End of financial year (EOFY) sales have kicked off and, all through June, there'll be savings aplenty on some big ticket tech... including smartphones. While you likely won't see too many of the latest flagships getting big discounts during this year's EOFY sales, older models will as retailers try to do away with old stock. And if you're using your new phone for work purposes, its usage becomes tax deductible. That, in fact, increases your savings, although you will have to wait to see it get back into your bank account.
If you've been battling on with a cracked screen on your phone, or are keen on checking out new camera capabilities on handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, then the EOFY sales are the perfect chance for Australians to upgrade their handset to one of the best phones available, without the painful price tag.
It's no secret that the yearly cycle of smartphone upgrades is an expensive one for the consumer, costing in the AU$1,500 ballpark for most flagship handsets, and even cracking well into the AU$2,000s for some more premium units, so it's important to have a good think (and read) about what you really need, and also to save a good chunk of change when making the investment.
This is where we come in. We'll be keeping well and truly on top of all the tech EOFY sales in Australia for 2023, and whether its mid-range handsets, cutting edge top-tier beasts or anything in between, we're tracking down the best deals in the country ahead of that June 30 end date.
EOFY phone deals: quick retailer links
- Allphones: shop outright deals on Apple, Samsung, Google, Oppo and more
- Amazon: find discounts on iPhones, Samsung Galaxy and Motorola
- eBay: deals on brand-new or refurbished smartphones
- Google Store: shop the Google Pixel 7 range
- JB Hi-Fi: massive range from Apple, Samsung, Google, Asus, Nokia and more
- Kogan: shop new and refurbished phones for less
- Mobileciti: smartphone discounts of up to 50% off
- Optus: get a bonus Galaxy Watch 5 with Samsung Galaxy S23 series
- Samsung: get a bonus Galaxy Watch 5 when you purchase any Galaxy S23
- The Good Guys: shop discounted iPhones
- Vodafone: save AU$300 on the iPhone 13 when you sign up to a plan
Best EOFY phone deals
Under AU$500
Under AU$1,000
Under AU$1,500
Under AU$2,000
Features to look for when buying a smartphone
1. Operating system (OS)
The first big thing you'll need to decide is whether you're after an Android handset, or would prefer to hitch your wagon to Apple's iOS ecosystem.
There are a huge number of Android handsets on offer from several major manufacturers, which all generally have their own strengths (and occasional weaknesses). That means there's a lot more choice for those who want to embrace the customisation and freedom that Google's mobile OS is known for.
On the other hand, Apple's iPhones, while more closed-off in nature, are excellent options for those who prioritise predictability and want to ensure they get the latest OS updates as as soon as they're available. They're also ideal for those who already own Mac computers and subscribe to Apple's various services.
3. Technical specifications
Depending on how much you're willing to spend, Android phones offer varying degrees of performance, with top handsets like Samsung's Galaxy S23 and Apple's iPhone 14 offering plenty of grunt under the hood thanks to their top-of-the-line specs.
When purchasing a new handset, it's important to find out if its chipset is powerful enough to handle your daily tasks. At present, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is what you'll find in most top-of-the-line Android models, even in this year's Samsung models. You’ll find that, among the Snapdragon and Exynos chip families, the more powerful the processor, the higher the model number.
Apple's iPhones, on the other hand, often pack a similar amount of horsepower depending on which generation of device they belong to. Apple's own A16 Bionic chip powers its more high-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models, with last year's A15 silicon still being used in the lower-end iPhone 14 handsets. Both guarantee terrific performance and will continue to do so for a couple more years yet. After that, you may start to notice some slowdown, depending on how much power-hungry Apple makes its next iOS iterations.
4. Storage
Most manufactures will offer their handsets with various amounts of onboard storage. Depending on what you want to do with your phone, you'll want to settle on a storage size that's right for you. Smartphone storage can range anywhere from 16GB to 1TB (realistically you'll be seeing between 64GB and 512GB in most cases), though you can expect the price to rise significantly as that number gets larger. Some Android phones will offer expandable storage via microSD card slot, meaning you can add more capacity should you ever need it.
5. Display
Without question, the best kind of display you can get is an OLED, as it offers deep blacks and individually-lit pixels, allowing for always-on-displays that consume very little battery due the majority of the screen being off. They're also incredibly vibrant, with vivid, organic colours that really bring videos and games to life.
Various types of OLED displays are featured in most top models, including the Samsung Galaxy S22/S23, iPhone 13/14, Google Pixel 6/7 and more. Some of the more affordable options, however, still opt for LCD displays, and while they aren't quite as impressive when it comes to vibrancy and contrast, they do tend to offer excellent brightness.
What to expect for EOFY 2023
As we've discussed, there are plenty of savings to be had in the final month before the Australian financial year comes to a close, and that makes it a great time to save a packet on the latest phones.
As is always the case, more recent models like those from Apple's iPhone 14 range and the Samsung Galaxy S23 lineup won't be seeing the biggest discounts (although we suspect something in the 10-20% range may arrive), but models from the previous generation or more mid-range handsets are quite likely to get hefty savings applied to them.
This means that we might see savings on the more affordable iPhone SE (2022), although it is rather fresh on the market, and previous models like the iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy S22 will be had for a bargain as retailers want to clear their stock.
Since launch, we've seen the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro both receive the occasional AU$100-200 discount, and now that the more affordable Pixel 7a has been revealed, we'll likely catch a bargain or two on the Google flagships as well.
You don't necessarily need to buy the phone of your choice outright either — telcos have begun to offer some discounts on specific models purchased on a plan. For example, Vodafone discounted some iPhone models during EOFY 2022 as long you got them on a 24-month plan. You can expect more of these this year, although the better discounts and bigger variety of handsets will likely be on outright purchases.
