Apple has unveiled four new iPhone 12 models, and with the arrival of the latest flagship phone series comes the inevitable price drop of last year's models.

That means if you've always wanted to buy an iPhone 11, then the wait will have finally paid off now with a big discount.

However, if you're more tempted by the 5G generation of iPhone 12 models, then you're better off waiting a little longer. That's because most flagship phones see a significant price drop a few weeks after launching.

Previous price tracking has shown that with iPhones - as with other major phones - it makes sense to wait a few weeks before buying a newly released model.

According to the European price watching service Idealo, the price of new iPhone models drops by an average of 8% in the first two months after their release. After four months, the average drop was 14%.

This would mean a saving of around US$150 on the most expensive 6.5in iPhone 11 Pro Max, which starts at US$1,099 .

However, don't expect to see massive discounts before January, and the new iPhones are expected to stay close to their full price in the first weeks after launching between Oct 23 and Nov 13.

Of course, you'll be spending even less if you buy the predecessor of any model shortly after a new version is released, which comes once a year for most smartphone brands. The iPhone released a year ago costs 24% less on average, according to Idealo figures.

However, experts agree you shouldn't be upgrading your iPhone just to get 5G. In 2020, more than a year after 5G became a top feature in premium phones, finding a signal is still difficult in most cities.

And yet carriers around the world are expected to greatly expand their coverage in the coming months and years, and the iPhone 11 has the potential to be left behind when a signal does arrive near you.

Even though 5G expansion is only inching along in most countries, if you're already looking for a smartphone, then you should consider a 5G phone, especially if you need a new one anyway.

 - dpa