Author Topic: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!  (Read 21630 times)

shelivesthedream

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Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« on: May 05, 2016, 01:29:38 AM »
My iPhone 4S, after over three years of faithful service, is completely dead. I've been looking at new phones this morning and am shocked (SHOCKED!) by the prices of various iPhone models. I haven't been looking at the 6, of course but the cheapest 5S is nearly £300! However, I can get another 4S for under £100.

I've been doing a bit of research and there are loads of people on the internet clamouring about how the iPhone 4S is unsupported and outdated and not as shiny and whizzy as the new ones and you definitely should't buy one... But are these just consumer sukkas who need the latest and greatest or is there a real danger in buying an iPhone 4S now? I won't be having loads of apps and things on it, but I want it to last for a while so I don't want to buy something that won't work in six months. On the other hand, £300 for a phone! Yikes!

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2016, 02:21:40 AM »
There's a good chance that the iPhone 4S won't get the next iOS update.

That would mean that it doesn't get security updates, and new apps will gradually stop working on it.

Even the 5S is getting on a bit, although it'll have a year or two left in it before it stops being supported.

If a new 5S is too much for comfort (surely they're less than £300), then maybe look at used, or an Android or Windows phone.

Don't bother spending £100 for a 4S.

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« Last Edit: May 05, 2016, 02:23:11 AM by alsoknownasDean »

Dman214

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2016, 06:15:27 AM »
You can buy a used 5S for a decent price for sure.  Swappa.com says used 5S sells for 150-200 USD, which typically means you could find it around that price or cheaper on eBay as well.

jrhampt

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2016, 06:46:15 AM »
Check groupon.  I got a 5s for less than $200 a few months ago.

VaCPA

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2016, 07:39:52 AM »
I agree with others. You don't have to buy the newest model but I probably wouldn't go more than 1 gen back or you run the risk of it having issues. You'd probably get fed up and need to upgrade again much sooner than you want. If you're going to bother getting a smartphone you want it to be smart right?

KarefulKactus15

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2016, 08:35:05 AM »
Smart phones have an amazingly SHORT design life.    I know it sucks to feel forced to upgrade but it is what it is.     Iphone 5s is probably as old as you should go if you want 2 more years of service from it.  And then, in 2 years a 5s will be ancient.   

My droid has faired okay,  my nexus 5 is 3 years old and I think I can get another 1-2 years max before new software updates make my hardware obsolete.

ketchup

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2016, 08:44:03 AM »
I agree with everyone saying 5S.  They *just* stopped selling that one new here when the iPhone SE hit a month ago, so it's essentially current, despite being 2013 tech.  It'll be supported for a long time.

I see you're in the UK so I have no idea what the secondary market is like there, but a 5S can be found here for $150~200.

Also, I don't know what the mobile networks are like in the UK, but it's very likely that a 5S and newer will support more LTE bands than your 4S did, giving you better overall network coverage.  And worse, mobile operators are slowly deprioritizing and deprecating their old network technology, so a 4S will get worse signal coverage with time.

GuitarStv

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2016, 09:56:43 AM »
Re-examine your need for a smart phone at all, and an apple product in particular.

Tremeroy

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2016, 10:01:46 AM »
Re-examine your need for a smart phone at all, and an apple product in particular.

Second.

You should identify specific benefits from buying an apple product & put a price on them.

~Ari~

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2016, 10:30:02 AM »
I am having the same exact debate right now. I have an I phone 4 that I had gotten for free through a rebate program! I have had it for almost 4 years now and have had ZERO issues with it. I am an apple / mac person all the way. But, unfortunately, a couple weeks ago it fell onto my concrete floor without the case on, and the screen cracked all over. Its still usable - just have to be careful not to hold it up to my face because of the shards of glass that come loose from the screen haha. Thought about just getting the screen replaced, but that costs anywhere from $70 - $150 depending on where I bring it. Might as well just get a new phone for that price. Thought about replacing the screen myself, but after watching youtube videos and reading about it, I'm too uncomfortable trying to do it. So I have been looking on swap and shop pages, ebay, craigslist, etc. I'd have to agree with everyone that has already posted. In my research, I might as well get an Iphone 5s series or newer, especially if I plan on keeping it as long as my resent phone. Right now, my phone does not support IOS 8.0 update or newer, so I have a hard time downloading apps that I would like to have. I don't want to have that same issue if I need to get a new phone anyway.

chesebert

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2016, 10:45:29 AM »
My iPhone 4S, after over three years of faithful service, is completely dead. I've been looking at new phones this morning and am shocked (SHOCKED!) by the prices of various iPhone models. I haven't been looking at the 6, of course but the cheapest 5S is nearly £300! However, I can get another 4S for under £100.

I've been doing a bit of research and there are loads of people on the internet clamouring about how the iPhone 4S is unsupported and outdated and not as shiny and whizzy as the new ones and you definitely should't buy one... But are these just consumer sukkas who need the latest and greatest or is there a real danger in buying an iPhone 4S now? I won't be having loads of apps and things on it, but I want it to last for a while so I don't want to buy something that won't work in six months. On the other hand, £300 for a phone! Yikes!
What do you mean by "completely dead"? Is it simply a battery issue?

Tremeroy

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2016, 11:05:41 AM »
Thought about replacing the screen myself, but after watching youtube videos and reading about it, I'm too uncomfortable trying to do it.

If you are already comfortable with replacing the phone, why not try your hand at doing the replacement first? The old phone doesn't really have any trade-in / resale value, so the only thing "at risk" would be the cost of a replacement screen. In my mind, it is worth gaining the experience of trying to do something new!

And make sure that you back up your settings first.

~Ari~

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2016, 03:32:22 PM »
Thought about replacing the screen myself, but after watching youtube videos and reading about it, I'm too uncomfortable trying to do it.

If you are already comfortable with replacing the phone, why not try your hand at doing the replacement first? The old phone doesn't really have any trade-in / resale value, so the only thing "at risk" would be the cost of a replacement screen. In my mind, it is worth gaining the experience of trying to do something new!

And make sure that you back up your settings first.


I have thought about that. Might keep the phone around for future use just for that reason.  A replacement screen with all the tools is about $30-$40. I guess I wouldn't be out much, but its still a chunk of change on top of the expense of a different phone for my budget right now.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2016, 06:43:59 AM »
Re-examine your need for a smart phone at all, and an apple product in particular.

I had an Iphone 4 because it was the "free" phone I got when I was still on a wireless contract.  When work told me it was no longer supported and I had to buy a new phone, I found out how insane the prices on Iphones are and decided no more for me. (Not a big apple fan anyway.)

I got an HTC 526 for $56 (with a Jawbone fitness tracker that I then sold for $20). The only thing I miss about my Iphone is that this phone doesn't have a scroll to top button when web browsing. You have to actually, get this, move your finger multiple times to get back to the top of the page.

Pretty happy with this.  And when work decides it isn't supported in 2-3 years, it will suck a lot less than if it happened with a new Iphone.   

Daley

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2016, 08:23:20 AM »
Re-examine your need for a smart phone at all, and an apple product in particular.

This. Apple has a long standing history of blatant dishonesty, vendor lock-in, user feature lock-out, dictating what mobile providers you can use, greenwashing their environmental impact*, and burying the continued human suffering issues of sourcing and manufacturing that they haven't actually fixed.

Although some of the problems cited above are just problems with all electronics and are general ethical quandaries to be debated in owning technology at all to offset and simplify your own work load, it's still shameful what some corporations will say and do to justify and defend their price premiums.

*Sorry, I don't count smaller packaging as legitimate efforts to reduce environmental impact, especially when they openly state they only expect their phones to last two years now. That's like shaving 20mm off the ends of cigarettes (both tobacco and filter), charging an exorbitant premium, and claiming the packs you sell are now lower tar and better for the environment because you can ship 60% more cancer sticks in the same shipping boxes.



The only thing I miss about my Iphone is that this phone doesn't have a scroll to top button when web browsing. You have to actually, get this, move your finger multiple times to get back to the top of the page.

Dolphin Browser. The default finger gesture for scroll to top is an upside down V (or a carat, if you will ^), and can be easily changed.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #15 on: May 06, 2016, 09:01:55 AM »
Thanks for the thoughts, all. I do need a smartphone because I need to be on email all day for work even when I'm out and need to take quick pictures of things a lot, and I've been only looking at Apple because I know how to use them already and I am lazy! I'm not that into apps - the only one I really use a lot is Google Maps. I think I am going to do more research into whether I can get a cheaper 5S from somewhere. I'm OK buying secondhand from somewhere reliable that tests them properly, but even secondhand ones are super expensive!

neo von retorch

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #16 on: May 06, 2016, 09:49:14 AM »
Given that you need email and maps, Android is great at those two things :) I can't imagine there would be much to learn switching from an iPhone to an Android device.

An example of an excellent, affordable Android phone, even brand new: http://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-g $180

Fishinshawn

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #17 on: May 06, 2016, 11:54:09 AM »
Heck I have an android Samsung S3 I think I paid $75 for it, and I have zero complaints about not buying the latest and greatest, all my apps still work, I don't see a poitn in paying more than $150 US dollars for any phone.

Le Dérisoire

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #18 on: May 06, 2016, 11:59:06 AM »
Thanks for the thoughts, all. I do need a smartphone because I need to be on email all day for work even when I'm out and need to take quick pictures of things a lot, and I've been only looking at Apple because I know how to use them already and I am lazy!

If it's a tool required for your job, your job should pay for it (unless you're self-employed, obviously).

chesebert

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #19 on: May 06, 2016, 12:03:35 PM »
Tips for making your iphone last: do not update the iOS and app unless you need the required function or fix a known bug that is affecting you.

I expect my iphone to last 5+ years, and not 2 years indicated by Apple. I still have my original ipad and its going on its 6th year.

MMMaybe

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #20 on: May 06, 2016, 12:12:25 PM »
I also have a 4S. I would not bother getting a new 4S if I were you. Mine is very slow and Google Maps/Safari are not working well anymore.

I replaced my battery, to extend the life of my phone as battery life was the first issue that became a problem and that worked well (bought one off ebay). But now its the slowness of the phone that is signaling the beginning of the end.

I am in Barcelona for a while, which is notorious for pickpockets. I am only keeping it because the thieves want newer models :) I've had it for 4 years so its been a good run.

Daley

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #21 on: May 06, 2016, 12:29:15 PM »
Tips for making your iphone last: do not update the iOS and app unless you need the required function or fix a known bug that is affecting you.

This is... unwise.

chesebert

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #22 on: May 06, 2016, 12:46:17 PM »
Tips for making your iphone last: do not update the iOS and app unless you need the required function or fix a known bug that is affecting you.

This is... unwise.

Well, you pick lesser of two evils. iOS updates are how Apple make your device "obsolete". There is a reason why Apple nags you every day to update the damn device. 

Daley

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #23 on: May 06, 2016, 12:52:11 PM »
Tips for making your iphone last: do not update the iOS and app unless you need the required function or fix a known bug that is affecting you.

This is... unwise.

Well, you pick lesser of two evils. iOS updates are how Apple make your device "obsolete". There is a reason why Apple nags you every day to update the damn device.

The lesser of two evils is not buying a device designed specifically with planned obsolescence that gets abandoned with security vulnerabilities in the first place.

GuitarStv

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #24 on: May 06, 2016, 01:35:02 PM »
Tips for making your iphone last: do not update the iOS and app unless you need the required function or fix a known bug that is affecting you.

This is... unwise.

Well, you pick lesser of two evils. iOS updates are how Apple make your device "obsolete". There is a reason why Apple nags you every day to update the damn device.

The lesser of two evils is not buying a device designed specifically with planned obsolescence that gets abandoned with security vulnerabilities in the first place.

Remember when apple used to run those obnoxious commercials claiming that their computers just didn't have to worry about vulnerabilities and viruses?

I agree that you should stay away from Apple as a general rule.  Their business practices of releasing updates that cripple their devices is nothing short of abhorrent.  That said, if I had the chance to go back and do it again I would have prevented my wife from updating her iPad2 rather than have it rendered almost unusably slow (with no way to rollback!) by an iOS update and taken the risk of malware.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #25 on: May 07, 2016, 04:05:50 AM »
Thanks for the thoughts, all. I do need a smartphone because I need to be on email all day for work even when I'm out and need to take quick pictures of things a lot, and I've been only looking at Apple because I know how to use them already and I am lazy!

If it's a tool required for your job, your job should pay for it (unless you're self-employed, obviously).

...I'm self-employed.

Metric Mouse

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #26 on: May 07, 2016, 05:53:34 AM »
Tips for making your iphone last: do not update the iOS and app unless you need the required function or fix a known bug that is affecting you.

This is... unwise.

Well, you pick lesser of two evils. iOS updates are how Apple make your device "obsolete". There is a reason why Apple nags you every day to update the damn device.

The lesser of two evils is not buying a device designed specifically with planned obsolescence that gets abandoned with security vulnerabilities in the first place.

Remember when apple used to run those obnoxious commercials claiming that their computers just didn't have to worry about vulnerabilities and viruses?

I agree that you should stay away from Apple as a general rule.  Their business practices of releasing updates that cripple their devices is nothing short of abhorrent.  That said, if I had the chance to go back and do it again I would have prevented my wife from updating her iPad2 rather than have it rendered almost unusably slow (with no way to rollback!) by an iOS update and taken the risk of malware.

With Justin Long? I actually thought those were cute commericals.  I wouldn't pay for any I-thing, but they do have an alright marketing team.

chemistk

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #27 on: May 07, 2016, 08:25:11 AM »
Would you consider a non-apple device? I'm personally writing this from my 2014 Galaxy S5 and I fully expect this phone to last 2 to 3 more years. It has a replaceable battery and a micro SD slot for memory expansion, so even after I stop recieving OS updates, I know it'll function reliably for some time. You can get new S5's for cheap and used for cheaper. Another to consider is Google's own Nexus phones - inexpensive with the bonus of getting updates as they're published.

If you're not tied into the apple ecosystem too much (i.e. all your music was purchased through itunes), and are willing to take a couple weeks learning a new operating system, I would encourage you to give it a go. My wife made the switch last year after years of only having apple products and she tells me the wishes she switched over sooner.

dang1

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #28 on: May 07, 2016, 08:32:52 AM »
My current daily driver is a Samsung Galaxy S4 bought used  just this February for $99 in ebay. It works just fine, I'm pretty happy with it. I suppose I could have gotten an even cheaper Android, but I wanted a fairly good one that can connect to Verizon's XLTE. Seems like these days, like with cars, don't buy new a smartphone, buy a used one.

libertarian4321

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Re: Buying a new iPhone - mustachian panic!
« Reply #29 on: May 07, 2016, 08:56:04 AM »
I'm so glad I don't have an iPhone.

My $19.99 5+ year old flip phone is still running just fine.

Those things crap out so fast, it almost seems like Apple is playing people for fools.

If you must have a "smart" phone, wouldn't a cheap Android device do the job for far less?