Mobile phone help. Iphone upgrade time?

[roylt]

I currently have a 5s and my cell provider wants me to get a 7 or 7+ for XX amount per month for 24 months. What do you guys think?

7 32GB = $10/month
7+ 32GB = $15/month

128 = $15 / $20
256 = $20 / $25

I use it for my camera mostly so leaning toward 7+ 128 but my 5s still works fine too?

Opinions please.

 

[Bull Barrel]

If what you have works fine stay with it. You dont get free upgrades?

 

[wwb]

Ever hear the old saying, "If it works, don't fix it." ?

Unless the new ones offer some capability you want/need that the old one doesn't have, there's no reason to change.

 

[Big Old Boy]

I just got a 6s+ for the bigger screen easier on my old eyes.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I got the Motorola X Pure (currently $290, directly from Motorola) for the
4G speed. I've had it for near a year now and am VERY happy with it.
Biggest single advantage to it is its being "unlocked", which simply says
if your provider gives you any crap, get a new SIM card and change
providers (cost is less than $20 for the new sim). I am with Verizon and
they DO make note of your ability to move between networks and, at
least so far, have been VERY nice to me.

The advantage in getting it directly from Motorola is that you can get it
in almost any color, any amount of memory you want, and mine has
a separate SD slot, which I put a 32G card in.

I agree with several above, if it ain't broke, why replace it?

 

[roylt]

The biggest deal for me is the "upgrade" for the camera.
Rear camera 12-megapixel vs. 8-megapixel
Front camera 7-megapixel vs. 1.2-megapixel

I use my phone for my camera and I try to take photos of my kids pretty regular. At school with Christmas programs, awards, etc. and just goofing off at the park and having fun. they grow up so fast and I don't want to miss it.

So is an extra 20 bucks a month worth it? That is what I am struggling with.

I am normally very frugal but figured for better pictures of my kids it would be worth it.

Also the old phone can become a wifi surfing tool for one of my kids at home. (again trying to justify the expense)


Thanks for the input,

 

[wwb]

Digital cameras have improved so much, and the cost has come down so far, that for something in the neighborhood of a hundred bucks you can get a camera that will far outperform a phone. That's five months' worth of the $20 increase.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Digital cameras have improved so much, and the cost has come down so far, that for something in the neighborhood of a hundred bucks you can get a camera that will far outperform a phone. That's five months' worth of the $20 increase.

True, but you then must either down load it to your phone or your
computer to share it.


roylt: While you are looking, be sure to check out the no-contract
options. Many carriers have them and Wally World has a fairly good
one going that runs on the Verizon network.

 

[caryc]

Digital cameras have improved so much, and the cost has come down so far, that for something in the neighborhood of a hundred bucks you can get a camera that will far outperform a phone. That's five months' worth of the $20 increase.

True, but you then must either down load it to your phone or your
computer to share it.


roylt: While you are looking, be sure to check out the no-contract
options. Many carriers have them and Wally World has a fairly good
one going that runs on the Verizon network.

Yeah man...that is such a pain. Remember when you had to take your film to the drug store for developing then place the picture in an envelope and trust the USPS to get it to your relative?

Yeah, we've got it bad all right.

 

[BlkHawk73]

You'll find that 5s will be about it for upgrades. They only support the OS for a certain amount of time then they're kinda passed over. Wife has the 7, I have the 6S and the boy the 5s. The latter is being turned into a 6s. Better camera and OS but still not to what the 7 has.

 

[Ka6otm]

Interestingly enough, I just upgraded my 5s to a 7. I'm on Verizon and I got it for $199.95 and a 2 year contract. The contract doesn't matter because I'm going to stay with Verizon forever anyway.

I had a lot of data on my 5s, and I backed it up regularly, both to iCloud and to iTunes on my PC.

Brought the phone home, hooked it up to my PC, told iTunes to restore, and it did. Restored absolutely everything but my custom ringtone and it took around ½ hour.

I'm very happy. The wife took my old 5s and her 5c is now relegated to security here in the house. A free app called Presence makes it into a security camera with motion detection and two way audio. That also works great.

 

[exavid]

I have the 6S, works fine for me as a camera and pocket computer. Not to mention I have a Tom Tom and Garmin standalone GPS app. Mine's a 64gb because a have two GPS programs and a LOT of different apps.
I'd recommend the 7 but not the 7+ unless you don't carry it in your pocket. My wife has the 6+ which is okay for her since she carries hers in her purse. I carry mine in my side pocket, never a rear pocket which is asking for damaging the phone.

 

[RSIno1]

Hold off for awhile. The next iPhone will have a portrait mode in the camera. It'll use electronics to mimic what you can do with F stops.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Yeah, we've got it bad all right.

The KEY POINT, is that any/all major considerations, addressed BEFORE
a purchase, assures you of making a better purchase decision.

If that also is not too tough for you. :roll:

 

[caryc]

Yeah, we've got it bad all right.

The KEY POINT, is that any/all major considerations, addressed BEFORE
a purchase, assures you of making a better purchase decision.

If that also is not too tough for you. :roll:

Yeah...too much input, I think my head is going to explode. :mrgreen:

 

[Mobuck]

I consider my cell phone a "verbal communication device" and have zero need or wish for a "phart phone".
I found out a couple of weeks back that I'm at the top of the list for promotion and certainly hope the promo doesn't come with a demand for me to "upgrade" my connectivity. I have too many things going on to be bothered by anything beyond the normal phone calls. I don't text, tweet, twiddle, or twattle(is that something you can do on a phart phone??????)-if someone needs to contact me other than verbally, I check emails morning, noon, and night and the mail man comes 6 days a week.

 

[wwb]

............. I don't text, tweet, twiddle, or twattle(is that something you can do on a phart phone??????)-if someone needs to contact me other than verbally, I check emails morning, noon, and night and the mail man comes 6 days a week.

Yup.
Never understood texting - I can exchange more information and answer more questions in a one minute phone call than spending an hour typing messages back and forth. And with e-mail, you can send attachments like spec sheets, drawings, spreadsheets, etc. Try that by texting.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Never understood texting -

I found ONE really useful feature. When I head sown to AZ to visit my
daughter, I text her with location each time I stop for the little room,
gas, or to eat. WORKS WONDERS! She is no longer calling me every
two hours to find out where I am. 8)

That said, now that I have the Subaru Outback I can answer the phone
by the push of one button . . . . hands free. Just no need with texts.

 

[Ka6otm]

I'm the squad captain for a group that shoots weekly at a local indoor range.

Texting is outstanding for sending the group updates on where we're going to be if the agenda changes from week to week.

 

[wwb]

...........Texting is outstanding for sending the group updates on where we're going to be if the agenda changes from week to week.

If your "contacts" or "address book" whichever you call it, is set up properly, one e-mail message can be sent to all of a group at once. Can texting do that? Or do you have to send the same message repeatedly to the group members one at a time?

 

[Ka6otm]

...........Texting is outstanding for sending the group updates on where we're going to be if the agenda changes from week to week.

If your "contacts" or "address book" whichever you call it, is set up properly, one e-mail message can be sent to all of a group at once. Can texting do that? Or do you have to send the same message repeatedly to the group members one at a time?

The one that comes with the iPhone will do it , but a free App called "Super Grouper" does just that and better and it's what I use. I just select the "Thursday Shooting Group, then select "text" because it'll also do email, then either type in or speak the text (it's got a voice recognition program) and press the send button. Very fast and easy.

 

[redhawker]

Before you upgrade you might want to look at this adapter that will make your older iPhone just like an iPhone 7...
http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/09/apple-plug-for-headphone-jack-turns-iphone-6-into-iphone-7.html

 

[Ka6otm]

Before you upgrade you might want to look at this adapter that will make your older iPhone just like an iPhone 7...
http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/09/apple-plug-for-headphone-jack-turns-iphone-6-into-iphone-7.html

I hope everyone realizes that this is a joke. Shoving a piece of aluminum in your earphone jack will short out the tip, ring and sleeve, and undoubtedly blow some circuitry inside if audio is going to the jack.