Anyone considering getting an Iphone 6s?

[chesebert]

For anyone (if any) considering getting an Iphone 6s could you help answer the below questions:

1. What phone (if any) are you upgrading from?
2. Will you be buying it with cash or through a carrier installation plan?
3. Will you get it unlocked?
4. What other models have you considered before deciding on the new iphone?
5. How long do you plan on keeping it?

I won't have a cellphone much longer (will need to return my employer soon) and my DW's aging iphone 4 (8gb) is on its last leg. We are contemplating our family mobile phone purchase plan and it looks like the new iphone is just around the corner. 

[begood]

I am considering it. I'm even considering an iPhone 6S Plus.

*waits for face punches to subside*

I'm not sitting outside the Apple store waiting for one, though. My 4S is still humming along, and so far, I've stuck with the "don't replace functioning technology" mantra.

1. What phone (if any) are you upgrading from?
iPhone 4S purchased in Dec 2011

2. Will you be buying it with cash or through a carrier installation plan?
No freaking idea. Still trying to swim through the morass of info.

3. Will you get it unlocked?
Probably not. I'm not sure of the benefit to that if you still have to get it carrier-enabled. In other words, if you buy it unlocked, can you unlock it again if you want to move carriers?

4. What other models have you considered before deciding on the new iphone?
None. I love my iPhone.

5. How long do you plan on keeping it?
Till the wheels fall off.

[Paul der Krake]

If you use a MVNO, you should wait a couple weeks for reports from early adopters to see if everything works fine on the data front.

[Astatine]

No. Once the iPhone 6s is readily on sale here, I will upgrade to an iPhone 6 because the price should drop a bit with the new model out. I'm upgrading from an iPhone 4s. The battery is starting to go and there are a few other issues, and I'm using my phone for more and more things. So I'm going for the spendypants upgrade to a 6 because a smartphone is so useful for me.

I'll use new phone until it starts becoming unreliable.

[begood]

No. Once the iPhone 6s is readily on sale here, I will upgrade to an iPhone 6 because the price should drop a bit with the new model out. I'm upgrading from an iPhone 4s. The battery is starting to go and there are a few other issues, and I'm using my phone for more and more things. So I'm going for the spendypants upgrade to a 6 because a smartphone is so useful for me.

These are kind of my reasons too, Astatine. But since I don't upgrade with every new version, when I do get one, I tend to get the newest one, figuring it will last longer. My battery is starting to go too. I have a charge in the car, a charger in the kitchen, a charger in the bedroom... Another reason I'm waiting is that I'll have to change chargers too - $$.

[GizmoTX]

Begood, you should only have to change cables -- the USB base works for all iPhones. If you have a plug in stand like a clock radio, you can get a short little adapter that's not a cable, but it can be a little wobbly & has to be positioned just right to charge. If it's simply a stand, one with the new connector will be more secure, but I just use a cable.  I like having a cable that retracts (available from Amazon), especially for travel.

[kvaruni]

I probably won't get the iPhone 6S. I really like the S-series, as they tend to be very convenient. Cases and screen protectors are widely available, and all structural bugs are removed. However, the lack of considerable camera upgrades (I really want a semi-optical focus system), the stupid 16GB base model, and the strong USD have more or less allowed me to make up my mind that I don't want it. To be fair, I have an Apple Watch, so I'm not missing out on things like Apple Pay by sticking to my 5S for another year. This definitely helped to make the final decision.

1. What phone (if any) are you upgrading from?
I would be upgrading from an iPhone 5S.

2. Will you be buying it with cash or through a carrier installation plan?
cash ...

3. Will you get it unlocked?
yep, which is the standard throughout most of Europe.

4. What other models have you considered before deciding on the new iPhone?
None.

5. How long do you plan on keeping it?
At least two generations. At that point, it passes on to my SO. See it as recycling within our household :).

Truth be told, I was hoping on a new iPad Air 3 as our oldest iPad is in need of replacement. We've therefore decided to replace that one with an iPad mini 4 (which we get at about 60% of its price by selling off the old iPad, so all is frugal-ish). Looks that for the iPhone I will stick it out until they release the iPhone 7.

[begood]

Begood, you should only have to change cables -- the USB base works for all iPhones. If you have a plug in stand like a clock radio, you can get a short little adapter that's not a cable, but it can be a little wobbly & has to be positioned just right to charge. If it's simply a stand, one with the new connector will be more secure, but I just use a cable.  I like having a cable that retracts (available from Amazon), especially for travel.

Yes, you are so right, GismoTX! My adapters will work, just not the cable itself. My husband and daughter already use lightning cables (iPod, school iPad, 5s), so we have some already; just not the dedicated ones I use on the nightstand and in the car.

[Sebastian]

I just upgraded from an Iphone 4 to a Samsung Galaxy S4. Huge improvement! I now have 4G and the phone doesn't lag to holy hell! I'm kind of shocked MMM folks would be spending huge $$$ on new phones. What happened to the idea of living 3-4 years behind on technology so it is cheap?

[begood]

I just upgraded from an Iphone 4 to a Samsung Galaxy S4. Huge improvement! I now have 4G and the phone doesn't lag to holy hell! I'm kind of shocked MMM folks would be spending huge $$$ on new phones. What happened to the idea of living 3-4 years behind on technology so it is cheap?

I think the cohort for new iPhones is probably small on this forum, but not nonexistent (I can see I.P. Daley shaking his head from here...).

I'm currently living 3-4 years behind on technology with the iPhone 4S I bought new in 2011. :)

[Paul der Krake]

I'm kind of shocked MMM folks would be spending huge $$$ on new phones. What happened to the idea of living 3-4 years behind on technology so it is cheap?

We regularly have threads like this as bait to expose the weak. It's all part of the plan, the herd must be kept strong.

[geekette]

3. Will you get it unlocked?
Probably not. I'm not sure of the benefit to that if you still have to get it carrier-enabled. In other words, if you buy it unlocked, can you unlock it again if you want to move carriers?

Once the phone's unlocked, the phone's unlocked.  If you change GSM carriers, you just swap sim cards.  I'm not familiar with CDMA stuff, though.

For those of you whose batteries are getting weak, you can buy an aftermarket battery and tools off ebay (I think I paid under $10).  The swap is pretty easy with instructions from ifixit.com.  When my old 4s died, I panicked and bought a 6, then replaced the battery in the 4s, picking a seller that had high ratings in hopes of a decent battery.  It worked great (then I sold the old phone for $80 locally).

[chesebert]

I just upgraded from an Iphone 4 to a Samsung Galaxy S4. Huge improvement! I now have 4G and the phone doesn't lag to holy hell! I'm kind of shocked MMM folks would be spending huge $$$ on new phones. What happened to the idea of living 3-4 years behind on technology so it is cheap?

I am just as shocked as you are about how much phones cost these days. I have been oblivious of the various new phones for the past 5+ years.

I currently have no phone (haven't had my own for at least 5 years now). The difference between 6s 64G and 5s 32G is only $250 and I will probably use that phone until it breaks. My company only supports iphone however so no android devices for me. The company will however reimburse the monthly plan cost.

DW has decided to continue using the iphone4 8G for at least another year, so we don't have to spend $1k+ on cell phones this year.

[begood]

3. Will you get it unlocked?
Probably not. I'm not sure of the benefit to that if you still have to get it carrier-enabled. In other words, if you buy it unlocked, can you unlock it again if you want to move carriers?

Once the phone's unlocked, the phone's unlocked.  If you change GSM carriers, you just swap sim cards.  I'm not familiar with CDMA stuff, though.

For those of you whose batteries are getting weak, you can buy an aftermarket battery and tools off ebay (I think I paid under $10).  The swap is pretty easy with instructions from ifixit.com.  When my old 4s died, I panicked and bought a 6, then replaced the battery in the 4s, picking a seller that had high ratings in hopes of a decent battery.  It worked great (then I sold the old phone for $80 locally).

Thanks for this info, geekette! (also - another North Carolinian! Cary and Durham (Paul der Krake) - my old stomping grounds!

Part of our wavering (close your eyes, I.P. Daley!) is whether to move from AT&T (complicated plans, good but not great coverage in our area) to Verizon (simpler plans, excellent coverage in our area). Sprint doesn't work at all in my out-in-the-woods area (no home phone, so rely on good cell service), and T-Mobile is iffy.

None of which has anything to do with whether we'll be buying a new iPhone 6S. But it does inform whether we'd buy it unlocked, what with Verizon being CDMA and AT&T being GSM - how "unlocked" can it get?

[KCM5]

I'm not considering an iphone 6s, but I am considering an iphone 6.

After losing my iphone 4s, I'm in the market for a new-to-me phone. But I'm not sure if I should shell out for a used 6 (I'd wait until the 6s has been out for a week or so to get prices to shake down) or just spend $140 or so on a used 5c. Or I could spend $75 on a used 4s, which is what I had before.

I just worry a bit about using an unsupported operating system. I didn't upgrate my 4s to ios 8 because apparently it really slowed the phone down? I'm just not sure how many years I would want to use a phone with an unsupported operating system. Maybe it's less of a deal than I'm making it.

Also, regarding the conversation above, if you have an unlocked iphone, it can be used on CDMA or GSM. You do have to have a sim card to use it on a GSM network, though.

[cars+FIRE]

In my pre MMM days I would've gotten a 6S.  I (was) up on my 2 year AT&T contract as of August and would've gotten a 6S for $200 (plus tax on $649 + $40 activation fee) and sold my current HTC One for $150.  I would've continued to spend $150 a month for my grandfathered, unlimited plan on 3 lines.  One for me, one for the wife, and a throwaway number for junk mail.  ~$2000/yr to support the service + fees - resale on used phones.

Since finding this website, I got rid of the junk number and got a google voice account instead, switched to Cricket at $70/mo for both of us, and I found a great deal online for a new Samsung Galaxy S5, unlocked, at $300. ~$1000/yr to support a similar setup.

I am not the type to completely give up smartphone usage, and also, since I use it relatively frequently, I don't want to hold onto an ancient/unsupported phone for forever.  But getting a year old unlocked Android flagship at essentially half the price as new seemed like a good compromise.  I'll try to hold onto it for 3 years but we will see how it goes.

I really wanted to get a 6 after the 6S started showing up, but I am convinced that a used 6 in good condition, unlocked, will still command about $500.

[Bruinguy]

I considered the 6s / 6. Ultimately, I went with the Windows Phone Lumia 640.  You can get it as an AT&T Go Phone for $80.  I'm on AT&T (regular plan), so I didn't have to unlock it, but you can.

It isn't perfect, and there are certainly a lot less apps.  But, I figure even if I last a year with it, it will cost less than a year of an iphone.  And, if I use it for 5 years, I'll save a lot!

After I saw the Lumia for $80, and considered the $500+ price difference, I could not justify paying that much more for the iphone.

[gimp]

I'm getting one. Without a doubt. Upgrading from RW's motorla defy xt.

[MsPeacock]

This thread seems to be mostly people planning on getting a new phone. I'll chime in that I am not getting a new phone, 6, 6s or otherwise. I have a 5s, which is about 2 1/2 years old and have no intention of upgrading until it is well and truly dead. I broke the screen last year and replaced it myself. The home button is broken but there is a work around. I don't do anything critical with my phone - it is basically a source of occasional generally non-emergency phone calls and entertainment (email, facebook, etc.).

[obstinate]

For sure, in a year when I can buy one used for $200 less than the new price.

[k290]

This thread seems to be mostly people planning on getting a new phone. I'll chime in that I am not getting a new phone, 6, 6s or otherwise. I have a 5s, which is about 2 1/2 years old and have no intention of upgrading until it is well and truly dead. I broke the screen last year and replaced it myself. The home button is broken but there is a work around. I don't do anything critical with my phone - it is basically a source of occasional generally non-emergency phone calls and entertainment (email, facebook, etc.).

I'm in the same crew. I won't upgrade until my phone is toast. I'm not on a contract or anything and it works out super cheap. Its an old blackberry. All I need it for is phonecalls, texts and the interwebs.

[Syonyk]

Yes.

I'm getting truly sick and tired of Android.  It works, adequately, on a good day, and doesn't work much at all on bad days.  And God help you if you want to use Bluetooth to something as radically complex as a speaker in your garage.

But I make my living "on the internet" and I repair a lot of phones, so it's one more thing to wait until I can find a broken one and repair. :)

[big_slacker]

I've always been able to sell my previous model for enough to make a small profit on upgrades so yes I'll probably get it. Last time I sold the 4s for 260 or so and 200 for the 5s and some upgrade fee left me with a couple bucks

[obstinate]

It is not very likely that you made a profit on your upgrades. It is much more likely that you just didn't properly factor in the cost of your contract.

[minority_finance_mo]

Ha! Me and my $30 android will happily check off the 'no' box, thank you!

[chasesfish]

I have to use mine quite a bit for work, pulled the trigger to go from a 4/4s to a 6 plus a few months ago.  Monday-Friday, the phone is outstanding for work.  Sat/Sun, eh, I almost wish it would just tether to an old 4 to use as a phone and map app and nothing else.

Its as un-mustachian as the suits I have to wear for work, but outstanding if you're a heavy user.

[boyerbt]

I will be trading up at some point next year. We have a corporate plan and swap upgrades amongst all employees. My plan is due in March but I seem to upgrade every 2 years in June/July.

1. What phone (if any) are you upgrading from?
- yes, upgrading from an iPhone 5s
2. Will you be buying it with cash or through a carrier installation plan?
- neither, company provides our cellphones
3. Will you get it unlocked?
- no
4. What other models have you considered before deciding on the new iPhone
- none, I've had android and iOS phones and simply prefer to stick with iOS.
5. How long do you plan on keeping it?
- I'll keep it until I'm told I can upgrade to a new phone.

[/quote]

[big_slacker]

It is not very likely that you made a profit on your upgrades. It is much more likely that you just didn't properly factor in the cost of your contract.

Since my contract was paid for by work I'd say you're incorrect in my case but your point is valid. :)

[psinguine]

I'm kind of shocked MMM folks would be spending huge $$$ on new phones. What happened to the idea of living 3-4 years behind on technology so it is cheap?

We regularly have threads like this as bait to expose the weak. It's all part of the plan, the herd must be kept strong.

Blood for the goblet; meat for the maw! Blood for the goblet; meat for the maw!

[BAMxi]

I'm getting it. And here's why:

Current phone is a (barely functional) HTC One. It's in ok cosmetic shape, but it is just extremely slow and buggy. The HTC was my first foray into Android after having a few iPhones. Used the 2 year on-contract upgrade with ATT to get my HTC for about $130. Fast forward two years, and my phone is worth roughly $20 according to some of the phone trade-in sites like gazelle.com. maybe a little more if i sold on craigslist. My wife used her upgrade around the same time to get an iphone 5c. Her iPhone could easily be sold today for about $100. The iPhone retains its value better than any other phone that I know of. That being said, it's still a depreciating asset, just like a car.

We are on the ATT family plan with my parents, and we pay roughly $60 TOTAL per month for two phone lines with: unlimited text, no idea how many talking minutes but...more than enough, unlimited data on my phone, 200 MB data on her phone. Killer deal, right? So obviously we're gonna keep that going as long as possible, and my parents are cool with us being on their plan and paying for the subsequent increase in their monthly price. So, we use the 2 year contract upgrade option. If you do this with iphones, it will (historically) be worth slightly more than the cost to upgrade to the newer model every two years. So, when you upgrade, sell your old iphone for roughly $250-$300, get the newest model, and keep the rest. Otherwise, you're just sucking up the depreciation by hanging onto your phone for 3 or 4 years, as the demand (and price) for them goes down substantially. A friend had been hanging onto his 3GS as a "backup phone" until recently, and then decided to sell it. When he found out he'd get roughly $15, he decided to just keep hanging onto it.

Also, an unlocked version does typically resell for a bit more money, so it's a consideration if you're planning on selling later for sure. Mine is coming straight from ATT, and will not be unlocked, however.

So, it can make sense to upgrade, if you're willing to go through the hassle of selling, etc. And are OK with your phone plan.

All that being said, most people's phone bills on standard contract plans are substantially higher than mine, and if i had to go out and get a plan on my own, I'd like follow MMM's advice, and swap to a carrier like republic or any of the others that are popping up now, and try to bring my own device.

[Left]

fyi, phone companies cant legally lock phones anymore.... its why they all switched plans so they dont subsidize them anymore, all plans require you to buy phone, up front or monthly payments, but they arent subsidized because they cant lock them.

i have the blackberry passport and would recommend it if you havent looked into it. the upcoming blackberry venice seems to be a full android phone if you like android... im happy with the bb os with android apps.

[Scommm]

I bought a 6plus for $300 cash and activated through straight talk on Verizon for $47 a month with taxes and fees. Unlimited talk and text and 5 gig of 4g.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lordy]

I will get one. I currently have a 5S and I have always skipped one generation, so I am "due". While the speed is still fine, the 32 GB is no longer enough and I would like to have a bigger display.

Yes, the iPhone is expensive but I use it so much and for so many things that I feel that it's money well spent.

[use2betrix]

I have one on pre order. I saved $200 off retail by doing an early upgrade. My girlfriends POS Samsung just broke for the second time in 3 months. Last time we did a $150 insurance claim, that lasts 60 days of warranty. Broke again after like 80 days, they want 150 again which I won't pay.

I just decided to get the 6s plus and give her my 6 plus. She's been using my work phone the last 3 weeks (iPhone 6) and until my new phone comes in.

By no means do I "need" this, but my phone is far more than just a phone. I don't have a computer or tablet at home, so it doubles as that for all home Internet usage. Also, I'm working a ton right now, so the phone cost will make up Around 5% of what I'll take home this month.

(Sent from my iPhone 6 plus)