iOS 17 only goes back to iPhone XS and the 11 is one year newer. It’s still a very solid phone but unless it’s a real bargain I’d want something more future proof personally.
Each to their own, but you can get some great value refurbs which are pretty much brand new or very good condition.
I’d personally rather have a used newer phone than a new older phone.
£22 for a 24month contract. £19 upfront. Unlimited minutes, 50GB data. Seems alright ?
I only need 10GB per month but seems high data is all the rage these days 
Ignore the contract part for a minute, that phone is nearly 4 years old. It’s still useable of course and there are many worse phones you could get, but it’s not going to be long before you start to think about an upgrade again.
Yeah @N26throwaway the contract is two years, I’m sure I’d be happy to stick with it for that time providing there are no issues with it. Largish screen, fast operating system , battery which lasts a day is all i’m really in it for. I don’t have huge expectations for my mobiles to be honest.
Thanks @Revels for the info. As long as it keeps getting security updates for the duration of my contract then I’m cool with that.
As said. It’s the newest iPhone I can afford hence why I shortlisted it. I cannot afford a 12 or newer.
I’ve had my fair share of phones over the years and definitely prefer iOS.
Doesn’t have to be ID no. But I like the idea of buying from a physical shop just in case anything goes wrong with it I don’t have to send it off in the post. The deal I mentioned above regarding the 11 is from carphonewarehouse
Carphonewarehouse do have the iPhone 12 for a similar price but they are out of stock at the moment.
Maybe best to hold off for a while and see if I can get the 12 instead.
Either way I’ll pop down to a local phone store and check out the 11, see if it’s for me.
As said the performance and functionality of the 7 is still good enough for me. Just the screen is too small and the NFC packed up a long time back. So I’m sure 11 would be more than enough of an upgrade
If money is tight, waiting might be a good option - there should be some price cuts after the new iPhone launch in September.
I share your skepticism about refurbed iPhones but I’ve had only good experiences with apples own refurb store - https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished/iphone/iphone-12
For my money, Apple refurbs are effectively equivalent to new.
Fully tested and warranties. Plus new external casings and battery.