What the Tech: A bad time of year for electronics

CHARLOTTE, NC – If you’re shopping for a new phone, tablet, laptop, or TV, you might want to wait. July is one of the worst times of the year to buy most electronics, and here’s why. The next iPhone will likely be announced in September. New Pixel and Samsung devices typically launch in the same timeframe. That means if you buy a phone now, you’re paying full price for a model that will be outdated in a few weeks. Even if you don’t care about the latest features, prices on current models usually drop once new ones arrive.

Retailers tend to lower TV prices during Black Friday, the holiday season, and right before the Super Bowl in January. July doesn’t bring those deep discounts. If you’re shopping for a big
screen, hold off until fall unless you find a clearance deal on last year’s model. Back-to-school season is right around the corner. That’s when you’ll start seeing student discounts and bundle deals from Apple, Microsoft, and other brands. Also, many companies are preparing to release laptops with new AI-powered chips. Once those hit the market, older models will likely drop in price.

Amazon Prime Days just wrapped up, along with sales from Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. With those promotions over, retailers are in a reset period. Prices may stay high for a few more
weeks while inventory adjusts. For phones, wait until September or October. For TVs, shop around the holidays. For laptops, back-to-school and Black Friday are your best bets. Unless your device is on its last leg, waiting a few weeks could save you money or get you a better product.