 range. The tech giant is holding its annual showcase at its California headquarters on Tuesday (September 9) and is expected to launch its latest smartphones, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and the rumoured iPhone 17 Air.

For those in the UK, the event will be live-streamed on the Apple website from 6pm UK time. While no official details have been revealed, like every previous release, we’d expect the iPhone 17 to come with a heavy price tag.

The iPhone 16 debuted at £799, so there’s a good chance the new model will launch around the same price range. That’s why some shoppers are turning to deals on the iPhone 16 range, which has seen some hefty price cuts ahead of Apple’s launch event.

One such deal comes from Vodafone, which is offering discounts of £576 on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The brand offers the device on a range of 36-month contracts including the Unlimited Max plan, which can be reduced from £63.50 to £50 per month when trading-in an eligible phone, with a £50 upfront fee.

The saving comes in two parts: £252 is slashed off the airtime and up to £324 is up for grabs when trading in an eligible phone. The catch is that the biggest trade-in discounts come when handing over select models such as the standard iPhone 16, while older models will offer a lower trade-in value.

Despite this, Vodafone’s iPhone 16 Pro Max deal is ideal for heavy users as it comes with an unlimited data allowance with uncapped 5G speeds. It’s not cheap, though, so those with lower usage may want to consider the 5GB plan, which drops from £51.50 to £41 per month with a trade-in bonus.

However, keep in mind the prices quoted are based on a £13.50 trade-in saving, which comes with a £100 bonus, so the final cost may vary. For those who don’t use a lot of data and mainly use WiFi, it’s worth checking out Sky Mobile’s £35 iPhone 16 Pro Max deal, which it says is its ‘number one best seller’.

This option comes with 100MB allowance as standard, which may not be enough for some, with upgrades available such as 3GB for £6 or 15GB for £12. Another selling point here is that there’s nothing to pay upfront, making Sky an overall cheaper option and perhaps more suited for those without a high quality phone to trade in.

Other Sky options include the iPhone 16e for £18, iPhone 16 for £22 and the iPhone 16 Pro for £28. These contract deals are well-suited for those who prefer to spread the cost of their gadgets, but the most cost effective way is usually by buying outright.

For those who can spare the initial outlay, Amazon is offering £100 off the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with prices now starting at £899 for the 128GB model. Still, that’s not cheap, but there are ways to cut costs even further by choosing a refurbished model from the likes of Wowcher.

We’ve seen an uptick in Apple fans shopping refurbished ahead of the iPhone 17, with Wowcher offering models all the way from the iPhone 4 (£19.99) to the iPhone 16e (£529). Keep in mind that the older you go, the lower the quality, but there’s later models at decent prices including the iPhone 12 for £165 or the iPhone 13 for £245.

The main consideration when shopping with Wowcher is that the price you pay depends on the cosmetic condition of the phone, with their devices usually coming in a choice of ‘very good’, ‘good’ or ‘acceptable’. The better the quality means the higher the price, but even for shoppers choosing the cheaper options, Wowcher assures that all grades ‘ensure full functionality’.

There’s also another small caveat: shoppers must pay an £8.99 delivery fee, and the phone’s packaging may be generic rather than official Apple.