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Gazelle survey shows two-thirds of respondents considering an upgrade to a new iPhone

With the impending release of the new iPhone(s) just around the corner, iOS users are facing that yearly conundrum of whether to upgrade or keep the model they're already working with. This question is especially important to Gazelle, the internet tech buy-back company that offers hard cash in exchange for your used devices. So Gazelle ran a consumer survey to see what consumers thought about upgrading to the latest model or models, whatever they end up being called.

The results of the survey are interesting. Of the 881 respondents Gazelle spoke with, 66 percent stated they don't think technology improves enough year to year to justify buying the new iPhone annually. However, 85 percent of respondents reported that they were likely or very likely to buy the new iPhone when it is released.

Considering the incredible popularity the iPhone 4S still enjoys, this data isn't shocking. For many users, the jump to the iPhone 5 from the 4S simply wasn't enough to warrant the extra expense of upgrading. This fall's upcoming release is different, if only because of the looming debut of iOS 7 and its new features. If 66 percent of respondents think technology doesn't move fast enough to warrant a yearly upgrade, the wave of upgrades that are coming with iOS 7 is sure to be the outlier update they've been expecting.

There are a few other factors Gazelle noticed during their survey. Almost half of the people they surveyed stated that when their iPhone breaks, the first thing they do is try and get it repaired. Couple that information with 64.8 percent of the users surveyed saying they got their last device through trading in an older model, and it paints a trend of users who hold onto their phone for as long as they can -- or at least until their two-year carrier upgrade window opens up.

Another factor is pricing; 85.2 percent of respondents said they were likely to buy the long-rumored low-cost version of the iPhone if it becomes available. Apple is widely expected to make an announcement about new iPhones on September 10.