The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: MilwaukeeStubble on August 02, 2013, 12:45:36 PM
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I have TMobile and I've been using a phone I borrowed from a friend of mine (pre-iphone blackberry knockoff) and been happy with it, but it's actual owner would like it back :) so I need a new phone.
I'm looking to upgrade to a modern smartphone that I will be able to use for the next 3-4 years.
My preference is between the iPhone 5 (after waiting until the new one comes out, then hopefully finding a good used one) or Google's Nexus 4. Right now I've well and truly bought into iOS (iPad 2 as my primary computer, iPod Shuffle for running, AppleTV for MLB and Netflix streaming). On top of that, the rest of my family uses iPhones and group messages constantly so sticking with iOS has its advantages. The Nexus 4 is of course a LOT cheaper and would seem to be just as good in every other way.
My biggest concern with the Nexus 4 is group messages. If my family sends a group message that includes me (from iMessage) will I be able to see it as a group message? Is there a way I can make that happen?
I'm open to recommendations for other phones, or good places to find either phone for as low a cost as possible.
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I understand your desire to stick with the fam and go the iOS route. As I understand it from what I've heard, group messages may come out weird in that they will look like a bunch of messages from the individual on Google phones.
Couldn't you get the best of both words by looking online for an older model iPhone that some tech-addicted junkie needs to sell so they can keep having the latest and greatest? Should work with t mobile being SIM card based I imagine.
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Why not get the much cheaper iPhone 4?
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Couldn't you get the best of both words by looking online for an older model iPhone that some tech-addicted junkie needs to sell so they can keep having the latest and greatest? Should work with t mobile being SIM card based I imagine.
Yes. My concern with an older iPhone is useful life. Anything for sale right now is likely to be 2 years old already and while I'd be happy with something like the 4S, or probably even the 4, I'm worried about knowing that the phone I buy will have enough useful life left since the original owner will have already used it for 2 years.
Maybe I'm making too much of it but my thinking is:
Buy a used phone from someone who wants to upgrade right after the new one comes out. They likely want to upgrade to have the latest or to keep an image. I think I can trust this phone to be well cared for because people who know they're going to sell the old one will take care of it to keep its value and people who care about image will take care of it because "image."
Buy an older used phone. Probably someone who just got out of contract and views the phone as a disposable device they use for two years then throw away (and just happen to decide to see if they can get money from their 'trash') This person might not take great care of their phone since they see it as disposable and therefore it might not last very long for me.
I'd like to get at least 3 years out of the phone. Maybe the older models will work out (does anyone have experience with this) and I'm worrying over nothing, but I'm confident a well cared for iPhone can last at least 4 years.
Maybe I'll see if I can keep the phone I have now until the new iPhone comes out and pick up a 1 y.o. 5 then...
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I was thinking a *new* iPhone 4, actually. Maybe you can't get them anymore?
Oh hold on, TMob in the US uses AWS doesn't it? Same as Wind and Mobilicity here. Maybe there is no AWS iP4.
Or are you going to do the $10 thing, port your number?
*Edit* Not sure where you were going for the iP5, but iP4 is available at Walmart.com no contract for $450. You either pay through the contract or you buy outright I guess...
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*Edit* Not sure where you were going for the iP5, but iP4 is available at Walmart.com no contract for $450. You either pay through the contract or you buy outright I guess...
Hmm, a *new* iP4 could work actually. Didn't realize they still sold those. For a new iP5 I was looking at Tmobile for $648 new, or 27/mo for 24 mo (same price, 0% interest). $450 is much close to the nexus price I was looking at and is probably worth going for iPhone then.
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Hmm, a *new* iP4 could work actually. Didn't realize they still sold those. For a new iP5 I was looking at Tmobile for $648 new, or 27/mo for 24 mo (same price, 0% interest). $450 is much close to the nexus price I was looking at and is probably worth going for iPhone then.
While I'm not advocating spending as much as you're planning on a communication device, if you can wait about two months (probably less) the 4S will probably be available unlocked at that $450 price point when the next iPhone (5S?) is released. iOS7 will be that last update for the iPhone 4, but the 4S should be updated to iOS8 in 2014 assuming Apple sticks with the same update cycle. Please be aware only the newest iPhone 5 works with the T-Mobile AWS frequencies. You'll be limited to EDGE data speeds if you're not in an area with re-farmed T-Mobile towers (http://airportal.de) (looks like you might be okay in Milwaukee).
I will advocate you spend some time thinking about what you really need from your communication device and use the Superguide (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-isps-voip-cell/) to figure out how to get what you need for the lowest cost.
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The price difference between a 4 and a 4S small enough to make the 4S an easy choice imho. You end up using a smartphone for so many things in life, the time saved with a faster more responsive device adds up.
Cheers -