Let's face it – we all like to get a bargain in the January Sale.

The holidays are over and grabbing a post-Christmas sale item is just the rush of serotonin we need to carry us through January and keep the festive cheer going a little longer.

The thing is, the January Sale is awesome – at least, we know ours is! – but if you're shopping for a new mobile phone, it's all about what you want from your new device. Depending on what you're after, our January Sale can be the perfect time to get a great deal, or the wrong time to get a particular handset.

We're here to clear things up and make sure you know whether the January Sale is the time to steal a deal, or whether it's worth waiting for the handset of your dreams. We've got the key industry dates and insights you need to know, so you'll never miss out on the very best.

Is the January Sale the right time for me to get a new mobile?

Whether you're crazy for Apple's sleek iPhones, or can't get enough of Android devices, the January Sale could be the best time for you to treat yourself to something new – that is, if you're not quite sure what you're after, or you know exactly what you want, and it's already been released!

Apple or Android, we have amazing deals on both – and the January Sale is one of our biggest sales of the year. Though we have amazing deals year-round, there are bargains a-plenty throughout January, perfect for spending a bit of that Christmas gift money you got from Auntie so-and-so whom you see once every five years at an awkward family party.

Of course, we also run brilliant Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers that aren't to be missed. But it's hard to focus on November in January, right?

Our Top Picks from the January Sale

Apple iPhone 15 on Vodafone with 400GB data for £42 a month.

Google Pixel 8 on Three with 300GB data for £35 a month.

Apple iPhone 14 on O2 with 200GB data for £35 per month.

Samsung S23 on Vodafone with 400GB data for £34 per month.

(Deals accurate as of 3rd January 2024)

What about if I want the newest Apple handset?

If you're looking for the very latest devices, and are already over last year's models, then there are better times to buy.

If you know you want an iPhone, but don't know whether you fancy 2023's iPhone 15, prefer to go with the bestselling value of iPhone 14, or even think the budget-friendly iPhone SE is more up your street, then we'd recommend you go wild in the January Sale. But if you think you'd rather wait for the newest release, you've got a little waiting to do.

Apple usually host three or four events yearly – it depends on how many handsets they're planning to release – and we've spotted the pattern in the calendar, so you don't have to.

Around March or April time, Apple tend to run a spring event to announce new tech, which includes other bits and pieces as well as their iPhones, like Macs, AirPods and the like. In 2023, that announcement included a new iPad Air, the new iPhone SE, and iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. However, the announcement doesn't equate to the release – it usually includes a pre-order period, and then a release date within a week or two.

It's also quite usual for Apple to talk about upcoming releases in June, at the Worldwide Developers Conference. But we normally have to wait until autumn to get the really good stuff, and September/October often brings with it an event announcing favourites like the latest iPhone or Apple Watch. In 2023, we heard about four new iPhone 15 devices, and they were released a few weeks later.

So, all in all, if you want the newest release from Apple, you've got a while yet. But iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 have been favourites with customers for a while now, and honestly, we'd recommend taking a look at our January Sale for a bargain anyway.

So, if I want the latest Samsung, then what?

For the next big flagship Samsung device, you might not have to wait quite as long – but the pattern in Samsung releases isn't quite as obvious, going by the Galaxy S23.

Usually, Samsung hold an event in January or February, which includes an announcement of their latest flagship, and is often quickly followed by a release – so we'd expect the Galaxy S24 series to be around by early February.

Samsung also make announcements in the autumn, around September time, but they've also been known to shift this timing around and release handsets in August – so set your reminders for any time from then onward!

What about the newest Google phones?

Google are pretty consistent with their biggest event, which usually takes place in October to announce their latest flagship models. The release of these phones is most often within a few weeks of their announcement, as was the case in 2023 with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

It's worth remembering that Google have also occasionally announced devices across the calendar though, such as the Pixel 7a, which was announced in May 2023.

As of yet, we don't know if Google plans to release a 7a equivalent of their popular Pixel 8 range, but you can guarantee we'll be on it if it happens! In the meantime, mark your calendars for the big October announcement and release, if you're googly-eyed for Google.