Nothing beats a brand new phone, but some of the new phones you buy today may actually have launched some time ago. While you’re still getting a brand new, untouched mobile, the technology inside an older phone is a little behind the curve from day one.
The relentless pace of development means that smartphones get faster all the time. Battery life is going up, while charging times are going down. Screens are getting better, and faster data speeds make downloads quicker, and streaming smoother. If you want your phone to keep up, it’s best to buy one of the newest models you can.
There’s another, more subtle reason to buy a phone while it’s still reasonably fresh. Manufacturers provide operating system and security updates for a number of years after the phone launches, rather than the date you buy it. The good news is that support has stretched a long way: iPhones, Pixels and Samsung’s flagships now get around seven years of updates, but buy one well after launch and you’ll see less of that window.
In this guide, we list the best new phones you can buy today in order of newness. We’ll tell you when they were launched, when they might be replaced, and when the updates might stop coming. Check out all the details in our best new phones guide.
Launch date? September 2026
Replacement expected? September 2027
Expect updates until? Around 2033
Apple’s biggest and best phone is also one of the newest you can buy. The iPhone 18 Pro Max landed in September 2026 with the A20 Pro chip, built on a 2nm process that makes it faster and more efficient than anything Apple has shipped before, so it will stay quick for years rather than months.
The 6.9-inch ProMotion OLED runs from 1Hz all the way to 120Hz, and this generation adds vapour-chamber cooling that keeps performance steady under load. Battery life is the longest of any iPhone, the camera system is Apple’s most capable yet, and because Apple supports its phones for the best part of a decade, you can expect software updates well into the 2030s.
It is big, heavy and expensive, so it won’t suit everyone. But if you want the most future-proof iPhone money can buy, nothing else comes close.
Launch date? September 2026
Replacement expected? September 2027
Expect updates until? Around 2033
If the Pro Max is more phone than you want to carry, the iPhone 18 Pro packs almost all of the same technology into a 6.3-inch body. It shares the A20 Pro chip, the vapour-chamber cooling and the same core camera system, so day to day there is very little between them.
The only real trade-offs are a slightly smaller screen and shorter battery life than the Max, both a fair price for a phone that is far easier to use one-handed. With the same long Apple update support behind it, it should keep feeling current well into the 2030s.
For most people after a brand-new flagship that won’t date quickly, this is the sweet spot of the range.
Launch date? August 2026
Replacement expected? August 2027
Expect updates until? 2033 (7 years of OS and security updates)
Google’s largest Pixel arrived in August 2026 and leads with the Tensor G6 chip and seven years of OS and security updates, so it is genuinely built for the long haul. Buy one now and it will keep getting new Android features and patches until 2033.
The 6.8-inch LTPO OLED is bright and sharp, the battery is the biggest in the Pixel line, and the camera remains one of the best you can point at anything, helped along by Google’s clever AI processing. Clean, fuss-free software is part of the appeal too.
It isn’t quite the fastest phone here for outright gaming, but as an all-rounder that will stay supported for years, the Pixel 11 Pro XL is very easy to recommend.
Launch date? July 2026
Replacement expected? July 2027
Expect updates until? 2033 (7 years of OS updates)
Unveiled at Samsung’s July 2026 Unpacked, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is the newest way to carry a phone and a small tablet in one. Closed, it works like a normal handset; open it out and you get an 8-inch 120Hz screen that transforms multitasking, reading and gaming.
It runs the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, keeps the S Pen support Fold owners love, and like the rest of Samsung’s flagship range it gets seven years of updates, taking it to 2033. The thinner, lighter design makes it the most pocketable Fold yet.
Foldables still cost more than regular flagships, and the crease hasn’t vanished entirely, but if you want the most versatile new phone around, this is it.
Launch date? February 2026 (on sale March 2026)
Replacement expected? Early 2027
Expect updates until? 2033 (7 years of OS updates)
Announced in February 2026 and on sale from March, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung’s do-everything flagship. The latest Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy makes it one of the fastest phones you can buy, and the huge 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED is as good a screen as exists on any phone.
The quad-camera system, headlined by a 200MP main sensor and a long periscope zoom, is built for people who want to shoot everything, and the built-in S Pen is still unique at this level. Seven years of updates mean it will stay current until around 2033.
Its replacement, the Galaxy S27 Ultra, is expected in early 2027, so if you want the latest for longest you may wish to buy soon or hold on. Either way, this is a phone with very few genuine weaknesses.
Launch date? September 2025
Replacement expected? Spring 2027 (standard iPhone 18)
Expect updates until? Around 2032
The standard iPhone 17 is the oldest phone on this list, having launched in September 2025, but it remains a brilliant and very current choice. It brought ProMotion to the non-Pro iPhone for the first time, so its 6.3-inch screen now runs at a smooth 120Hz, and the A19 chip is quick enough for anything most people throw at it.
Because Apple broke up its usual autumn launch, there is no standard iPhone 18 yet; the next model isn’t expected until spring 2027. That makes the iPhone 17 feel newer than its age, and with Apple’s long update support it should keep getting iOS updates into the early 2030s.
If you want a brand-new iPhone without paying Pro money, and you’re happy with one rear camera fewer, the iPhone 17 is still a great long-term buy.
The iPhone X ushered in a new era of iPhone design, making everything that came before it look dated. Its huge screen and updated features made it a sensation - but that was four years ago. Is it still worth buying today? Read our review.
The iPhone 8 Plus was the last big iPhone with bezels above and below the screen. It’s better than an iPhone 8 or an iPhone 7 Plus, but it is getting on a bit. Today it’s comparatively cheap, but does that mean you should buy one? Read our iPhone 8 Plus review.
The iPhone XS Max was Apple’s first plus-sized flagship phone since the design changes introduced with the iPhone X. It’s a big, beautiful slab of a phone - but is it worth buying now it’s three generations old? Read our iPhone XS Max review.
