When to buy a smartphone for less: launch calendar and best deals

The best time to buy a smartphone for less is usually right after its successor is announced, when retailers clear out the older model, and during Black Friday (Friday 27 November 2026). On the other hand, buying a flagship a few weeks before the next generation lands often means paying full price at the worst moment. The smart move: know your brand's launch calendar, then track the price of the exact model you want.

Smartphone release calendar for 2026

Each big brand runs on its own rhythm. Here are the 2026 announcements for the main flagship ranges, based on the manufacturers' official communications:

Brand and range	2026 announcement	What it means
Samsung Galaxy S (S26, S26+, S26 Ultra)	25 February 2026 (Galaxy Unpacked, San Francisco)	The Galaxy S25 range becomes end-of-line.
Samsung foldables (Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, Z Flip8)	22 July 2026 (Galaxy Unpacked, London)	The Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 become last year's models.
Google Pixel (Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, 11 Pro Fold)	12 August 2026 (Made by Google)	The Pixel 10 range is replaced.
Apple iPhone (iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo)	9 September 2026 (keynote)	The iPhone 17 Pro leaves Apple's line-up; see when to buy an iPhone.

These events come back every year, but exact dates move: Samsung shows its Galaxy S phones early in the year and its foldables in summer, Google its Pixels in late summer and Apple its iPhones in September. For 2027, wait for official announcements before pinning a purchase to a specific day.

The same events are often where brands show their new watches and earbuds too. If a wearable is also on your list, see when to buy a smartwatch.

Best month to buy a smartphone

This table combines launch timing with the big shopping events. These are patterns, not promises: a retailer can cut a price at any time.

Month	Rating	Why
January	Good	French winter sales (6 January to 2 February 2027, except a few départements); last year's Galaxy S nears replacement.
February – March	Good	After the new Galaxy S launch, the previous generation is often cleared.
April – May	Average	Quieter period; spring French Days in France in some years.
June	Avoid for a foldable	Last year's foldables are at the end of their cycle, just before the new ones.
July – August	Good (Samsung foldables, Pixel)	Samsung foldable and Pixel launches make the previous models worth a look.
September	Average	Apple keynote and autumn French Days; new models are rarely discounted straight away.
October	Good for preparing	Note reference prices for your shortlist before Black Friday.
November	Good	Black Friday (27 November) and Cyber Monday (30 November): lots of offers, to check one by one.
December	Average	Strong pre-Christmas demand, some deals extended after Black Friday.

Why last year's model is often the best buy

From one generation to the next, improvements tend to be targeted: a camera sensor, a newer chip, new software features. For everyday use, last year's model usually remains very capable. Its price, however, is more likely to have dropped at retailers, especially while they make room for the new one.

Before deciding, compare both spec sheets on what matters to you:

• software support promised by the manufacturer: an older model will get updates for less time than the new one;
• the camera, if that's your main criterion;
• battery life and charging;
• storage: a great price on a version that's too small is still a bad buy.

One problem remains: knowing whether the older model's price has really dropped since the launch. Without a reference point, you can't tell. Either note its price before the event, or add the model to UniverTrack: the dated history starts the day you begin tracking (and on Amazon, past price history can be shown too).

How much can you expect to save?

There's no reliable rule: the size of a drop depends on the brand, the retailer, remaining stock and demand, and some models barely move while others fall quickly. That's exactly why a fixed "wait X weeks" strategy often disappoints. Take a hypothetical example: if a phone costs €800 at one shop and you're hoping for a better price, the only honest benchmark is that model's own price over time, not a general percentage.

Flagship, mid-range, foldable: different cycles

Flagships

These follow the most predictable calendar, with one big launch a year. Their launch price is high, and that's where the gap between "just before" and "just after" a refresh is most visible.

Mid-range phones

Mid-range lines are refreshed on more varied schedules depending on the brand, sometimes in several waves a year. The calendar matters less: track the model's price and use the big sales events.

Foldables

They have the highest starting prices on the market. Samsung's new models arrive in summer; it's often after that launch, and again on Black Friday, that the previous generation becomes more affordable at retailers.

Black Friday, sales, French Days: which deals are worth it?

Smartphones are among the most heavily promoted products during big sales events, but not every discount is equal. A crossed-out price may be a recommended retail price nobody charges, or a price nudged up a few weeks earlier.

EU rules, applied in France since 28 May 2022, require the reference price in a discount to be the lowest price the seller charged in the previous 30 days (article L112-1-1 of the French Consumer Code). Helpful, but not enough to know whether a price is truly low. Our guide to spotting a fake discount covers the checks, and our Black Friday 2026 guide covers the event. On Amazon, the price history shows at a glance whether an offer is unusual.

What to check before buying a smartphone

The EU energy label

Since 20 June 2025, new smartphones sold in the European Union must display an energy label, with foldable models among the exceptions. It shows an efficiency class from A to G, battery life, and icons for drop resistance, battery lifespan, repairability and water and dust resistance. Handy when comparing two similarly priced phones.

The seller and the version

On a marketplace, the seller isn't necessarily the retailer itself. Check who ships it, the warranty offered and the phone's version (network compatibility, charger, language): a lower price sometimes comes down to that.

New, refurbished or carrier deal

Refurbished can be a good option if you read the warranty and the stated condition. For a phone bundled with a plan, work out the total cost over the contract, plan included, before comparing it with the SIM-free price.

Put it into practice: track the price of your next phone

Watching a model by hand at several retailers for weeks means daily checks, drops that last a few hours and slip past, and "deals" that are hard to judge without history. UniverTrack automates all of it:

1. Paste the smartphone's link (Amazon, Cdiscount or another retailer's product page, on a best-effort basis): the price is checked regularly and a dated history builds up.
2. Set your target price, for example the price you noted in October minus the discount that would make you buy.
3. Get an email alert when that price is reached, then buy. See how to set a price drop alert.

Just one phone to buy? The Découverte plan is enough. Torn between several models and want to filter out fake Black Friday deals? Malin is the best fit. Tracking the same model at several retailers? Pro groups them on one product page with the best offer. See the pricing page; every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, no commitment.